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Acronis 2021, Windows 7 HDD Cloned to SSD will not boot...

Thread solved

Hello,  thanks for your help in advance.

I have a windows 7 home premium 64bit OS on a 1TB HDD running on an HP Pavilion HPE 112Y, 16GB of RAM, Legacy BIOS operating the HDD in RAID (however only a single HDD).  Approximately 700GB of the drive is being used.

My goal is to clone to the WD Blue 1TB SSD I've purchased, reuse the HDD for the documents and have the OS and programs on the SSD.

I have backed up the HDD to both a NAS drive (using the WD free version of ATI) and a USB drive using a purchased 2021 ATI build 35860.

So far I have attempted to clone the original HDD using the WD version of ATI offline from the media built from WD ATI.  Both HDD & SSD were installed on the motherboard.  The clone completed and was stated as being successful. I removed the HDD SATA and power connections.  Rebooted the PC with just the SSD connected however the SSD wouldn't boot to Windows.  The Windows multi-coloured flag would start to form and then freeze just as the coloured dots came together.  I tried to boot from the ATI bootable recovery disk to attempt a repair, the disk booted but was not able to repair the SSD to a bootable drive.  I created a Windows PE recovery disc... same result.  At this point I only had the back up on the NAS which I tried to access however neither of the recovery disks would access the NAS.

I tried re-cloning the SSD with it attached via an external USB adaptor, the clone was successful however the end result was the same.

I removed the WD version of ATI and installed the ATI 2021 build 35860.

I repeated the backup using ATI 2021 to an external USB drive.  I restored the HDD drive from the new backup to the SSD the end result was the same.

I re-cloned the HDD to SSD using ATI 2021... almost the same end result however once the initial boot screens flashed by (where you get the chance to enter BIOS.  Side bar question. Is there a way to pause each of these rapid screens to be able to read them?) the screen would just be blank, no Windows flag action at all.

I used a newly created recoverable media disk from ATI 2021 to see what I could and the SSD did not show up at all, only the USB back-up drive.

I looked at the BIOS settings and changed the RAID to ACHI and the SSD would now get the point of starting the Windows flag creation, but then freeze as before.

I reconnected the original HDD, rebooted and the system didn't boot from the HDD.  I then remembered to go back to the BIOS and changed back to the RAID setting and the system booted to the HDD.  However now, with both HDD and SSD connected (BIOS set to boot from HDD first) disk management only shows the HDD.

 

So the obvious question... why will the SSD not boot even though the recovery and cloning are states as successful?

It's worth noting that the HP BIOS screens do not have a lot of options, although my gut tells me the problem is with the disk booting or BIOS handling not with the actual cloning.

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Mark, welcome to these public User Forums.

Is the new WD SSD a normal SATA drive, i.e. 2.5" or 3.5" drive that connects via standard SATA and power cables to the motherboard of your HP system?

If the new WD SSD is a NVMe type SSD then there is no native support for this in Windows 7 and it also requires UEFI / GPT to be used as a Windows OS boot drive.

Which type of Acronis Rescue Media did you create and use when attempting the Clone?

For the ATI 2018 & later version rescue media, there are 3 different versions available:
Simple:  created based on your Windows Recovery Environment for WinPE media.
Advanced: created based on Windows ADK (or AIK for earlier OS versions) - WinPE media.
Advanced: created based on a small Linux distro OS (BusyBox) or created from the .ISO CD image download from your Acronis Account page.

It is recommended to create the 'Simple' version which uses Windows PE which with ATI 2021 should include device support including that for RAID (or does for Windows 10), otherwise to use the MVP Custom PE Builder script and choose to include the Intel RST drivers for RAID support. (Link to the MVP tool in my signature).

KB 65508: Acronis True Image 2021: how to create bootable media

Please see KB 56634: Acronis True Image: how to clone a disk - and review the step by step guide given there.

