Replacing HDD with SSD in Inspiron 3551 Laptop, doesn't show as boot option

[rebelruiz]

Hey all, fairly experience with installs/upgrades, but generally I've been a bit behind the curve (pre UEFI) .. trying to replace a stock HDD with a Samsung EVO 250 GB SSD. I've tried every method I can think of, cloning with Samsung's sofware, Macrium, EaseUS. I've tried clean installs of Windows 8 and 10. Each option leaves me with a drive that looks fine (if I boot to a command prompt using the windows install option) but doesn't show as a boot option. It will just hang at the Dell logo.. forever. The BIOS settings only allow for AHCI in the Sata mode, and the install mediums have been showing up and are selected as UEFI mode (tried DVD and external USB).

The model info is here:

https://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/product-support/servicetag/49ty932/configuration?lwp=rt

I've tried a few other things in terms of adding a boot option manually, but it doesn't work. I've updated the bios version, tried using the windows startup repair option.... Is there something that I'm missing that I could try?

Thanks!

 

[hang-the-9]

You should not have needed to change anything, just clone the disk, then plug it in where the old disk was and turn on the system. As long as you did the cloning properly it will boot. I suggest you reset the BIOS to default, plug in the original drive and make sure it boots off that. Then do the clone to the new drive and make sure you do a full disk clone, not selected partitions. Shut off system, plug in the new drive, turn on the system.

 

[rebelruiz]

You should not have needed to change anything, just clone the disk, then plug it in where the old disk was and turn on the system. As long as you did the cloning properly it will boot. I suggest you reset the BIOS to default, plug in the original drive and make sure it boots off that. Then do the clone to the new drive and make sure you do a full disk clone, not selected partitions. Shut off system, plug in the new drive, turn on the system.

Sorry for the delay replying, I didn't notice there was a reply in my inbox. The only thing I've had to do was the EVO was 250 GB, and the original HDD was 500 GB. Only 75 was used in the original, so I made enough unallocated space that it would fit comfortably in the new drive. The original drive boots fine, though Windows does need to be activated again, it seems. That's the only "non full clone" item, and Samsung's software ignored that anyway. I'll try resetting the bios, but there was only one bios update since the laptops release.

 

[hang-the-9]

You should not have needed to change anything, just clone the disk, then plug it in where the old disk was and turn on the system. As long as you did the cloning properly it will boot. I suggest you reset the BIOS to default, plug in the original drive and make sure it boots off that. Then do the clone to the new drive and make sure you do a full disk clone, not selected partitions. Shut off system, plug in the new drive, turn on the system.

Sorry for the delay replying, I didn't notice there was a reply in my inbox. The only thing I've had to do was the EVO was 250 GB, and the original HDD was 500 GB. Only 75 was used in the original, so I made enough unallocated space that it would fit comfortably in the new drive. The original drive boots fine, though Windows does need to be activated again, it seems. That's the only "non full clone" item, and Samsung's software ignored that anyway. I'll try resetting the bios, but there was only one bios update since the laptops release.

Try using Macrium Reflect to do the clone, make a boot disk from that program, you will need a USB enclosure for the new drive. Boot the system of the Macrium disk, then do a full drive clone from the original to the new. Make sure you select the correct way or you will clone the new drive to the old and make them both not booting. Then swap the old one in and see if that works.

 

[rebelruiz]

You should not have needed to change anything, just clone the disk, then plug it in where the old disk was and turn on the system. As long as you did the cloning properly it will boot. I suggest you reset the BIOS to default, plug in the original drive and make sure it boots off that. Then do the clone to the new drive and make sure you do a full disk clone, not selected partitions. Shut off system, plug in the new drive, turn on the system.

Sorry for the delay replying, I didn't notice there was a reply in my inbox. The only thing I've had to do was the EVO was 250 GB, and the original HDD was 500 GB. Only 75 was used in the original, so I made enough unallocated space that it would fit comfortably in the new drive. The original drive boots fine, though Windows does need to be activated again, it seems. That's the only "non full clone" item, and Samsung's software ignored that anyway. I'll try resetting the bios, but there was only one bios update since the laptops release.

Try using Macrium Reflect to do the clone, make a boot disk from that program, you will need a USB enclosure for the new drive. Boot the system of the Macrium disk, then do a full drive clone from the original to the new. Make sure you select the correct way or you will clone the new drive to the old and make them both not booting. Then swap the old one in and see if that works.

I did try this yesterday, I had used Macrium before but without using the boot disk option. Still no go. I think tried a clean Windows 8.1 install.. nothing. Everything seems to run perfectly, but when I shut down and replace the old HD with the SSD, on reboot it will never boot. Windows Boot Manager shows as the only boot option, but doesn't work, with no error. It will just hang on the Dell start up screen. There are very few options to change in this version of the BIOS.. any idea as to why the clean install wouldn't work either?