Question Windows Dissapeared from SSD After New Mobo

[sketchyfresh]

To start, my cloned my OS from my HDD to my SSD last year. I do not have the product key, CD, or anything. The activation is linked thru my Microsoft account digitally.

So I just upgraded my b350 mobo, and ryzen 5 1600, to a x370 rog crosshair, ryzen 5 3600x . I didn’t backup anything, first try I got into windows on my SSD, and everything was fine. I reset my PC to update x370 amd chipset driver, and Nvidia driver, and that’s when I got a blue screen. Upon resetting the blue screen, the bios is booting me to my HDD with windows 10 on it now, and my SSD no longer has windows on it. Magically my OS transferred back to my HDD.
Upon booting into my HDD, I can look into my SSD and I see the program files and windows OS on there, but ALL of my personal data, videos, downloads, documents, etc are all gone. Well not technically gone because I see 102gb of storage used on my SSD (that’s all my files) but I cannot SEE any of them, nor boot the OS on my SSD. I have no idea what I should do? I really cannot loose that data on my SSD, but I don’t know how to access any of it. Disk management says my SSD and HDD is the primary disk, somehow both boot and system is on both my ssd and hdd? I’m not sure what to do. I’m okay with buying a usb windows, but can I install a new OS on my current SSD without reformatting it and loosing all my personal files?

Is it finally time to buy a new OS and start fresh?

 

[USAFRet]

Don't need to 'buy' a new OS...just do a new reinstall.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

"I really cannot loose that data on my SSD "....that is problematic.
Why was there not a full backup of this data before you started down this road?

 

[onespeedbiker]

Have you tried disconnecting your hdd and just booting from your ssd? After you clone an OS drive you can not just keep both drives connected as is, as it will corrupt Windows as it tries to deal with two OS installs with two active partitions.

 

[sketchyfresh]

Don't need to 'buy' a new OS...just do a new reinstall.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

"I really cannot loose that data on my SSD "....that is problematic.
Why was there not a full backup of this data before you started down this road?

Because I am dumb and completely forgot I would most likely need a clean install of windows if I were swapping my motherboard out. I was so worried about getting 3rd gen ryzen to work on my x370 right that I forgot about the OS it’s self.

 

[sketchyfresh]

Have you tried disconnecting your hdd and just booting from your ssd? After you clone an OS drive you can not just keep both drives connected as is, as it will corrupt Windows as it tries to deal with two OS installs with two active partitions.

I have disconnected my HDD and tried to boot again but that didn’t work. After I cloned the OS to my ssd, I wiped the HDD and used it as a extra storage device. I thought reformatting and partitioning the drive would of removed windows off it?

 

[onespeedbiker]

Post a screen shot of your disk manager if possible. It sounds like windows may have divided itself with partitions on both drives.