Note: the first section of the above KB document directs laptop users to KB 2931: How to clone a laptop hard drive - and has the following paragraph:

It is recommended to put the new drive in the laptop first, and connect the old drive via USB. Otherwise you will may not be able to boot from the new cloned drive, as Acronis True Image will apply a bootability fix to the new disk and adjust the boot settings of the target drive to boot from USB. If the new disk is inside the laptop, the boot settings will be automatically adjusted to boot from internal disk. As such, hard disk bays cannot be used for target disks. For example, if you have a target hard disk (i.e. the new disk to which you clone, and from which you intend to boot the machine) in a bay, and not physically inside the laptop, the target hard disk will be unbootable after the cloning.

KB 59877: Acronis True Image: how to distinguish between UEFI and Legacy BIOS boot modes of Acronis Bootable Media

Hi Steve, the SSD is of the 2.5" variety.  The rescue media I've created and used to date is...

From the WD version, Simple & Windows PE AIK to DVD's.  From ATI 2021 35860, Simple to DVD.

The section you've quoted from the article, "It is recommended to put the new drive in the laptop first, and connect the old drive via USB."  is interesting as I did the opposite based on demonstration videos and articles I read. 

I am going to start from scratch.  Reformat the SSD and follow the cloning procedure you've provided (HHD on USB, SSD installed in case) to see if it has the desired outcome.  I will also create the two 'Advanced' recovery media types you mention above using ATI 2021, in case they're needed.

I'll report back when I'm done.

One question.  Is it better/recommended to clone from the recovery disk environment (outside of the original HDD Windows 7) or from within the HDD Windows 7 environment? 

One question.  Is it better/recommended to clone from the recovery disk environment (outside of the original HDD Windows 7) or from within the HDD Windows 7 environment? 

My personal preference & recommendation is to use the rescue media for any type of recovery or clone involving the OS disk.  I tend to favour using Backup & Recovery over using Clone as it lets me remove the original drive, set it in a cupboard away from any mistakes etc, while I do the recovery to a new drive from a backup image.

Okay thanks.  I will try the 'Back Up & Recovery' from external USB drive, to the reformatted, PC case installed SSD disk first.  What Recovery media version should I use...

A) Simple version, WINPE.   B) Advanced version, ADK/AIK WINPE.  C) Advanced version, Linux?

If your source disk drive is using RAID, then only WinPE media should be used, and this should have drivers for RAID.  The Linux media does not have RAID support.

The MVP Custom PE Builder tool includes the Intel RST drivers if you select to include these, otherwise, if you are using a different RAID application, you can add the required drivers to the Extras folder of the tool (in the correct x64 folder etc).

If you have created the Simple WinPE rescue media, then test booting the PC from this and simulate the first steps of doing a Backup to confirm that you can see the current OS Disk using RAID - if this all looks good, then this should be fine for the new SSD too.

Thank you.

Are we talking about the same RAID setting?.. I'm talking about the RAID mode in BIOS (single HDD).

Also this HP has an AMD chip, would it still be operated by Intel RST drivers?

I will do the Simple WINPE rescue media test you suggest first, as I have that media created.  Good tip! Thx.

 

 

RST is only used by Intel based systems. AMD has its own driver; it should be included in the Simple WinPE build. I do not use RAID on any of my (now aging) AMD PCs, however I have a dim recollection that RAID support has to be enabled if there is an M.2 drive on the PC.

Do you know what chipset the HP uses? What CPU is it using? 

Ian

Hi Ian, 

  • Chipset: AMD 785G

  • Processor socket: AM3

  • CPU: AMD Phenom II 925 2.8GHz

If you need AMD storage drivers including RAID drivers have a look at the link below:

AMD Storage Drivers

Thanks for the link Enchantech.  Is it likely that the outgoing HDD would use different AMD drivers to the SSD being installed?

If not wouldn't the cloning/restoring process carry over the system drivers?

 

Update on restoring the HDD to SSD from USB back-up... 

