[SOLVED] Using Macrium to Clone a Hard Drive - FAILED . . .

Feb 28, 2021
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I'm trying to replace my HD using Macrium to clone the HD (the partition containing the O/S and Apps).
I think I did everything right, but on booting up I get the message "reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media . . ."

I checked the BIOS and the new drive is recognized and the boot order seems fine (checks for CD disk and then checks the HD.
I did notice that my new drive is GPT and the old drive is MBR. Also the new drive has a 128MB unformatted primary space.

Do I need to convert GPT to MBR? Do I have to remove that 128MB unformatted space? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Tried to post an image, but can't get it to accept my 'http' address.
 
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It's my own fault that I'm running out of space. I think I am a data hoarder. I'm addicted to PDF magazines. I collect them like other people collect stamps. Just started reading this article about problems booting from a GPT drive with certain older systems, Not sure if my hardware falls into this catagory.
The problem you're currently having is attempting to clone an MBR drive to a large GPT drive.
That won't work.

The source must be GPT before you start.
Then, all is easy.


Personally, I dislike a large physical drive partitioned into OS here, other stuff there.
I much prefer individual physical drives.
500GB or 1TB for the OS, other...

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
You can't covert from MBR to GPT in the middle of the clone process.

If your source drive is MBR, reformat the new drive the same.

Then, redo the clone operation.

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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)
If you are cloning from a SATA drive to PCIe/NVMe, install the relevant driver for this new NVMe/PCIe drive.
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

If you are going from a smaller drive to a larger, by default, the target partition size will be the same as the Source. You probably don't want that
You can manipulate the size of the partitions on the target (larger)drive
Click on "Cloned Partition Properties", and you can specifiy the resulting partition size, to even include the whole thing

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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Feb 28, 2021
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Well, I deleted all partitions on the GPT drive. Still, the option to convert to MBR is not available. Tried AOMEI Partition Assistant and the option is greyed out. In any case, now I've learned that a MBR drive is limited to 2TB partitions, which kind of does away with the whole purpose of buying this new drive. I wanted to have a 4TB storage partition. So, now having wiped out all the partitions on the GPT drive, including the unformatted 128MB space, my only option is to again set up the new drive as GPT, again clone my old drive to the GPT drive and that puts me back where I was, that is having the GPT drive seen in the BIOS but for some reason not being able to boot from it. Little bit frustrated here, I think.
 
Feb 28, 2021
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I had planned on cloning my O/S and Apps partition from my old 2TB MBR drive to my new 6TB GPT drive, then create a storage partition of 4TB or more on the new drive. That means my new drive has to remain GPT. My Asus motherboard/BIOS sees the GPT drive, just won't boot from it for some reason. Both drives are WD. Asus motherboard. Windows 7 SP1. The older MBR 2TB drive would be discarded.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
I had planned on cloning my O/S and Apps partition from my old 2TB MBR drive to my new 6TB GPT drive, then create a storage partition of 4TB or more on the new drive. That means my new drive has to remain GPT. My Asus motherboard/BIOS sees the GPT drive, just won't boot from it for some reason. Both drives are WD. Asus motherboard. Windows 7 SP1. The older MBR 2TB drive would be discarded.
Convert the current drive from MBR to GPT.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/mbr-to-gpt
Verify it actually works.
(Of course, have a known good full drive backup, just in case)

Then clone to the new drive.
 
Feb 28, 2021
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"Convert the current drive from MBR to GPT" - Thanks for the suggestion. That's going to take some time (maybe weeks) as the drive is currently full of valuable files. They will need to be moved to another storage media. Also, I'll have to get another new MBR HD, in case I mess up my current primary drive. It's quite a gamble for someone with limited resources. I really appreciate your replies and will let the forum know how things go. Before doing all these things, I'm wondering if I should see if it's a problem with the ASUS motherboard not being able to boot from a GPT drive (although I can't see why it should not).
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
"Convert the current drive from MBR to GPT" - Thanks for the suggestion. That's going to take some time (maybe weeks) as the drive is currently full of valuable files. They will need to be moved to another storage media. Also, I'll have to get another new MBR HD, in case I mess up my current primary drive. It's quite a gamble for someone with limited resources. I really appreciate your replies and will let the forum know how things go. Before doing all these things, I'm wondering if I should see if it's a problem with the ASUS motherboard not being able to boot from a GPT drive (although I can't see why it should not).
No, the motherboard is not the issue.

But in any endeavor like this, you NEED a known good full drive backup before you start.
Just in case things go wrong.

the drive is currently full of valuable files

This needs its own backup anyway. Even if you weren't trying to do this clone or conversion thing.
 
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Feb 28, 2021
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It's my own fault that I'm running out of space. I think I am a data hoarder. I'm addicted to PDF magazines. I collect them like other people collect stamps. Just started reading this article about problems booting from a GPT drive with certain older systems, Not sure if my hardware falls into this catagory.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
It's my own fault that I'm running out of space. I think I am a data hoarder. I'm addicted to PDF magazines. I collect them like other people collect stamps. Just started reading this article about problems booting from a GPT drive with certain older systems, Not sure if my hardware falls into this catagory.
The problem you're currently having is attempting to clone an MBR drive to a large GPT drive.
That won't work.

The source must be GPT before you start.
Then, all is easy.


Personally, I dislike a large physical drive partitioned into OS here, other stuff there.
I much prefer individual physical drives.
500GB or 1TB for the OS, other large drives for other things.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Userspace
Solution