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Trying to clone a HDD to an SSD in Windows 8 but can't

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I just purchased a 128GB Samsung 840 Pro SSD to replace my HDD in my new Dell laptop. I tried using the clone feature but when the required restart is done I get an error saying secure boot will not allow the change to take place or something like that. Any suggestions?

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If your system has Secure Boot, disable it first.

I have the same problem. On the restart when trying to clone my HDD to the SDD, I get the following error message:
"Runtime exception 'An EFI runtime error.', code 21495809, tag 0xb0c775f2b7f5b7f7"

The message appear briefly and then the ASUS K55 laptop continues to restart as it normally does. No cloning.

I don't see how to disable secure boot with this laptop. So I don't know if that would help.

I also tried to perform the cloning by using a newly created Trueimage disk image (boot CD), but it just hangs when run.

Before booting from the Rescue Media, you must first disable Secure Boot and enable Legacy Boot, in UEFI settings.

I disabled Secure Boot and after the required restart I just get an Acronis loading, please wait screen... that requires a hard reset to get out of. It should not be this difficult to clone a disk!

Did you enable Legacy Boot?

If the ATI Rescue Media begins booting but freezes at "Acronis loading", then it may be that it does not support your hardware - possibly the Samsung 840 Pro SSD. The ATI Rescue Media supports a wide variety of hardware, but there are always new components that aren't yet supported. Typically each new release of the ATI Rescue Media supports more hardware.

You would be able to create bootable WinPE-based Rescue Media that would allow you to add drivers to support your system, by using ATI's Plus Pack. Plus Pack is also required for some things that cannot be supported in the normal Linux-based Rescue Media, such as dynamic drives.

My SSD is recognized by the program. To be clear, I am using the clone disk option under tool and utilities.

Use the ATI Rescue Media .

If you system boots in UEFI mode, your system disk must be GPT, then how the cloning is available at all?

I created a flash drive boot along with my backup.
I needed to change the boot sequence to the flash drive first, switched it to Legacy Boot and Acronis 2013 loaded and ran fine. Since its a touch screen tablet I did have to use a USB keyboard and mouse.
The restore commpleted successfully but when I went back and rebooted to the GPT disk, it was exactly the same. There was no restore at all.
I believe with GPT disks and UEFI Acronis has been become rather worthless.