Question "PXE-E16 Media Test Failure" when trying to boot with Cloned SSD but not with the old HDD ?

[tcmgl]

Hi techs! Hoping somebody can guide me to anymore steps to resolve this. This is a Laptop Dell Precision M4800, Service tag FL7RK12. A friend of mine wanted me to change the HDD to a new SSD. So I successfully clone the SSD but it gives me this error when trying to boot up:

PXE-E16: Media test failure, check cable
PXE-M0F: Exiting Intel Boot Agent
No Boot Device Found. Press any key to reboot the machine_

But if I install the old HDD back in it boots up fine.

So it is not the cable or connection. I am assuming it is not SSD because if I use cmd using a USB installation media and DISKPART > list disk it does pull it up fine, as Disk 0 and Disk 1 being my USB installation media. After selecting Disk 0 I then did "list volume" and it shows the correct drive letter as C shown under Volume 2 in the screen shot below:

Also I connected the old HDD via a USB adapter externally, and booted into windows, opened Disk management and it shows the SSD completely fine.

I did a "chkdsk" to the old HDD in case there was some bad sectors that might have affected the cloning process and there was none to be found, and I recloned the SSD just in case. But same results.

I opened the Windows 10 setup from the USB installation media to reinstall windows and it does pull up the SSD and all the partitions....did not proceed with the install tho. Was just checking to see if it detects the SSD.

Right now it is boot up as Legacy mode, and if I try to change the UEFI, it wants me to Add Boot Options, and I have no clue what to add......

Secure Boot is disabled. SATA Operation is AHCI, was RAID On, both same results. I also tried to Disable the UEFI Network Stack for the NIC, still the same.

Please see this video clip of the BIOS in case you see something or help me with what next step to take. You can pause the video, I just skimmed over.

https://1drv.ms/v/s!AuvSzy8fq1PLh7gOoGyKnuzzNK16jQ?e=Z3Smk5

Please let me know what else I can do or your comments on what the issue is.

Thanks, TCMGL

 

[dwd999]

Precisely how did you "successfully" clone the hdd onto the ssd? What software did you use to do this; most of us here use Macrium.

 

[tcmgl]

Yes, I use Macrium Reflect, here is the picture I took:

 

[dwd999]

Huh? I do not recognize this screen from any part of Macrium.

 

[tcmgl]

Can anybody help me here? I tried to manually install windows to this SSD and it says:
"We couldn't create a new partition or locate an existing one. For more information, see the Setup log files"

So I got a completely new SSD, cloned it, same PXE-E16 error, then tried to install windows, same error. Not sure what is going on. I just now deleted the partitions (using the Windows 10 installation drive) and tried again. This is where I am at:

 

[dwd999]

Can anybody help me here? I tried to manually install windows to this SSD and it says:
"We couldn't create a new partition or locate an existing one. For more information, see the Setup log files"

So I got a completely new SSD, cloned it, same PXE-E16 error, then tried to install windows, same error. Not sure what is going on. I just now deleted the partitions (using the Windows 10 installation drive) and tried again. This is where I am at:

You really need to talk to Dell about this. Laptops have all sorts of hidden security features to deter theft and that may prevent you from changing disks or reinstalling windows without the proper security code that you can only get from Dell.

 

[tcmgl]

You really need to talk to Dell about this. Laptops have all sorts of hidden security features to deter theft and that may prevent you from changing disks or reinstalling windows without the proper security code that you can only get from Dell.

Thank you, I will check with Dell and see what I can do. If I find a solution, I will post it here.

 

[tcmgl]

You really need to talk to Dell about this. Laptops have all sorts of hidden security features to deter theft and that may prevent you from changing disks or reinstalling windows without the proper security code that you can only get from Dell.

I contacted Dell and this is my conversation with them:

-----

• Thanks for waiting, Milton. I understand that your issue or concern is about getting a PXE Media tet faiilure boot error for Precision M4800 with Service Tag: FL7RK12, is this correct?
  Jessie C
  
  9:22 PM
• 
  Yes, that is correct
  9:24 PM
• Thank you for the confirmation. Just to give you an update, your Hardware Warranty contract expired last January 16, 2019. In addition to this, I am sorry to inform you that the system have reach its End-of-Life (EOL) status as it is more than 8+ years old. If there is faulty hardware such as hard drive, then parts are no longer being manufactured. Please contact local computer store or nearest local reseller or repair shop for further assistance.
  9:25 PM
• 
  I do apologize for the referral as we need to make sure you will be routed to the correct support group.

