Problems formatting HDD after copying Win 10 and data to new SSD

[Bassie_c]

Hi everyone,

I have asked this again on the storage subforum

I'm installing an Samsung SSD 850 EVO in my computer and I try to follow this guide:
http://lifehacker.com/5837543/how-to-migrate-to-a-solid-state-drive-without-reinstalling-windows

My goal is to have the SSD for Win 10 + games + other applications and my HDD for data storage. I originally had Windows 8.1 and around a year ago I upgraded to Windows 10. I'm not sure if I still have the installation disk of Windows 8.1.

I have coppied my HDD to my SSD with Samsungs migrations software and now I can boot Windows 10 with only my SSD connected. The guide says that the next step will be to format my HDD. There are however two problems that are bothering me.

1. The system reserved partition is on the wrong drive.
The system reserved partition( D: ) is still on my HDD. It is 100 mb big. Wil it be a problem if I format my HDD? I am also thinking about only formatting the big partition of my HDD ( F: ), wich I can use then for data storage. Is that possible? And is that a better idea?

2. Station is still being used.
When I try formatting F: (main HDD partition) by right-clicking on it in Windows Explorer (like they do in the guide), a message box shows up with options. I have filled those in and pressed start. Then a message shows up with a warning about the fact that everything will be deleted on the drive. I click ok. Then another pop-up appears. It says (translated from Dutch): "This station is in use. Another program or process is using this station. Do you want to format the station anyway?" Then there are to options: "Yes" and "No". I have clicked "No" everytime, because I'm afraid I will ruin my computer if I click "Yes". I have already tried to disable the pagefiling, even while that was already happening on my SSD ( C: ), but it had no effect. The warning about the station still being active showed up once again. Should I just press "Yes" and format the station? And will this format only F: or the complete HDD, including D: (System reserved partition 100mb big)?

Thanks in advance!

-Bassie_c

 

[BadAsAl]

If you can boot Windows 10 with only the SSD attached then you are ok and can do whatever you want with the HDD.
You are still seeing the boot partition on the HDD because you cloned it and it made an identical copy on your SSD.

So, be absolutely sure you can boot with only the SSD attached, then make sure everything is as you want it and all your data is there on the SSD.
Then shut it down and attach the HDD and boot using the boot options to make sure you are again booting off the SSD.
Then I like to user Diskpart from a command prompt to clean and format the HDD: http://www.windowscentral.com/how-clean-and-format-storage-drive-using-diskpart-windows-10

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Problem 1. When you install an OS, only one storage drive should be connected, So when installing to the SSD, should disconnect the data cable from the HD.

Problem 2. Fixing 1 resolves 2.

This is because Windows thinks it's helping you and in reality screwing you up because it is setting up a dual boot for you and, from your description, that's not what you want.

 

[Bassie_c]

If you can boot Windows 10 with only the SSD attached then you are ok and can do whatever you want with the HDD.
You are still seeing the boot partition on the HDD because you cloned it and it made an identical copy on your SSD.

So, be absolutely sure you can boot with only the SSD attached, then make sure everything is as you want it and all your data is there on the SSD.
Then shut it down and attach the HDD and boot using the boot options to make sure you are again booting off the SSD.
Then I like to user Diskpart from a command prompt to clean and format the HDD: http://www.windowscentral.com/how-clean-and-format-storage-drive-using-diskpart-windows-10

Allright, I'm absolutely sure that my SSD can boot windows 10 on its own. But will it be more safe if I only format F: with drive management?

 

[Bassie_c]

Problem 1. When you install an OS, only one storage drive should be connected, So when installing to the SSD, should disconnect the data cable from the HD.

Problem 2. Fixing 1 resolves 2.

This is because Windows thinks it's helping you and in reality screwing you up because it is setting up a dual boot for you and, from your description, that's not what you want.

I wasn't installing a new OS, I was copying my HDD's files to my new SSD. Thanks for your reply anyway

 

[bazbazan]

Hello Bassie_c,

Looks like your system reserved partition was copied normally to SSD, because you are able to boot from SSD with HDD unplugged.

However, when you plug your old HDD, your PC boots via old system reserved partition located on your old HDD. That's why formatting tools in disk management control panel applet doesn't allow disk D: to be formatted (BCD hive is still mounted/loaded from old system reserved partition).

You can use third party tool like Emergency Boot Kit to delete your old system reserved partition on HDD aka disk D: (standalone tool which works outside of Windows):
http://www.prime-expert.com/embootkit/features/create-format-delete-wipe-backup-restore-partitions/

Also make sure to configure your BIOS or UEFI to boot from SSD.

 

[popatim]

MERGED QUESTION
Question from Bassie_c : "Problems formatting HDD after copying Win 10 and data to new SSD"

Hi everyone,

I asked this already, but on the wrong subforum (Win 10). I had some answers, but I'm still not really sure about it.

I'm installing an Samsung SSD 850 EVO in my computer and I try to follow this guide:
http://lifehacker.com/5837543/how-to-migrate-to-a-solid-state-drive-without-reinstalling-windows

The goal
My goal is to have the SSD for Win 10 + games + other applications and my HDD for data storage. I originally had Windows 8.1 and around a year ago I upgraded to Windows 10. I'm not sure if I still have the installation disk of Windows 8.1.

The problems
I have coppied my HDD data to my SSD with Samsung's migration software and now I can boot Windows 10 with only my SSD connected. The guide says that the next step will be to format my HDD. There are however two problems that are bothering me:

1. The system reserved partition is on the wrong drive.
The system reserved partition( D: ) is still on my HDD. It is 100 mb big. Wil it be a problem if I format my HDD? I am also thinking about only formatting the big partition of my HDD ( F: ), wich I can use then for data storage. Is that possible? And is that a better idea?

2. The station is still being used.
When I try formatting F: (main HDD partition) by right-clicking on it in Windows Explorer (like they do in the guide), a message box shows up with options. I have filled those in and pressed start. Then a message shows up with a warning about the fact that everything will be deleted on the drive. I click ok. Then another pop-up appears. It says (translated from Dutch): "This station is in use. Another program or process is using this station. Do you want to format the station anyway?" Then there are two options: "Yes" and "No". I have clicked "No" everytime, because I'm afraid I will ruin my computer if I click "Yes". I have already tried to disable the pagefiling, even while that was already happening on my SSD ( C: ), but it had no effect. The warning about the station still being active showed up once again.
Should I just press "Yes" and format the station? And will this format only F: or the complete HDD, including D: (System reserved partition 100mb big)?

Thanks in advance!

-Bassie_c

Sorry but we do not allow duplicate threads.

To solve 2 (original post) connect only the power cable to the hdd when you boot up. Once booted, attach the sata cable and then it should be detected and allow you to delete the partitions. Alternately you can boot from a boot disk , such as Hirens, and use a utility to do the same.