Question Windows 10 boots from the wrong drive

[J Dandy]

I have an installation of Windows 10 on a 512GB SSD and cloned the installation to a 1TB SSD using AOMEI Backupper (standard). Both drives are formatted as GPT. In the BIOS, the 1TB drive is #1 on the Boot List. However, when I start up the computer, it boots to the 512GB drive.

I tried to fix the BCD by going into Settings > Update & Security > Recovery and clicking 'Restart now' under 'Advanced startup'. Once the computer restarted, I went Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt. In command prompt, I typed 'bootrec /RebuildBcd'. When this command ran, it found the installation of Windows 10 on the 1TB drive and asked if I wanted to add it. I said yes, but it responded with 'The system cannot find the file specified'.

The 512GB drive came with Windows 10 preinstalled, so I do not have any installation media.

How can I boot from the 1TB SSD?

 

[salm2s]

Try unplugging the 512 gb drive from the motherboard and normally boot without going into bios. The computer should be forced to boot from the 1tb drive

 

[TerryLaze]

The 512GB drive came with Windows 10 preinstalled, so I do not have any installation media.

You can download the installation from MS windows will pick up your licence and be activated.

Try unplugging the 512 gb drive from the motherboard and normally boot without going into bios. The computer should be forced to boot from the 1tb drive

No it won't because the 1Tb disk does not have the required boot files.
It will go into automated repair though which might fix the problem after a few tries.

How can I boot from the 1TB SSD?

Get easybcd the free version is enough,go to bcd deployment write an mbr to the 1tb disk and install bcd on the main partition of the 1tb disk that will put the boot files on the disk and it should boot.

 

[J Dandy]

You can download the installation from MS windows will pick up your licence and be activated.

So I can do a fresh install of Windows on the new drive and it will automatically activate? I know that's what you just told me, I just want to make sure.

Get easybcd the free version is enough,go to bcd deployment write an mbr to the 1tb disk and install bcd on the main partition of the 1tb disk that will put the boot files on the disk and it should boot.

Will doing this erase the data on the main partition?


Thanks so much!

 

[TerryLaze]

So I can do a fresh install of Windows on the new drive and it will automatically activate? I know that's what you just told me, I just want to make sure.

There are two options either the company that made the system has the licence in the bios and windows will not even ask for a serial or you can make an microsoft account if you don't have one already and entering into this account will make windows activated as long as you are connected with this account.

Will doing this erase the data on the main partition?

No,you would have to do something incredibly wrong and even then I don't think so but maybe.

 

[slingsrat]

Well you cloned the boot sector as well and it points to the 512 drive no matter what boot order you choose. Download "easyBCD" and delete one of your boot sectors and edit the remaining one.

 

[USAFRet]

I have an installation of Windows 10 on a 512GB SSD and cloned the installation to a 1TB SSD using AOMEI Backupper (standard). Both drives are formatted as GPT. In the BIOS, the 1TB drive is #1 on the Boot List. However, when I start up the computer, it boots to the 512GB drive.

I tried to fix the BCD by going into Settings > Update & Security > Recovery and clicking 'Restart now' under 'Advanced startup'. Once the computer restarted, I went Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt. In command prompt, I typed 'bootrec /RebuildBcd'. When this command ran, it found the installation of Windows 10 on the 1TB drive and asked if I wanted to add it. I said yes, but it responded with 'The system cannot find the file specified'.

The 512GB drive came with Windows 10 preinstalled, so I do not have any installation media.

How can I boot from the 1TB SSD?

Steps often missed:
At the end of the cloning process, you needed to Power OFF, physically dosconnect the old drive, and allow the system to try to power up with only the new drive.

If you return the system back to original configuration, does it boot up properly?
If so, redo this clone operation.
(click below)

Spoiler: Specific cloning steps

-----------------------------
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.
-----------------------------

 

[TerryLaze]

Well you cloned the boot sector as well and it points to the 512 drive no matter what boot order you choose. Download "easyBCD" and delete one of your boot sectors and edit the remaining one.

Not all ghost software actually ghosts the whole drive,most of them don't unless you tell them to, some not even then they lack the option.
Most just copy over all the files which is much faster and also allows to "clone" drives to smaller or larger disks without having to deal with changed sizes.

Also you don't need to delete any bootsector if you edit the one you point the bois toward the other one doesn't do anything.

 

[J Dandy]

Well you cloned the boot sector as well and it points to the 512 drive no matter what boot order you choose. Download "easyBCD" and delete one of your boot sectors and edit the remaining one.

This worked perfectly! I installed EasyBCD and used it to add a new entry for the installation on the 1TB drive. When I restarted, Windows Boot Manager prompted me to choose which drive I wanted to boot to! Thank you so much. Will remedying it this way cause any foreseeable problems?

 

[slingsrat]

This worked perfectly! I installed EasyBCD and used it to add a new entry for the installation on the 1TB drive. When I restarted, Windows Boot Manager prompted me to choose which drive I wanted to boot to! Thank you so much. Will remedying it this way cause any foreseeable problems?

Well you have a dual boot setup now but you don't really need to as the you have two cloned drives. Keep it this way if you like or delete one of the entries in the boot manager to get a single OS boot. But you may have a Windows licensing issue if you keep dual boot. Just wait and see.

 

[J Dandy]

Well you have a dual boot setup now but you don't really need to as the you have two cloned drives. Keep it this way if you like or delete one of the entries in the boot manager to get a single OS boot. But you may have a Windows licensing issue if you keep dual boot. Just wait and see.

Thanks much. No problems have come of it yet, and I'm planning to delete the other entry soon. Thank you again, it's so nice to have this computer working.