Replaced hdd with ssd in laptop,now old hdd won't boot from usb.help

[Martin Thomson]

Trying to word this as good as possible here goes
I've bought an ssd drive because of being quicker etc. Ive currently got this working in laptop and updating windows updates just now. My question is, how can I boot from the old hdd connected to laptop thru usb?
If I take the old hdd and reinsert it in laptop it boots fine. BUT I cannot get it to boot thru usb. Is this because of boot manager missing etc?
Can anyone tell me how to get around this problem please? Do I need to add something to old hdd?thanks peeps

 

[Scottray]

Here you go: https://www.pcworld.com/article/3185777/windows/how-to-install-windows-on-an-external-drive.html

 

[Martin Thomson]

maybe you misunderstood my question. I already have a shed load of stuff on old hdd WITH windows.
I need to know how to get it to boot via usb. Don't want to put Windows etc on it as its already on it. Only wanna boot from it

 

[Scottray]

I understood the question. The issue is that Windows will NOT boot from an external drive. To get it to boot from an external drive, it needs the additional software as noted in the link.

 

[USAFRet]

maybe you misunderstood my question. I already have a shed load of stuff on old hdd WITH windows.
I need to know how to get it to boot via usb. Don't want to put Windows etc on it as its already on it. Only wanna boot from it

You can't boot your old OS install in a drive that is now connected via USB.
Windows doesn't work like that.

 

[bignastyid]

You can't just pull an OS drive from a computer hook it up to a usb adapter and expect to boot from it, It just doesn't work that way. To get windows to boot from a usb drive requires modifications and installation(would be destructive to what is already on the drive.

What you need to do is either a clean install on the new SSD, or use an imaging program to copy the image from the hdd to the ssd.

 

[Martin Thomson]

Here you go: https://www.pcworld.com/article/3185777/windows/how-to-install-windows-on-an-external-drive.html

You can't just pull an OS drive from a computer hook it up to a usb adapter and expect to boot from it, It just doesn't work that way. To get windows to boot from a usb drive requires modifications and installation(would be destructive to what is already on the drive.

What you need to do is either a clean install on the new SSD, or use an imaging program to copy the image from the hdd to the ssd.

surely there has to be a way.

 

[USAFRet]

surely there has to be a way.

No, there isn't. Not in any way that is non-destructive to what is on that drive.

What do you need off the old drive?
Doc/Music/Video? Sure...those can be accessed.
Applications? No. You'll need to reinstall that with the new OS on the new drive.
The old OS? No.

 

[Martin Thomson]

ahhh fs can someone delete this thread?cheers

 

[geofelt]

If all you need is the data files on the HDD, they should be readable if you connect the HDD to the laptop via a usb to sata adapter cable.
Or, if the laptop accepts a second drive, you can install them both.

If you need the apps on the HDD to run, you need to convert to the ssd differently.

You should be able to move or clone the image of the laptop HDD to the ssd assuming the ssd is large enough.
If the ssd is a Samsung ssd, read the documentation of their ssd migration aid.

Otherwise, you need a clone utility which is a bit for bit copy of the HDD to the SSD

 

[Martin Thomson]

If all you need is the data files on the HDD, they should be readable if you connect the HDD to the laptop via a usb to sata adapter cable.
Or, if the laptop accepts a second drive, you can install them both.

If you need the apps on the HDD to run, you need to convert to the ssd differently.

You should be able to move or clone the image of the laptop HDD to the ssd assuming the ssd is large enough.
If the ssd is a Samsung ssd, read the documentation of their ssd migration aid.

Otherwise, you need a clone utility which is a bit for bit copy of the HDD to the SSD
Cheers Scott.appreciate it