Moving to an SSD

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CDDogg

CDDogg

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Aug 20, 2015
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Here's the problem, I already cloned my current HDD to the SSD. I've already changed the drive letters properly, I've already set the boot drives in my BIOS. I've already changed the registry keys, and I've already made all partitions and volumes on the HDD inactive using diskpart.

The PC is still booting off the HDD even though it's drive letter is F and it's not the primary boot drive in the bios, and it's partitions are all inactive. What can I do to fix this?

I'm not reinstalling windows, I don't have the disk, and I don't want to get the OS all over again. I want to keep the HDD, I just want my primary C: and boot drive as the SSD.
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Mar 16, 2013
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Done properly, you should not have needed to manually mess with the drive letters.

If the system boots from the HDD and only the HDD, I'd suggest simply doing it again.
Thusly:
Specific steps for a successful clone operation:
-----------------------------
Verify the actual used space on the current drive is significantly below the size of the new SSD
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD
Power up
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive
Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD
This is to allow the system to try to boot from ONLY the SSD
Swap the SATA cables around so that the new drive is connected to the same SATA port as the old drive
Power up, and verify the BIOS boot order
If good, continue the power up

It should boot from the new drive, just like the old drive.
Maybe reboot a time or two, just to make sure.

If it works, and it should, all is good.

Later, reconnect the old drive and wipe as necessary.
Delete the 450MB Recovery Partition, here:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/4f1b84ac-b193-40e3-943a-f45d52e23685/cant-delete-extra-healthy-recovery-partitions-and-healthy-efi-system-partition?forum=w8itproinstall
-----------------------------
 
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R

rawraj

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If you have your old harddrive running. Then simply clone it again. Then move your SSD to the the slot the old HDD was. Disconnect the Old HDD.
Only boot with your SSD.
Once you boot with your SSD then you again shut down(you can change the drive letters of other drives back their original if you need to) the PC attach your old HDD in the second slot on your MB.
Also check in the bios if boot is set to your SSD.
Just to be double sure you can disable or remove your HDD from the Boot devices.
This should solve the problem
 
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CDDogg

CDDogg

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Aug 20, 2015
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Ok guys sorry for not posting any updates. I called it a night after breaking the OS. I used CMD and BCDBoot to copy the boot partition from the HDD to the SSD. Now the PC won't start because it says the boot partition doesn't exist on any of my drives. So, I'm downloading the ISO for my OS right now to a flash drive and hopefully I can use system repair to sort out the issue.
 
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CDDogg

CDDogg

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Aug 20, 2015
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Ok guys sorry for not posting any updates. I called it a night after breaking the OS. I used CMD and BCDBoot to copy the boot partition from the HDD to the SSD. Now the PC won't start because it says the boot partition doesn't exist on any of my drives. So, I'm downloading the ISO for my OS right now to a flash drive and hopefully I can use system repair to sort out the issue.
 
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CDDogg

CDDogg

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Aug 20, 2015
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Ran into a new problem, after getting the boot file fixed and booting successfully off the SSD, the SSD's drive letter was D instead of C. I changed this using diskpart and the registry but Everytime I try to log on it goes through preparing the desktop and then tells me my copy of windows isn't genuine.
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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My first post in here would have fixed everything.

Take all the drives out except for the old HDD. Physically disconnect them.
Does it still boot up?
 
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