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SSD not booting Windows 10 after cloning from HDD.


I recently purchased a Sandisk 120GB SSD to use for running my OS from. I formatted the disk as normal then ran the EaseUS todo backup to clone the data. The cloning seemed to be successful as the SSD had all the data from the HDD including Windows 10.

However when I try and boot the PC with just the SSD a message appears saying "Checking media presence", this appears for a minute then it says "No boot detected". I have also tried changing the boot order with the HDD still installed but this will not work either. I have also tried formatting and retrying the clone, but that hasn't worked either.

This is my first time trying to put an OS on and SSD so any help would be appreciated. I do not have a windows installation disk either.

PC is a HP Pavillion 500-400na.

Thanks

With the SSD connected, boot into your old Windows from the hard drive and post a screenshot of disk management. Please widen the columns so that we can see all the info in them:
Disk Management - How to Post a Screenshot of - Windows 10 blog

Thanks for the reply. Here is the disk management for my PC, Disk 0 is the SSD, Disk 1 the HDD.

Hi, Cinnamon. You have only cloned your Windows partition onto the SSD - that's why it's not bootable. The EFI System Partition is required on the SSD for booting. You should have cloned entire disk but then C: would need resized.

An alternative strategy would be to perform a clean install of Win10 with only the SSD installed, then restore to the new C: partition from your old C: partition from a backup.

I don't use Todo EaseUs so not intimately familiar with it's capabilities. I do know that Macrium Reflect can do this easily. I recommend a backup / restore strategy for HDD/SSD replacement over cloning - but I'm not an expert, only have personal experience and observed the frequency of problems reported here at windowssh blog and other fora.

Yep. Or you can use MiniTool Partition Wizard Free to shrink the Windows partition on the SSD enough to allow the EFI system partition to be copied over.

Yep. Or you can use MiniTool Partition Wizard Free to shrink the Windows partition on the SSD enough to allow the EFI system partition to be copied over.
Okay, I have shrunk the partition, how do I go about copying just the EFI partition over?

Hi there
I never recommend cloning


Use the IMAGING facility of something like Free macrium -- Image the system reserved and OS partitions to another partition or separate HDD - then restore image back to the new SSD.

You can re-size the partitions on the new HDD/SSD with GPARTED / Partition wizard or whatever.

I always find taking images is better than cloning - even if it requires an extra step (restore).

You can use USB-->SATA connectors for restoring the image to SSD before physically installing SSD on computer.

Cheers
jimbo

Use the MiniTool Partition Wizard copy partition function.

Okay, so I have attempted to copy the EFI system partition but without success. I created the partition and then did a copy of the EFI however when trying to boot the SSD on its own it errors again, this time the error was on a Windows screen not the BIOS, I think the error said no OS found.

From what I can see the EFI hasn't copied properly, as there is no EFI partition label on the partition as there is on the HDD, I have attached a screenshot. Thanks for your help on this, any suggestions appreciated.

Hi there

Ok copying has failed so now try the Imaging method - OK it's an extra step but I've always found it works.

Create a bootable Free Macrium USB and boot from it to create the image and restore. Use Rufus to create a bootable USB from the ISO.

People often suggest cloning - but I've found in spite of the extra work Imaging always works.

Do include the windows reserved system partition in the image and ensure the boot partition is active.

Cheers
jimbo

SSD not booting Windows 10 after cloning from HDD.