----

Is there anybody with experience that can help me out here? I am sure somebody that works in the field have encountered this and have been able to solve? I still have not received any satisfied answers. : ) Would appreciate if somebody can tell me what else I can do or try.

 

[SkyNetRising]

PXE-E16: Media test failure, check cable

Is there anybody with experience that can help me out here?

This means, your laptop is trying to boot from network.

Disable boot from network.
Boot Sequence/Onboard NIC - clear checkbox
Integrated NIC - set to Enabled (it's currently - enabled w/PXE)

But I suspect something is wrong with your cloning.
Can you show your clone result?
Screenshot from Disk Management with clone source and clone result drives
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

What are model names of both drives?

 

[tcmgl]

This means, your laptop is trying to boot from network.

Disable boot from network.
Boot Sequence/Onboard NIC - clear checkbox
Integrated NIC - set to Enabled (it's currently - enabled w/PXE)

But I suspect something is wrong with your cloning.
Can you show your clone result?
Screenshot from Disk Management with clone source and clone result drives
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

What are model names of both drives?

Thank you very much SkyNetRising for taking your time!

Here is the results of the clone Using Macrium Reflect 8:

Sorry, I do not have imgur account....
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AuvSzy8fq1PLh7gk9P8rhgLTEcayjA?e=bR0fcE

I did follow your instructions with BIOS, I made sure to clear the checkbox for Onboard NIC under Boot sequence, I set to just "Enable" instead of "Enabled w/PXE" under Integrated NIC.
But it when I tried to boot up this comes up:
"No Boot Device Found. Press any key to reboot the machine"

Both SSDs that I tried are SP model A55. I have some Samsung SSDs that if you think that is the issue I could try, I could the only things is that I do not have any with the same size to be able to clone.

 

[tcmgl]

Good morning techs! I even tried to do a clean install with a Samsung 860 EVO MZ-76E250 250GB SATA III 2.5" Solid State Drive. An it will still get this error: "We couldn't create a new partition or locate an existing one. For more information, see the Setup log files"
I am basically losing hope on this Dell laptop.....never in all of PC upgrades has it been such a challenge to just change an HDD to an SSD...?? Any further suggestions would be appreciated!!

 

[SkyNetRising]

Here is the results of the clone Using Macrium Reflect 8:
Sorry, I do not have imgur account....
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AuvSzy8fq1PLh7gk9P8rhgLTEcayjA?e=bR0fcE

I can't determine, if cloning was done properly from that.
Show screenshot from Disk Management.

And you don't need imgur account.
Just open imgur.com and click on "New Post" in left upper corner.

 

[tcmgl]

I can't determine, if cloning was done properly from that.
Show screenshot from Disk Management.

And you don't need imgur account.
Just open imgur.com and click on "New Post" in left upper corner.

Ok, thanks SkyNetRising, here is the photo:

https://imgur.com/a/wfDuXJB

View: https://imgur.com/a/wfDuXJB

 

[SkyNetRising]

Ok, thanks SkyNetRising, here is the photo:

Please show screenshot from Disk Management.

Chat clone competition message provides no information about , what was cloned and resulting partition configuration.

 

[tcmgl]

Please show screenshot from Disk Management.

Ah sorry, yes, here is the first one I tried:

https://imgur.com/a/Vex1HeS

View: https://imgur.com/a/Vex1HeS


And here is the second time:

https://imgur.com/a/XYM6VKi

View: https://imgur.com/a/XYM6VKi

 

[SkyNetRising]

Looks fine.

Note - first boot from cloned drive has to be done with old drive physically disconnected.
If you fail to follow this, you'll have to redo cloning.

And you can not boot into windows from USB connected drive.
Make sure fast boot is turned off in BIOS.

 

[tcmgl]

Thank you very much for your time, yes after boot has been completely, I have tried to connect the SSD into the PC and then try to boot it up with the old one out. But my main concern right now is not so much the cloning process anymore. But why have I not been able to just install the new SSD into the PC and make a clean Windows install and forget to even try the cloning process?? See my previous post about the clean install, it will just not accept any other SSD except the original HDD. I have done all that have been suggested in the post....?

 

[SkyNetRising]

But why have I not been able to just install the new SSD into the PC and make a clean Windows install and forget to even try the cloning process??
See my previous post about the clean install, it will just not accept any other SSD except the original HDD.

Storage driver may need to be loaded during installation.

 

[tcmgl]

The problem is that I have not even been able to get to the installation part with the USB Windows 10 installation media. Or what is the best way to load / install the storage driver?

 

[SkyNetRising]

The problem is that I have not even been able to get to the installation part with the USB Windows 10 installation media. Or what is the best way to load / install the storage driver?

You click on "Load driver".