The long cleaning and reformatting (which I had to do through the command window, as nothing else gave me the ability to re-format the un-allocated disk after cleaning) took forever...  Then I found that ATI 2021 recovery media didn't see the disk, neither did the ADK/AIK Windows PE disk, however the WD 2020 version of ATI did.  So I had the SSD installed in the desktop, USB back-up plugged in and performed a restore.  The following morning 7 hours later, after shutting down and removing the USB drive (forgot to remove the DVD disk) the SSD still will not boot.  Well to be accurate it again only gets as far as starting to form the Windows flag, when the coloured dot elements freeze, just as before. 

My next step is to try the ATI 2021 recovery media to fix the boot process. 

And if that doesn't work, try the cloning again with the SSD installed in the case, as it is now, the HDD connected via USB adapter and ATI 2021 recovery media.  Assuming the ATI 2021 now see the SSD now that it has a recovered system state.

Hi all,  is the boot behavior I mention "... only gets as far as starting to form the Windows flag, when the coloured dot elements freeze..." indicative of the wrong SSD driver?  If not what is it indicative of?  What's happening in the system at this point of the booting/startup process?

This suggests that Windows is having an issue in finding/loading a driver for one or more of the hardware devices installed on your machine.  Most commonly these are USB 3.0 drivers.  How long have you waited at this stage before aborting the boot?  Patients is a virtue here most of the time.

I appreciate all of your commitment to helping me.  Here's a summary of today's activity/status and questions in one...

Recloning of...

WD 1TB HDD            WDC WD10EADS-65M2B0...   to 
WD Blue 1TB SSD    WDC WDS100T2B0A-00SM50    within an HP Pavilion Elite HPE-112y, with AMD Phenom II 925 2.8GHz.  Operating on Windows 7 Home Premium, 16GB RAM.

 

01-22-2021:
After restoring the system image to the new SSD using ATI recovery media, 
with SSD installed and back-up on a USB external drive.

The boot screens that flash by do see the SSD and list it as the boot drive. 
1. I assume these screens are system configuration / BIOS confirmation screens?

The SSD does not boot to Windows successfully.
Freezes when forming the Windows flag.

ATI 2021 recovery media does not see the SSD, that has been restored with the recovery 
image made with ATI 2021 and restored to the SSD.

After rebooting, with the original HDD attached, via a USB adapter cable, 
ATI 2021 does see it as a drive that could be added, but still not the SSD.  
If I try the 'Clone Disk' tool I get the "unable to continue" message saying 
the tool needs two or more disks.

Swap restore media to ADK media previously created...

Same result, media tools only see HDD.

Swap for WD version of ATI 2020...

Now both disks show up!!!
In the cloning tool screen it shows the HDD as having a RAID interface and the SSD as Serial ATA.
2. Is this a clue to my problem?

3. Should I try another cloning or stop here and do something else?

4. Still curious if... it is likely that the outgoing HDD would use different AMD drivers to the SSD being installed?

If not wouldn't the cloning/restoring process carry over the system drivers?

5. And...  is the boot behavior I mention "... only gets as far as starting to form the Windows flag, when the coloured dot elements freeze..." indicative of the wrong SSD driver?  If not what is it indicative of?  What's happening in the system at this point of the booting/startup process?

thanks again.

FWIW... the build version of the WD ATI 2020 is 34190.

MW,

Did you read my post #12?  If you did do you not understand it?

Now both disks show up!!!
In the cloning tool screen it shows the HDD as having a RAID interface and the SSD as Serial ATA.
2. Is this a clue to my problem?

I would say no it is not.  Serial ATA (SATA) is a connector interface whereas RAID is a storage controller interface.  They are not one and the same.

3. Should I try another cloning or stop here and do something else?

At this point I think you should give up on cloning completely.  Did you ever install the SSD in the exact same place in the PC and connect it to the exact same connector as the original HDD was?  If not, why?

4. Still curious if... it is likely that the outgoing HDD would use different AMD drivers to the SSD being installed?

No, the drivers will remain the same.  Both disks are SATA disks and that fact has nothing to do with the drivers as drivers are storage controller specific and are embedded on the motherboard.

