How can i move files (Including Windows) Onto a New HDD From a old one

gregrocker said:

When you boot into the clone now is it C? It should be lettered C if the cloning was done correctly set to Auto. If not I would do it over.

Also since you cloned to a Logical partition, the Win7 boot files cannot be placed on a Logical partition until it is converted to Primary, marked Active and then run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times.

Since you were not told to run the Startup Repairs, but instead manually edited the BCD, chances are the job was not done completely. When you reboot and tap the F8 key, do you have the Repair My Computer choice at the top of Advanced Boot Options? If not run Startup Repair several times.

I would also want the new OS drive in Disk0 slot and set first HD to boot in BIOS setup, no other partition marked Active.

Greg I know he did the clone the wrong way. He only has to do my registry trick and a startup repair. But that doesn't cleanup the bcd store. Why clone again.... only drive lettering in bcd store and registry is not good. Startup repair doesn't swap Z and C!!

gregrocker said:

The last screenshot shows he is booted into the old Win7 on C - look at the Boot flag to determine which is booted. The clone is correctly marked System Active.




Now when booting into the clone, is it correctly showing as C drive? That is the question.

Z is marked SYSTEM as you can see. So Z has the boot menu. But it has a bot entry still pointing to C.
I let him do: bcdboot z:\windows
It created a multiboot succesfully. He can boot to what was called Z now!
He only has to swap C and Z in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices

And do a startup repair or doning a bcd cleanup manually

gregrocker said:

How do we know for sure the clone is not now starting up as C? We have not seen a screenshot since he booted into the clone, which is shown as Z in his last screenshot only because he was booted into the original Win7 on C.

I know.. let's wait for disk mangement screenshot

gregrocker said:

Correct.

If it is booting as C then the next question is if he has Repair My Computer on the F8 Advanced Boot Options which is only rewritten by Startup Repair. This is why we settled four years ago on runnning Startup Repair - Run up to 3 Separate Times as the best practice for moving the System boot files, since it tests and repairs all parameters.

If clone is not booting as C then no registry edit will fix that. The clone needs to be redone with Auto drive letter setting, set to Active Primary partition while copying the MBR and Track0. If it won't boot after removing the source HD and setting first to boot in BIOS, run the 3 Startup Repairs with reboots.

I used this registry fix at least 5 times. All succeeds succesfully (even after detaching old drive afterwards). MBR (partition table, disk signature, boot code) is fine. It boots from physical disk where Z is on. Z has a good volume boot sector well.

What references to old C will still be interfering? I know you are a smart guy with years of experience... Just want to learn

gregrocker said:

I have never seen a method to change the drive letter of Win7 partition without ruining it. Maybe you have discovered one! You work with internal BCD commands while I specialize in automated methods which are more user-friendly for a consumer audience.

My point about Startup Repair being the most comprehensive to move the System boot files is because it runs many different tests and fixes checking all parameters and not just the BCD edits. So for example WinRE is relinked to F8 which is not done with BCD commands that I've seen.

Your point to startup repair is totally true.

To change a drive letter in win7 is just editting registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices

If windows doesn't boot you can do it from winre. For example OS disk is called E in winre

Code:

reg  load  HKLM\MY_SYSTEM   E:Windows\System32\config\system
regedit. Navigate to HKLM\MY_SYSTEM\MountedDevices. Delete drive letters like \DosDevices\D: there, or rename. 
reg unload  HKLM\MY_SYSTEM

Best thing to do is delete \DosDevices\C: (so it can be reused). And delete \DosDevices\?: That should become C. Don't know what \DosDevices\?: to take.. look in winre what drive letter it is and it's value in mounteddevices. Lookup same value in HKLM\MY_SYSTEM\MountedDevices