Windows failing to boot from cloned drive

I recently upgraded by SSD from 1 TB to 2 TB. I cloned the 1 TB drive to the 2 TB drive and when I installed the 2 TB drive, the system "sees" it but it won't boot to it.  I've run all the diagnostic tests and every hardware components passes - including the 2 TB drive.

When I start the system with the 2 TB SSD installed, it loads a recovery screen indicating that "Your PB/Device needs to be repaired: A required device isn't connected of can't be accessed, Error Code: 0xc000000e" with various options. When I use "F1 to enter recovery environment", it just returns to the same recover screen. If I chose "F8 for startup settings" after trying F1, nothing happens, but if I do F8 without first pressing F1, I get the startup settings which gives me 9 options from which I choose "safe mode" but then it just falls back into the recovery screen.

When I put the 1 TB SSD into an external USB enclosure and try to boot to it, it isn't booting unless I pull the 2 TB drive out of the laptop. What happens is the computer boots and then hags on "Preparing Automatic Recovery" screen. If I pull the 2 TB drive out and put the 1 TB SSD back in, it boots fine.

Bios is up-to-date.
Windows is fully updated.

All drivers are fully updated.

The 2 TB SSD is compatible with the laptop.
The 2 TB SSD has no hardware issues, and when I view it as an external device on another system, I can see all the windows and other files.

All tests of the SSD pass using multiple tools.


I've tried looking online for solutions, but nothing suggested has worked.

This is driving me nuts.

Depends how/what you used to clone.

Genarally as soon as the clone completes you shutdown, disconnect/remove the original drive then connect/insert the new and boot

Contributor since 2006
Currently win11 Pro & O365 Bus, multiple devices

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Used NTI Echo 6 (latest version)... which I've used before with no issues.
SSD is a Crucial T500 Pro. I made sure it was compatible with the system prior to purchase.

This isn't my first rodeo as I previously upgraded the laptop from a 512GB SSD (that came with the system) to a 1 TB SSD (which I'm attempting to clone).

I'm wondering if this is related to secure boot and BitLocker in Windows 11.

Funny thing is, the SSD is fine and the cloned files are all there, test of MBR and partitions all indicate no issues while the BIOS recognized the SSD and the HP diagnostic for the SSD run fine on it and it passes them. When I connect the original SSD via USB externally, it doesn't boot to unless the installed 2 TB SSD is removed from the system.

I've no clue what's going on and nothing I've found online to try to resolve the issue has worked (and there isn't much). The final thing that was suggested was to boot to an installer, then re partition/reformat the SSD and do a completely clean install which will end up with me taking days to reinstall all the apps and restore everything else. I'd rather NOT have to go through that.

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Boot from the 1 TB with the 2 TB attached externally and provide an image of disk management.

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I ended up just reformatting the SSD and installing Windows anew.

Nothing else I tried worked.

Seems that sometimes cloning a driver just doesn't work.

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Last updated April 16, 2025 Views 219 Applies to: