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Can't boot from cloned external hard drive

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I used Acronis True Image 2020 to clone my C: drive to an externally connected hard drive.

 

Then, when trying to boot off of the cloned drive (connected externally via USB), it would not boot up. Instead, I got some sort of blue screen offering me to either turn off the computer, reboot, or reinstall the OS.

I tried this with both an external SSD and an HDD drive. I tried it as a clone, and also as a restore to the external hard drive from a previous C: drive backup. None of it worked.

 

Just wondering what I might have done wrong/missed, so that I can actually boot off this USB connected external HD.

 

I'm starting to wonder if this is even possible. I had done it before successfully from a desktop, but I have an MSI laptop now, and I don't want to have to open up the laptop and swap out drives. Instead, I want the cloned external hard drive ready to go to boot if my internal C drive OS ever gets messed up.

 

Thanks for your help!

1 Users found this helpful

Eric, welcome to these public User Forums.

Sorry but booting into Windows from any external / USB drive is not possible and is because Microsoft do not allow this to prevent licensing / activation issues.

The only way that there is a chance of doing this if your motherboard has an eSATA port. Alternatively you can buy SATA to eSATA adapter on eBay for under US$10. I do not guarantee that it will work!

Ian