Swap hard drive letters

[Lophophora]

Hi,

I've cloned my SSD to a newer SSD and now I want the newer one (new system main drive) to be renamed C: while the older one would be used as storage. How do I do that?

 

[yusoffb01]

go bios change boot order and logon to newer ssd

 

[Lophophora]

I am booting from the new SSD. I haven't found how to make the change permanently in my BIOS though (I can see the list but can't change the order) so for now I go into the BIOS and manually select the new drive each time I start the computer.

So are you implying that when I boot from the new drive Windows will automatically rename it to C:?

 

[yusoffb01]

if you cant change in bios, remove the old one temporarily. boot into new ssd. go disk management and swap letter to c drive.

then... clean your old ssd if you dont need the data

 

[eric3743]

Before you remove the existing SSD you may have to set the 2nd SSD OS partition as Active via disk mgmt, if the cloning software do not indicated and mark as Active /Boot.

Once you have done the above, power off the computer and remove the existing SSD.

Next is to connect the 2nd SSD to the same slot as existing SSD.

Once done the above then power on the computer.

Note that the computer may detect a new SSD and may have to reboot to recognized the new SSD.

Once the above is successfully done it will stay as C: drive for new SSD.

Thereafter you may add the existing /old SSD to the computer, else use it as external with casing.
If you intend to put as internal drive, go to disk mgmt to remove the Active from the existing/old SSD to avoid confusion on the system which may auto detect and changed.

Usually this works for me.

 

[Lophophora]

I did the cloning with Macrium Reflect. I have checked in the disk manager, both SSDs have their first partition marked as active. Here's what I see:

Actually before reading your answer I had already tried the following:

- unplug the old SSD
- plug the new SSD with the old one's SATA cable
- booted unsuccessfully (blue screen stating that the system must be repaired)

Then I tried booting from the new SSD again, this time plugged on the new SATA port, and I get the same blue error screen.

So I finally reverted to the first setup: old SSD on original SATA port, new SSD on new SATA port. And whit this setup, when I select the new SSD to boot from in the BIOS, Windows starts just fine.

Is there a way to actually know what disk is actually the one I've booted from once in Windows? Necause I suspect the new SSD doesn't work and the BIOS might switch to the old one without warning me. When I look in the disk manager, I see that the old SSD is named C: and the new one is E:

I'm a little confused here...

 

[eric3743]

I did the cloning with Macrium Reflect. I have checked in the disk manager, both SSDs have their first partition marked as active. Here's what I see:


Then I tried booting from the new SSD again, this time plugged on the new SATA port, and I get the same blue error screen.

So I finally reverted to the first setup: old SSD on original SATA port, new SSD on new SATA port. And whit this setup, when I select the new SSD to boot from in the BIOS, Windows starts just fine.

Is there a way to actually know what disk is actually the one I've booted from once in Windows? Necause I suspect the new SSD doesn't work and the BIOS might switch to the old one without warning me. When I look in the disk manager, I see that the old SSD is named C: and the new one is E:

I'm a little confused here...

Not sure if you understand how Macrium Reflect works on partition & cloning.
There should be a Rescue Media for this as you may be unaware of.

For me Macrium Reflect is good for backup of whole partition to 1 compact size to a external drive for backup purpose.
Should there a need to retrieve a single or selected files, this is very convenience.



Alternately.
Actually there is not a problem as this is the way how Microsoft Windows works, as i did encountered this before.
In most case, you may need a Windows OS CD to repair or make the necessary correction to the boot sector in order to run the Windows OS on the new drive.
Windows OS CD image can be downloaded from MS related website, for this purpose, which is not illegal copy.



But i do not use this Macrium Reflect as i find it work differently.
I did use another cloning software to manage this moving OS from one drive to another.

MiniTool Partition Wizard can manage by clone to exact or adjust the size of the partition.
This is to avoid wastage of the hidden or locked partition which some software may unable to do so, as shown in your drive.

Technically to clone to the new drive, the new drive should be external as not internal.
When you run the cloning software within the OS, after the software completed it role, the OS will take over and re-write all the boot sectors which may force to use Windows OS CD to repair the correction on the boot sectors.
This is your current problem on this situation.

Hence using MiniTool Partition Wizard in as independent environment, meaning without OS interference.

Once the cloning process is completed, the system is shutdown and external drive is removed immediately.

Next is to swap the new drive to the old/existing drive.
However when the OS boot it may detect a new drive and so it need to reboot in order to recognize the new drive.


