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"Cloned" drive won't boot

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aphextwinpeaks

aphextwinpeaks

PCHF Member
Apr 22, 2022
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#1
Brand new to the community and not sure where to post this. So here's the situation; I had a PC die on me. Luckily it was still under warranty, so I sent it in to be repaired. I emphasized that it was very important that I keep the the hdd and the data that it held. Unfortunately, they didn't really listen and sent me a replacement pc instead. Anticipating the worst, I purchased a SATA to usb cable and copied the contents of the C drive onto a laptop before I sent them the broken PC.

Now here's the problem; I ended up formatting the hdd that was contained in the replacement PC. I then transferred all the saved C drive data from the laptop onto this newly formatted hdd. But I didn't know that I needed to also copy the boot drive, so now windows won't boot.

So, how can I go about taking the c drive data that I saved on the laptop, and then use that folder to "clone" the drive onto the hdd, and then how do I make it bootable. I'm not very tech savvy, so I apologize if this was confusing.
 
#3
I don’t think what you wish to do is possible as you can’t just copy the C drive from one pc to another.
You would need to clean install Windows, set this up with your Microsoft account & then transfer personal files. Any programs would need to be reinstalled.
 
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#4
+1 with Bastet.

use Windows Media Creation Tool to make a bootable USB stick with the latest Win10 build.
use that to get the replacement PC up and running.
then from the saved data off the laptop, restore your personal files - pics, docs, music, downloads, desktop, vids, music, bookmarks, emails.
 
#5
Reinstall Win 10 Fresh Install

Download the win 10 tool run it to recreate the flash drive – Must be minimum 8GB
Watch this video
How To Install Windows 10 From USB - YouTube
In the video at 2:54 you will notice it restarts the computer.
When you are doing this and you get to that point Remove the usb stick whilst it is restarting.
Also if you want to setup a local account instead of logging in with a Microsoft account
Turn off your wireless network and or remove the network cable.
This point is 3.32 in the video - Choose I don't have internet.
If you want to log in with a Microsoft account then leave the network as is.

Before doing any install, it is a good idea to go to the support page for your system. Download the drivers you are going to need ie chipset, sound, video, wireless, etc. While win10 has a lot of native drivers, microsoft drivers are designed for ease of use and are NOT designed for any type of performance. Store these drivers on another usb or you can even just make a folder on your install usb when you are finished making the install usb. Copy the drivers into that folder.

When you are finished with the install, then install your drivers. Install the chipset first then the rest of them. Reboot each time when prompted.
 
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