Question Unable to boot after upgrading SSD

Mar 3, 2019
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0
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Hey there, so I’ve spent like 15 hours so far trying to fix this problem so im pretty tired and over it and need some help with what should be a simple ass 20 minute task.

So on my PC I purchased a new SSD for larger storage being the 860 EVO 500GB by Samsung. I cloned my data over from the original WD Green 120GB SSD I had using Macrium Reflect.

The system would boot fine with both SSD’s connected and booting from the WD Green SSD and I could access both drives but I was unable to boot from the cloned 860 EVO SSD. The screen would just remain black.

I tried booting with both ssd’s connected, with and with just the 860 but no luck. The whole idea of upgrading the storage was so that I could use the 500GB as my main drive, so I looked into it further and for some reason read something about changing my C drive (the WD Green drive) in the registry to change the letter to something else, I think I changed it to A or something. I tried this, restarted, and now I cannot boot at all. Both drives get stuck on the startup screens no matter which one I boot from.

I would really appreciate some help with this and thanks for reading.

Kyle
 

Ralston18

Titan
Moderator
No need to bump. It may take some time to get a response especially for complicated or unique problems.

If the clone is made without any errors, you should be able to simply unplug the original C: drive (boot) and replace that drive with the larger cloned drive. Which should (being a clone) also be a C: drive.

Failing that, then it is very likely that the cloning process went astray or there was some corruption during the cloning process.

Do you still have the original boot (C:) drive intact? Will that drive boot if reinstalled just by itself and using the same SATA connection and original cables?

Basically, I recommend a "do-over" - mostly because you tinkered with the registry and the consequences can be unrecoverable or, at best, cumbersome to recover.

Doublecheck that you have the most current version of Macrium Reflect and that you initially followed the cloning process exactly as instructed.

If sucessful, you should still hold on to the original C: drive for a few days at least. Just in case.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Can you return the system back to original working condition?
Without the new drive?

If so...redo the clone process.
(and resist the temptation to look in the target drive to see if everything is there. Barring an error from Macrium, it is)

-----------------------------
Specific steps for a successful clone operation:
-----------------------------
Verify the actual used space on the current drive is significantly below the size of the new SSD
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD
Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive
Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD
This is to allow the system to try to boot from ONLY the SSD
Swap the SATA cables around so that the new drive is connected to the same SATA port as the old drive
Power up, and verify the BIOS boot order
If good, continue the power up

It should boot from the new drive, just like the old drive.
Maybe reboot a time or two, just to make sure.

If it works, and it should, all is good.

Later, reconnect the old drive and wipe all partitions on it.
This will probably require the commandline diskpart function, and the clean command.

Ask questions if anything is unclear.
-----------------------------
 
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Mar 3, 2019
9
0
10
No need to bump. It may take some time to get a response especially for complicated or unique problems.

If the clone is made without any errors, you should be able to simply unplug the original C: drive (boot) and replace that drive with the larger cloned drive. Which should (being a clone) also be a C: drive.

Failing that, then it is very likely that the cloning process went astray or there was some corruption during the cloning process.

Do you still have the original boot (C:) drive intact? Will that drive boot if reinstalled just by itself and using the same SATA connection and original cables?

Basically, I recommend a "do-over" - mostly because you tinkered with the registry and the consequences can be unrecoverable or, at best, cumbersome to recover.

Doublecheck that you have the most current version of Macrium Reflect and that you initially followed the cloning process exactly as instructed.

If sucessful, you should still hold on to the original C: drive for a few days at least. Just in case.

My bad. Thanks for the response.

The drive worked originally but since making the change to the registry it is no longer working. So I cannot get past the startup screen for the moment.
 
Mar 3, 2019
9
0
10
Can you return the system back to original working condition?
Without the new drive?