If not wouldn't the cloning/restoring process carry over the system drivers?

Yes, either process will carryover the drivers.

5. And...  is the boot behavior I mention "... only gets as far as starting to form the Windows flag, when the coloured dot elements freeze..." indicative of the wrong SSD driver?  If not what is it indicative of?  What's happening in the system at this point of the booting/startup process?

 Q1: No, if the storage driver were not correct then the boot process would not get this far.

Q2: The process is at the point of loading the User profile.  In all honesty drivers should all be loaded at this point. 

I think you have a failed update or some installation that is not completing and then hangs the system.  I suggest that you boot your PC with the SSD installed in the same location and using the same connectors as the old HDD. After you press the power button repeatedly press the F8 key until you see the Advanced Boot Options screen.  In that screen tab down to the entry titled Safe Mode with Networking.  Once that is selected press Enter.  The PC should then restart and boot into Safe Mode.  Once it is booted give the PC a bit to finish doing whatever it may be doing.  Most of the time you will see the hour glass if the system is busy.  If you see that wait until it goes off.  If you have an HDD activity light, you can watch that to see when activity as ended.  Once you are at the point of no or little activity simply reboot the PC again.  With a bit of luck it will boot and Windows will startup normally.

Post back your result.

Thank you Enchantech,

The new SSD disk is connected to the original HDD Motherboard connector socket.  It has been cleaned, reformatted and using ATI 2021 build 35860 recovered the image from backup to the SSD.

The system fails fatally (Blue screen then full PC shutsdown) when attempting to Boot into Safe Mode.  This is new behavior.  See attached file...

For extra info' BIOS screens images are included. Also images of the initial boot screens to Windows and Recovery... are included.

Other than Recovery all result in the same blue screen as booting to Safe Mode.

The Recovery option ends with a reimage error, 0x80070002.  (see file) 

Which research is suggesting could be caused by hard disk errors, damaged system files or partial installation/uninstallation of programs.

The disk check I performed at the very beginning even before the first backup prior to the first cloning showed no problems with either the HDD or SSD.  Plus the cloning and recovery processes were said to have completed successfully by ATI, but now I'm wondering how ATI comes to this conclusion.

What is the recommended next step?

Attachment Size
566631-211157.pdf 878.15 KB

I have a suggestion for you.  Do you have any idea why your bios has RAID selected as the SATA Mode?  There is absolutely no reason for SATA Mode to be set to RAID.  The SATA Mode should be set to AHCI (or Advanced Host Controller Interface).  I am not an AMD fanboy so I have limited experience with them but I have a lot of experience with bios, hardware, and configuration settings in general and your having RAID enabled on this now ancient hardware is not correct not is it necessary period.

Change the SATA Mode setting to AHCI and then attempt to boot into Windows again.  Report back what happens.

I note that the boot failure into Safe Mode error show a possible virus infection.  That may well be at play here but let's make sure that having your bios is set correctly first before we jump to any conclusions.

After changing BIOS mode from RAID to ACHI...

Reference attached file...

Still will not boot into SAFE Mode.
No boot behavior difference other than Startup Repair now runs for longer then terminates and the HP Recovery System now loads.
Using the HP Recovery System tools the Harddrive checks out as fully functional and Okay.
Ran Recovery again and saw Windows OS on SSD.
Ran Startup Recovery on the OS that is now being seen and the report was, no problem found.
Does Boot into Safe Mode, but not fully.
SSD stand alone still doesn't Boot, same failure at Windows flag.
Problem report and signatures are...
Problem Event Name StartupRepairOffline
signature2: 6.1.7600.16385
signature2: 6.1.7600.16385
signature3: unknown
signature4: 21200853
signature5: AutoFailure
signature6: 4
signature7: NoRootCause
OS Version: 6.1.7600.1.0.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1033

Attachment Size
566644-211160.pdf 385.09 KB

I imagine, but don't know, that the BIOS mode was chosen as the motherboard has an integrated RAID controller.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c01925486

Yeah, my motherboards have integrated raid controllers too but I do not use them.  So now that you have your SATA Mode set correctly we see that the machine is actually attempting to start in a more normal fashion.  You make no mention of the previous errors you were getting and that is a good sign.

