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SSD Clone error locks HDD out

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Bought a Crucial SSD, downloaded the cloning software and installed, etc...been through this process dozens of times without fail, it always works like a charm.

This one PC I'm using has locked out 2 hard drives now.  The first one, I didn't know if I did something wrong or what.  When it goes to re-start after initializing the clone process, it comes up "non system disk or disk error".  I ran recovery and there doesn't appear to be anything wrong with the drive.

Just to be 100% clear - the cloning process did not even start.  This occurs as it re-boots to start the cloning process.

Had my refurb company replace the HDD and reinstall onto another HDD.  Why I didn't have them just install to the SSD don't ask I just didn't think of it.  Anyways.

Tried cloning again and paid very close attention.  On reboot, I got an error code to the effect of "UEFI bootstrap" something or other "failed to load" and then a long alphanumeric code which disappeared right as my phone camera came up.  Now, non-system disk thing again.

So the only thing I can think of is that Acronis sets a condition on the HDD that prevents it from booting so that it can clone it in a neutral mode (without Windows loaded).  It now appears stuck in that mode and is a brick.

I need to unbrick it.  I can put the drive on another PC and can see everything. Is there a file or setting somewhere on that drive that I can undo that will make it forget that I wanted to clone it?  If so, I would really like to know what that is...after it's back running, I'll just take it off and put in a USB external and the SDD in another bay of my laptop and clone it outside of running like I should have in the first place.

Never had this problem before, ever...guess it had to happen sometime.  Gotta be this particular PC - HP Compaq Elite 8300 Small Form Factor.  Not sure if this has something to do with a boot loader security protocol or what, but if it does maybe that can be over-ridden and the clone process can continue, dunno.

Any help out be appreciated, thanks

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Warren, sorry to read of the issues you have encountered but this is not unknown when users attempt to perform a clone operation from within Windows on a system with UEFI and Secure Boot.

When you do this, Acronis has to modify the UEFI bootloader configuration to create a temporary Linux based OS environment from which to launch the Acronis clone operation - because this is a Linux OS this can be a problem on systems using Secure Boot as this is designed to restrict which OS's can be used (by Microsoft) - the net effect is that the UEFI bootloader configuration has been modified but now your system won't boot.

The MVP's have been pushing Acronis to at least publish a clear warning about this issue, or at best, prevent it from being done except by using the Acronis bootable Rescue Media, plus also to very strongly advise users to always make a full disk backup of the source drive before attempting such a clone operation.

All of this does not help you with your immediate situation.

I would recommend that you open a support case directly with Acronis for this issue, but your initial statement that you "Bought a Crucial SSD, downloaded the cloning software and installed, etc" means that you need to go back to Crucial for support as you have an OEM version of the Acronis software, most likely the ATIH 2015 version with an older build number.

See KB document: 2201: Support for OEM Versions of Acronis Products which explains the Acronis stance on support for OEM products.

Please see webpage: How to repair the EFI Bootloader in Windows 8 which may be able to offer you some ideas of how to recover your system.

It's running Windows 7 Pro, does that help at all?  I looked in the BIOS and I can't find anything that remotely looks like a way to disable the secure boot process.  I've loked at every other possible things that might look like a secure boot loader type of configuration or restriction process in the BIOS and nothing appears to quite work

I'm not 100% sure what the version is. The Crucial disks come with a code and download page for getting the free cloning software.

going to try a few fixes that were lised in that EFI bootloader fix thread you linked to....looks like that could fix the issue...

Hi Bud,

I'm unclear, have you tried the clone process from the recovery media instead of from Windows yet?  Make some recovery media (USB flash drive would be ideal) and boot to it.  Your system should have a onetime boot menu or boot override menu so you can specifically pick to boot it in legacy mode or UEFI mode. If your OS is a UEFI install, boot it in UEFI mode, if it's a legacy install, boot it in legacy mode.  

If your system is already using legacy/bios/csm, there may be no secure boot or UEFI to worry about.

Also, what is the SATA mode in your bios - IDE, SATA, AHCI, or RAID?  If it is SATA or AHCI this should work fine.  If it is IDE or RAID, clone is not going to work to a SATA drive because the hardware is different and a Clone expects the hardware to be the same (you can use different hard drives, but they need to be of the same controller type and RAID is not supported for cloning). 

If you have successfully cloned and find your system unbootable, here is what I've done (recently - as of today while testing)

1) After clone, boot to your windows installer 

2) navigate to the advanced menu

3) open up the advanced command prompt and type the following items

bootrec /fixboot

bootrec /fixmbr

bootrec /rebuildbcd

exit command prompt

Run startup repair - it will most likely say it failed, but if it sees the OS type when you click on startup repair that's good.  

After startup repair, power off the system, remove all external drives (and hopefully the original drive is not connected and the cloned drive is already in the original drive's place - you don't want to have both drives attached and you can't boot a clone from an exernal drive)

If this clone is going into the same system, hopefully it will boot now.