If so...redo the clone process.
(and resist the temptation to look in the target drive to see if everything is there. Barring an error from Macrium, it is)

-----------------------------
Specific steps for a successful clone operation:
-----------------------------
Verify the actual used space on the current drive is significantly below the size of the new SSD
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD
Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive
Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD
This is to allow the system to try to boot from ONLY the SSD
Swap the SATA cables around so that the new drive is connected to the same SATA port as the old drive
Power up, and verify the BIOS boot order
If good, continue the power up

It should boot from the new drive, just like the old drive.
Maybe reboot a time or two, just to make sure.

If it works, and it should, all is good.

Later, reconnect the old drive and wipe all partitions on it.
This will probably require the commandline diskpart function, and the clean command.

Ask questions if anything is unclear.
-----------------------------

Hey, thanks for the response.
I am unable to boot with the original C drive since making changes to the drive letter.

That was a bad idea...
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
My bad. Thanks for the response.

The drive worked originally but since making the change to the registry it is no longer working. So I cannot get past the startup screen for the moment.
Changing the drive letter like that is not a "for the moment" fail, rather that is a fatal fail.

Power off.
Return the system back to full original configuration.
Does it boot up?

If so, we can maybe proceed.

If not:
Remove ALL drives except your clone target.
Does it boot up?
 
Mar 3, 2019
9
0
10
Changing the drive letter like that is not a "for the moment" fail, rather that is a fatal fail.

Power off.
Return the system back to full original configuration.
Does it boot up?

If so, we can maybe proceed.

If not:
Remove ALL drives except your clone target.
Does it boot up?

Yeah ... I definitely figured that out after performing it. I’m not sure why that advice was on a blog post I was reading.
Nope, cannot get past the startup screen.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Random blog posts like that often have bad or dangerous info...sometimes on purpose.
Probably the best and fastest way to fix this is a full wipe and reinstall on your chosen drive.


Of course, given a good full drive image of your system before you started on this road...all could have been easily recovered.
 
Mar 3, 2019
9
0
10
Random blog posts like that often have bad or dangerous info...sometimes on purpose.
Probably the best and fastest way to fix this is a full wipe and reinstall on your chosen drive.


Of course, given a good full drive image of your system before you started on this road...all could have been easily recovered.


Yeah, guess that’s a lesson learnt.

Considering the new 500GB drive has an exact clone of the old drive before I made changes to the registry, do you think if I wipe and reinstall Windows on my old drive (the 120gb) there would be any chance of recloning it, sort of using the 500gb as a backup? It seems logical in my mind but obviously I’ve made it clear i’m not a genius with this stuff 😅
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
No.
Unless the system boots from that 500GB on its own, it is useless as a 'clone'. It doesn't work.
There are better ways of doing backups.

A clone is to use now.
A backup is to save for later, just in case.


If you want the 500GB drive as you new OS drive, do that full wipe and reinstall on that.
 
Mar 3, 2019
9
0
10
No.
Unless the system boots from that 500GB on its own, it is useless as a 'clone'. It doesn't work.
There are better ways of doing backups.

A clone is to use now.
A backup is to save for later, just in case.


If you want the 500GB drive as you new OS drive, do that full wipe and reinstall on that.

Alright. Thanks for your help I’ll let you know how it goes.

Appreciate it.
 
Mar 3, 2019
9
0
10
Ok so, I’ve completed the restoration of windows using the method above. All is well. The pc now boots from the new SSD and I have connected the old SSD as extra storage.

However, the old SSD still has its files, I am just double checking that I cannot use any of the software I previously had installed? Will I have to reinstall all the programs manually on the main drive or is there a way to move over the programs?

Thanks again
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Ok so, I’ve completed the restoration of windows using the method above. All is well. The pc now boots from the new SSD and I have connected the old SSD as extra storage.

However, the old SSD still has its files, I am just double checking that I cannot use any of the software I previously had installed? Will I have to reinstall all the programs manually on the main drive or is there a way to move over the programs?

Thanks again
No, there is not a way to move programs like that.
 

popatim

Titan
Moderator
Games that use launchers will likely work if you add the games folder as another library location afer you reinstall the launcher app (origin, Steam, uplay...)

Other programs it depends on the program. I have a handful of apps that will work no matter where i move them.