[Tollerowner]

I bought a new computer with a harddrive.

A HP 270-p043w.

https://support.hp.c...ument/c05591683

 

I cloned my old computer's drive on a SSD and put it in the new computer.

NC says it doesn't see a boot drive.

I cloned the SSD with a different software.

NC says it doesn't see a boot drive.

 

I tried the new SSD in my old computer.  Worked fine.

Tried my old SSD in NC.  

NC says it doesn't see a boot drive.

 

Tried the original harddrive in the NC.

Worked fine.

 

Thought maybe it doesn't like SSDs, so cloned a harddrive (what do you call a non-ssd?).

NC says it doesn't see a boot drive.

However, the bios will run diagnostics on then cloned harddrive, so it see the drive; just doesn't recognize it as a boot drive.

 

So...

The computer works

The SSD works

The cables work

 

What does that leave?  

Any help would be appreciated.

Edited by Tollerowner, 03 November 2018 - 10:29 AM.

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You cant clone the hard drive off one computer, put the cloned drive into a completely different computer and expect it to work, one of the reasons being that the new computer will be trying to load the old computers drivers.

 

Your link does not work but using the HP info that you provided we can see that it ships with Windows 10, why are you trying to install another OS other than Windows W10 that the computer ships with, you can download an appropriate W10 ISO to use with the SSD if you need to.

[phillpower2]

You cant clone the hard drive off one computer, put the cloned drive into a completely different computer and expect it to work, one of the reasons being that the new computer will be trying to load the old computers drivers.

 

Your link does not work but using the HP info that you provided we can see that it ships with Windows 10, why are you trying to install another OS other than Windows W10 that the computer ships with, you can download an appropriate W10 ISO to use with the SSD if you need to.

[SpywareDr]

Try this:

• Put the original HD back in the original computer.
   
• Attach the new SSD to this same computer with a USB-to-SATA adapter ($7.99 [USD]).
   
• Boot the computer from the original HD.
   
• Use EaseUS Todo Backup Free to Clone the HD to the SSD.
   
• Power down.
   
• Relace the HD with the SSD and power back up.

 

[Tollerowner]

You cant clone the hard drive off one computer, put the cloned drive into a completely different computer and expect it to work, one of the reasons being that the new computer will be trying to load the old computers drivers.

-----------------

 

I've done that before and it worked fine.  Did I just get lucky?

 

I fixed the link.

Edited by Tollerowner, 03 November 2018 - 10:33 AM.

[phillpower2]

why are you trying to install another OS other than Windows W10 that the computer ships with,

 

 

Can you answer the above for us.

 

You could sometimes get away with it with Legacy BIOS** but the present UEFI BIOS that today's computers have are far less forgiving, you quite often need to disable secure boot to be able to boot from a USB thumb drive before you can even install Windows.

 

** Pre Windows 8 you could boot into Safe Mode on Legacy BIOS computers and uninstall the old motherboard drivers from there etc, you cant do this with UEFI BIOS.

[Tollerowner]

 

why are you trying to install another OS other than Windows W10 that the computer ships with,

 

 

Can you answer the above for us.

 

You could sometimes get away with it with Legacy BIOS** but the present UEFI BIOS that today's computers have are far less forgiving, you quite often need to disable secure boot to be able to boot from a USB thumb drive before you can even install Windows.

 

** Pre Windows 8 you could boot into Safe Mode on Legacy BIOS computers and uninstall the old motherboard drivers from there etc, you cant do this with UEFI BIOS.

 

The new computer is W10 and the cloned drive is W10.  

I found a nice new compputer on close out at Walmart and bought a SSD for it.  It would be so much easier to clone my old drive to the SSD and stick it in the new computer than to clone the new computer's drive to the SSD and then try to recreate all the software, desktop, data etc. on the old computer.

 

A couple months ago my wife's disk failed.  I cloned my SSD to a new SSD, stuck it in her computer and it ran just fine.  That is what I want to do again.

 

But if it's not possible, I guess I won't.

[SpywareDr]

Did you try this?: http://www.geekstogo...s/#entry2629853

 

Works for me.

[phillpower2]

Please do not quote every reply Tollerowner, it only makes for more reading and does not help any.

 

You could try disabling secure boot the instructions for which I have provided below but something that you should consider is that the product key for Windows on the old computer will not correspond with the Windows 10 product key on the new computer, the information is stored in the UEFI BIOS and being that there is at least one OEM computer involved (the HP) you will get locked out by Microsoft and be told to contact HP for support should you actually be able to boot into the cross clone of Windows.

 

The Docs reply #3 is the way to go but fwiw below is the " Disable Secure Boot " info;

 

Windows 10, Click on Start, Power and then Restart.

 

While the computer is re-starting,you will need to continually tap or hold down the particular key that will allow you to access the BIOS on your computer, we will use the F2 key as an example here;

 

After restarting the computer, when the screen goes black, press and hold down the F2 key, wait for the BIOS to load.

 

Select Security -> Secure Boot and then Disabled.

 

Select Advanced -> System Configuration and then Boot Mode.

 

Change UEFI Boot to CSM Boot.

 

Save the changes and Exit the BIOS, commonly F10.

[phillpower2]

Not heard back from you Tollerowner , do you still require assistance or is the issue now resolved, an update would be appreciated.

[Tollerowner]

is this secure boot thing harmless if it doesn't help?  I am a bit reluctant to get into things I don't understand.

[phillpower2]

Disabling secure boot is harmless and the setting easily reversed.

 

Seeking the help of a local tech may be wise if you are not confident.

[Tollerowner]

I made your "suggested" changes to the bios and it "sort of" worked.

 

It boots and everything works properly, but tells me "Keep USB drive plugged in.  Otherwise Windows To Go won't work"

I don't have a USB drive plugged in; it was cloned when connected to a USB, but is now connected like the original drive.

Does this matter?  Anything to do about it?

 

I can disconnect the DVD drive and connect those cable to the SSD, and clone it hooked up like a hard drive instead of plugged into the USB.  Would that help?