> MiniTool Partition Wizard Bootable CD Free Edition

> Rufus

Steps:
1. Create a bootable USB thumb drive with MiniTool Partition Wizard (MTPW)
2. Boot using the USB to boot to MTPW.
3. Copy the 1st partition (boot) & 2nd partition (OS) according and ensure the partition is marked as Primary.
4. For the 3rd hidden partition, either copy behind the 2nd partition or push it to the end of the drive.
5. Best is to create a new partition either before or after 3rd partition, basically for data storing.
6. Final check is to ensure the 1st partition is marked as Boot & Active.
7. Proceed to run the whole process which may take several hours depend on the partition size and usage.
8. Once completed, do check the partitions status.
9. Satisfied, close the MTPW which may reboot, and at this point to pull out the external new drive, and include the thumb drive, power off the computer.

This is a guide as this may be trial & error if you do encountered problem later.
Meaning you may have to be familiar with how MTPW works and on whether the cloning is done properly.
That is sometimes there is missing "boot", refer to point 6, as this has to mark separately.

The decision is up to you on this procedure or not.
So far using this for several times as in backup and sometimes do forget certain points which have to redo.
Mine is on Toshiba laptop with the same type of partitions, but decided to remove both 1st & 3rd partition, as i do not need it as i have backup by clone on another drive.

 

[yusoffb01]

I used marcium reflect before no problems... your mistake is u never copy first partition jesus.

remove your old ssd and follow these steps to restore mbr
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/repair-master-boot-record-mbr-windows

 

[Lophophora]

...

I tried to clone the current system disk on the new one again but this time Macrium Reflect won't let me clone it. It says that the drive is currently in use. I understand it has to be unlocked but have no clue about how to do this.

I'm starting to think it would be easier to reinstall Windows from scratch but this would be a last resort solution as I have a few expensive licences I have bought and am only allowed a limited number of re-installations for these.

Can't I just format the new drive and try cloning the current drive on it again? Windows won't let me.

I used marcium reflect before no problems... your mistake is u never copy first partition jesus.

remove your old ssd and follow these steps to restore mbr
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/repair-master-boot-record-mbr-windows

I also tried repairing the MBR of the new disk with a bootable USB drive but it wasn't successful either.

 

[eric3743]

I tried to clone the current system disk on the new one again but this time Macrium Reflect won't let me clone it. It says that the drive is currently in use. I understand it has to be unlocked but have no clue about how to do this.

I'm starting to think it would be easier to reinstall Windows from scratch but this would be a last resort solution as I have a few expensive licences I have bought and am only allowed a limited number of re-installations for these.

Can't I just format the new drive and try cloning the current drive on it again? Windows won't let me.



I also tried repairing the MBR of the new disk with a bootable USB drive but it wasn't successful either.

As i say again, you may not understand how Macrium Reflect work in backup and clone.

The system do have a copy of the setting that was done before, hence it detect and prevent any sort of overwrite ... fail safe.

Take some time to read the HELP to resolve this.
Maybe read about setting and how to reset or delete whatever store in the config file, if any.

As i am not familiar with cloning with Macrium Reflect.
But whenever i did a backup the MR will check the status on their records and any changes will be either appended or deleted.

 

[yusoffb01]

I tried to clone the current system disk on the new one again but this time Macrium Reflect won't let me clone it. It says that the drive is currently in use. I understand it has to be unlocked but have no clue about how to do this.

I'm starting to think it would be easier to reinstall Windows from scratch but this would be a last resort solution as I have a few expensive licences I have bought and am only allowed a limited number of re-installations for these.

Can't I just format the new drive and try cloning the current drive on it again? Windows won't let me.



I also tried repairing the MBR of the new disk with a bootable USB drive but it wasn't successful either.

with just the new ssd inside, run windows installer but.simply delete the partition and do not proceed

put back old ssd and rerun marcium reflect, this time copy all old partition into new drive

extend last partition to fill the whole drive

????

profit

 

[Lophophora]

Thanks guys, but I finally resolved to reinstalling Windows and all. Can't hurt to start with a fresh system.

Once it is done, how do I format the old SSD? It has a bootable partition and I don't see any option in the disk manager to format this drive. Or is it just because it is currently the drive Windows booted from?

 

[eric3743]

Thanks guys, but I finally resolved to reinstalling Windows and all. Can't hurt to start with a fresh system.

Once it is done, how do I format the old SSD? It has a bootable partition and I don't see any option in the disk manager to format this drive. Or is it just because it is currently the drive Windows booted from?

The reason is due to hidden partitions in the old SSD.
The 2 hidden partitions are protected from deletion & formatting using the standard Windows Format option.

Suggest you could leave the old SSD with OS for a while to ensure the new SSD is stable, and to remove from the internal drive system.
Meaning to keep it as in case, unless you have done backup &or clone the new OS properly and works.

If you do want to delete the old SSD all the partitions, you may have to use other software such as MiniTool Partition Wizard.
Refer to my earlier post on creating a MTPW thumb drive, alternately install the > MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition 10.2
MTPW will able to delete any partitions..

Most users prefer to do reinstall Windows as fresh to avoid old & useless files leaving behind.

 

[Lophophora]

Thanks for your help!