Computer Problem

[woodchopper]

Bought myself a Crucial 2TB SSD - cloned the 2TB HDD using a USB SATA lead and Macrium Reflect software which ran smoothly - disconnected the HDD and connected the new SSD - switched on the computer and just the HP logo appears on screen and no swirly windows thingy - wont boot. Switched on again and hit F10 for the bios and cant get into it - just gives me a list of the chipset.
Disconnected the SSD and reconnected the HDD and works fine and boots.
Am stuck on how to fix - any ideas?

[JimF]

I'm not familiar with Macrium but are you sure it made an exact copy of the old HD and didn't just copy the files over? Obviously, in order for a computer to boot from a hard drive, it has to be bootable i.e. with a boot sector where the machine expects to find one, etc.

[woodchopper]

The old HDD was cloned.

[Togo]

This looks the SSD drive is looking for partition and that you dispensed with it in the first clone to the hybrid or even to the second clone to the SSD. . Hmm. First though ... do you remember whether you had an option to copy system and files or files only. There is obviously no repair disc or system disc because like most of us you have probably upgraded to W10 somewhere along the line. A read through this may help Woodchopper(first link), although I suspect that you may have found similar yourself. The second link is what I used when I changed the drives on my desktop and laptop.

https://www.diskpart.com/articles/cloned-hard-drive-ssd-wont-boot-4348.html

https://www.ubackup.com/features/disk-clone.html

[woodchopper]

The computer is a 2yr old hp pavllion 570- all partitions on the WD hdd were cloned to the new Crucial mx500 ssd

[Togo]

I also remember watching this when I was contemplating the upgrades. The accent is hard to catch but the info is good.

[woodchopper]

Was supplied with Win 10.

[Togo]

Hmm again. This could be missing files or an errant click. Sometimes starting again helps I suppose and there are sites that offer "help" with downloads and tools. Cannot recommend one but this looks fairly clean.

https://www.partitionwizard.com/partitionmagic/ssd-wont-boot.html

[Togo]

Yeah got that now Woodchopper. So no disc and no written system key. Bleddin nuisance that is becoming. My HP lappie is still flying after 8 years came with 8:1 installed. Even been to hospital twice with me. We have been through a lot together.

[bhg481]

I've had problems with Reflect - I've just changed the HDD in my HP laptop for an SSD. Try creating a System Image via Control Panel > Backup and Restore and then remove the HDD and replace it with the SSD. You can then restart your computer using your repair disc and restore the System Image onto the new SSD.

[Togo]

Hi bhg. Nice one this. If I were in Woodchoppers shoes I would not be thinking about resurrecting this "copy". Think I would be thinking clean start. What are you using to read the existing disc Woodchopper? I used a very neat USB to SATA, mains powered bit of kit. No chance of misreads and very reliable kit. Very similar to this.

Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[woodchopper]

Was using USB 3.0 to SATA connector - don't need power to it as usb power is sufficient.

[bhg481]

The problem with a clean start is that you've got to reload all your personal software; if you clone or restore from a system image the upgrade is invisible apart from the speed improvement.

[Togo]

Poorly worded by me BHG. I didn't mean a clean start as in a settings or recovery mode, I meant a clean clone, a new clean copy. Possibly using a different tool.

[bhg481]

I think I tried twice with Reflect and also with EZ-GIG with no joy at all. That's when I resorted to creating a new System Image and restoring from that on the new SSD - worked first time. I seem to remember I've had problems with both Reflect and EZ-GIG before; in future I'll just go straight for the restore option.

[barry1010]

Thanks for your help, Verolla

[barry1010]

Just a thought. Could this have something to do with the Windows licence?

[bhg481]

No, the disc is considered by Microsoft to be a replaceable item, so you are allowed to change it.

[barry1010]

When I changed my hard drive to SSD I installed Windows from the original disk and didn't have a problem. Is that an option for you?

[bhg481]

As I said in an earlier post, re-installing from the original disc should work but you then have to reload all your own private software, drivers for your printers etc, which is tedious and time-consuming. On top of that the version of Windows that you load will not be up-to-date so you'll have to reload all the updates that Microsoft have released. It will work if you are desperate but is to be avoided, if possible.