Unable to boot from cloned HDD

[davide445]

Using EaseUS Todo Backup Free I cloned the whole C drive into the new SSD drive in mine old Lenovo X220.

Now even selecting the SSD as boot drive in BIOS the laptop boot always from the old HDD.

In the this link my current drive config, any hint is welcomed

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxbefK5ByPzyMUxzclBQYm1QQmc/view?usp=sharing

 

[pbcopter]

After you clone the drive you should always remove the old drive before booting the first time. You can add it to the system later.

Try removing the old drive and, if necessary, accomplish a startup repair.

 

[davide445]

Thanks for answering.
I didn't have the Win 7 installation disk since was an OEM install and also my laptop come without DVD reader, can I create a recovery disk on an USB stick?

 

[pbcopter]

Yes you can use a USB stick. You could also reclone the drive, if nothing else works, and remove the original before you boot to the clone.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

You could also try imaging rather than cloning.

 

[DavidE]

I didn't have the Win 7 installation disk since was an OEM install

Legit ISO's from MS are available again (now) using the downloader available here:
https://heidoc.net/joomla/technolog...icrosoft-windows-and-office-iso-download-tool

The only caveat i've had is i have to start the downloader with "Run as administrator".
I log into Windows with a standard account, ymmv.

 

[davide445]

Tried to remove the original HDD and start with just the SSD.
It's working....just a bit.
The first time after login the system told me is preparing the desktop, and after that asked me to reboot.
Done, again preparing the desktop and finally I reach the desktop....that's completely empty with blue background and a writing in the bottom right corner telling me the Win installation it's not original.
There is no command bar no start menu nothing, just a light blue background with this writing.
Tested another couple of reboot same behavior, preparing the desktop and next this fake desktop.
Back to HDD all is working normally.
Cloning for some reason broke Win license?

 

[davide445]

I didn't know how to proceed, maybe someone can give me a suggestion if image the HDD to SSD will be better or better will be to follow another path.
Only I didn't want to reinstall Win from scratch, way too many programs and configurations to recreate.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Imaging can't hurt.

You should be able to install Macrium, make an image, and attempt a restore within an hour or so once you have a half-baked idea of how Macrium works.

I have no idea why cloning won't work. Imaging may fail as well. But it's easy enough to find out.

I'm not sure what other path you have other than imaging, clean install, or figuring out why cloning failed.

 

[AddRAM]

As long as you have a place to store an image, use Macrium to create an image, remove the hard drive, then reimage to the ssd.

But anyway.......

Why are there no system files on Disk 1 if that is the new SSD ? That is why it won`t boot on its own.

By the way, you don`t have a C drive, C is just a partition on your drive, the entire thing is called a drive

This is what needs to be done.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/209885-bootmgr-move-c-easybcd.html

 

[AddRAM]

Why did F and E grow in size on the SSD ? That is totally wrong. Those partitions are not even supposed to have letters.

Is this a Windows 7 install ? Why are the 1st 2 partitions on each drive labeled System Drive ???

 

[AddRAM]

This is why imaging is so much better in my opinion, you shrink your C partition down so it will fit on the new ssd, and in your case you`d have to image the system drive partition as well because it has the system files on it, and you make sure it stays the same exact size.


Disk 1 may not show the system files because you can`t boot into it, but I hope that`s not the case.

And Greg always told me, a Recovery partition carried over to a new drive won`t work anymore.

 

[AddRAM]

This is what you really should do.

Download the iso file of the version of Windows 7 SP1 you need.

Create a 4 GB usb stick Windows 7 SP1 installer using rufus.

https://rufus.akeo.ie/

Remove the hard drive.

Connect the new ssd where the hard drive is (yes it matters)

Install windows to the entire new ssd,, you do this by creating an install partition out of the entire ssd during the beginning of the install. (After you delete the entire ssd back down to unallocated space by deleting all the partitions you have on it now)

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

You then end up with a beautiful clean install using your entire new ssd for windows 7 and nothing else, your ssd is too small to have any other partitions.

And it will look like this. Ignore the unallocated space, that is used for over provisioning and a topic you should read up on, it`s good to have on a solid state drive. (But not even needed if you always keep plenty of free space.

 

[AddRAM]

Post what version of Windows 7 you have a key for for the Lenovo and what bit version you want, either 32 or 64 and I/we will gladly post the Microsoft link that will let you download the iso file.

Simply entering your oem key at the Microsoft site will not work to download the iso file.