Solved Installed an SSD on custom pc, explorer.exe error & start menu no work

[ForeverHeights]

Installed an SSD on custom pc, explorer.exe error & start menu no work

Just tried installing an Kingston SSD on my computer. Everything worked fine but I tried to switch data from my original HDD over to SDD and successfully did so. Noticed after that my HDD became labeled (E:/) and was mentioned twice on the list. Then I started to have problems a while after. None of the start menu shortcuts work, whether I type them in to the search bar or just try to click them on the start menu they fail to open. This stupid error appears every like 15 seconds saying "error exe.eplorer" or something like that. Another error pops up frequently too which i included a screenshot of.

Here is the link to the tutorial of switching data between the two drives to explain what I was doing better
How to Migrate to a Solid-State Drive Without Reinstalling Windows

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[whs]

Do I understand that you tried to move the folders from 1 system to the other with the location tab in Properties ??

 

[ForeverHeights]

That is correct yes. Also, it said something about merging two folders together when I had to move locations and it wouldnt let me change locations unless I said yes to that so I did and I think thats where things went wrong.

 

[whs]

Go back and restore the default for those folders. The you can try 2 things:

1. A more conservative approach and move the data with a simple copy/paste to the appropriate folder on the SSD

2. Move with the locaqtion tab - but to a defined folder on the SSD - not to the root.

 

[ForeverHeights]

How do I restore the default for the folders?

 

[whs]

Look into Properties > Location tab. And predefine a seperate folder for each one you want to move - if you choose solution #2.

 

[ForeverHeights]

Here is the problem I am having. I can't delete the shortcuts when I try to either because it says it can't find them. Also, E:/ is listed twice

 

[whs]

That looks like this sytem got pretty much mucked up. I think it's back to square 1.

Did you take an image after the initial installation. If not, have a look whether there are any restore points from before you started playing with the folders. Would avoid a reinstallation.

 

[ForeverHeights]

As in format the SSD and recover my old HDD to the point of before I tried all this? You wouldnt recommend re-installation of what sorry?

 

[whs]

What I am looking at in your snip is the SSD system - right ??

It is not that I do not recommend a reinstallation of the OS on the SSD. That is just a lot of work. If you could recover the situation with a prior image or restore point, that would be easier.

 

[ForeverHeights]

Yeah that is my SSD. I did not take an image of the SSD after I did everything to it :/. Guess I will just have to do everything all over again.

 

[whs]

Did you check for restore points. The command is

vssadmin list shadows

 

[ForeverHeights]

Here is a picture of what happens when I type that into CMD

 

[whs]

That means you have none - too bad. You apparently have not yet installed any programs. That makes reinstallation a lot easier. Do you need any help with that?

 

[ForeverHeights]

I think I should be okay, thanks.

 

[whs]

My tip: define the whole SSD as a primary, active, aligned partition and install into that. Then you do not get the dreaded 100MB system partition. Makes imaging later a lot easier.

 

[ForeverHeights]

How can I do this when I cannot even get into the "computer tab". I cannot format the drive again if i can't get into it. My other drive doesnt have windows on it either

 

[Ranger4]

How can I do this when I cannot even get into the "computer tab". I cannot format the drive again if i can't get into it. My other drive doesnt have windows on it either

You cannot format the Windows 7 OS disc from within Computer. You have to format it when you reinstall Windows, which is part of the installation process.

 

[whs]

Boot with your installation disc and go to command prompt at startup. From there, run the following commands:

Diskpart
List disk
Select disk n (where n is the number that was given for your disk in List disk)
Clean
Create partition primary assign letter=C (the 'assign letter=C' is optional)
Format fs=ntfs quick
Active
Exit

Then install into that partition.

 

[ForeverHeights]

Whenever I try to re-install windows on my SSD and I click install again and pick custom it says something along the lines of "re-start, then re-insert disk, then download" or something along those lines. And when I try that it doesnt work. So, what I have done so far is, re-install windows on my original HDD, and now I was going to try to follow those steps I posted earlier by lifehacker and I formated the SSD. Should I try those steps in the lifehacker post? What should I do now? Sorry if I am making things complicated