So what I would suggest at this point is that you install the HDD back into the PC and boot the PC into Rescue Media. Next, create a full disk backup of the HDD and save to your preferred location.  Shutdown the PC, replace the HDD with the SSD and boot once again to the Rescue Media.  Once booted recover the backup you just created to the SSD.  After recovery is complete shutdown the PC, detach any external drives then, boot the machine normally.

Post back with results

Success!!!  You lead me to the solution.  Thank you!

The only additional step required was to change the registry for the drive controllers, as per...

https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/61869-ahci-enable-windows-7-vista…

There is one final detail that I'd like to correct.

When I restart the computer the startup screen appears asking which recovered version if Windows I want to load.  Very strange to me as I only now have the one SSD installed.  How do I fix this?

 

Well, glad to hear that you can finally boot your PC.

So it now sounds like the boot manager believes that there are more than one OS's to boot from.  Since you do not say what the manager offers as choices I am providing a link below that will guide you on how to remove an entry for dual boot.  The first option discussed is by using msconfig which is decidedly the easiest in my opinion.

Remove Boot Entry

Thanks for your assistance Enchantech.

Interestingly and confusingly there are two identical rows that say the same thing...

"Windows 7 Operating System (recovered)"

The first row is the row I select.

 

Changing the registry settings for the drive controller from the HP OEM set value of '3' to new value of '0' triggers 
the installation of the AHCI driver, after rebooting.  Which is necessary for the BIOS mode change from RAID to AHCI to work.
This I believe was the key for my HPE AMD system to replace the HDD.

Here are the required steps in sequence I needed to follow to switch from an HP OEM installed HDD set to RAID mode in the BIOS 
to an SSD to run in AHCI mode in the BIOS...

1.  Perform a disk backup of the HDD to an external USB drive of suitable capacity, that is plugged into your computer.  I used ATI 2021.
    After the backup was complete I left the drive attached to your computer.
2.  Perform a Windows system/registry back up.
3.  Opened ATI and create bootable Recovery Media.  I used ATI 2021, I created the 'simple' version of the Recovery Media.
4.  Open the Registry Editor tool in Windows (exercised caution and understanding here...)
5.  I use the registry editor to modify the drive controller to install AHCI drivers.  Following the directions from this web page...
    https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/61869-ahci-enable-windows-7-vista…
6.  Install the Recovery Media in the DVD disc drive.  Shut down the computer.  Unplug the power cable and everything other than the keyboard, 
    mouse, monitor and USB drive with the HDD backup on it.
7.  Drain the power from the motherboard and circuit by holding down the power button for at least 20 seconds.
8.  Wearing an grounded wrist strap.  Opened the computer to access the HDD drive bays.
9.  Located the HDD I was replacing.  
10. Disconnect the power connector and the SATA connector from the HDD.
11. Install and connect the SSD to the exact power connector and SATA connector removed from the HDD.
12. Replace power cable and using the F10 key booted the computer into the BIOS settings.
13. Check to see that the BIOS sees the new SSD and ensure it's the drive BIOS will boot to.
14. Change the BIOS mode from RAID to AHCI.
15. Save changes and exit BIOS.
16. Boot computer to the ATI 2021 DVD Recovery Disk.
17. Use the Recover Disk feature of ATI 2021 to restore the backed up image of the old HDD to the SSD.
18. After the recovery is complete, open the DVD tray and remove the Recovery media disc.
19. Close the disc tray and power off the computer.
20. Unplug the USB drive that has the HDD disk backup on it.
21. Power on the computer.  
For me it now booted into Windows 7.

Hope this helps someone.  

Thank you to everyone who contributed to my solution.