Windows 10: Boot cloned windows 11 form external SSD on same computer where created

Hi fellows, I cloned windows 11 on my work PC HP Omen to external SSD in order to experiment with third-party software and test them. So I keep the original OS on HP Omen nice and clean, untouched.Afterwards I ran the cloned OS on the same PC HP Omen to see how I got on. Then got a blue screen and this message…inaccessible_boot_device!As you&nb

:)

 

Unable to boot Windows after cloning it to SSD

Hi,



Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.



I understand that you are facing issues while booting the PC after cloning Windows to new SSD. I would like to know what happens when you try to boot the PC to desktop using SSD?



The reason you are not able to boot the PC is that the files required to boot Windows are still recognizing the HDD as the main drive. I would suggest you to try rebuilding the BCD files and see if you are able to boot the PC using
SSD.



Kindly follow the steps below to rebuild the BCD.

1. Create a bootable media and boot the PC using the media.
2. On the Install Windows screen, select Next >
   Repair your computer.
3. On the System Recovery Options screen, select
   Troubleshoot> Advanced options > Command Prompt.
4. Now type in the commands and hit enter: BOOTREC /FIXMBR
   
   BOOTREC /FIXBOOT
   
   BOOTREC /scanos
   
   BOOTREC /rebuildbcd
5. Restart the PC.

If the issue persists, please get back to us with the results of the troubleshooting steps to assist you further.



Regards,

Prakhar Khare

Microsoft Community – Moderator

 

Need Help Booting from Cloned Windows 11 HDD and File Transfer Query

I'm currently facing an issue that has me stumped and in need of some guidance regarding a Windows OS cloning and booting problem.

Here's the situation: I used Macrium Reflect to clone my Windows 11 operating system from my internal SSD onto an external HDD. My intention was to downgrade back to Windows 10. However, upon attempting to boot from the cloned drive, I encounter the dreaded "inaccessible boot device" error. As a result, the system automatically boots back into my original SSD, which currently runs Windows 10 (after the attempted downgrade).

I've tried several troubleshooting steps, including adjusting BIOS settings, checking for driver compatibility, and attempting different boot options without success. I'm seeking advice on how to resolve this boot issue and successfully boot from the cloned drive containing Windows 11.

Furthermore, if booting directly from the cloned drive proves unsuccessful, I'd appreciate any suggestions on how to transfer files and applications (if possible, I understand some apps may not function properly due to the OS difference) from the Windows 11 cloned drive to my internal SSD running Windows 10. Doing this without manually copying each file and searching for its respective location would be immensely helpful.

Any insights, suggestions, or step-by-step guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 

Moving to SSD. Clone or not to clone?

Part of how I keep my SSD fast is to clone it to a platter drive, then clone back. You just want to make sure that you are only cloning teh used space, and not the empty space.


So, again, I isntall Windows to the ssd. Clone to platter drive, then clone back.

I am not sure why, but if I do not do the clone step, the drive's speed, and windows booting, decreases substantially within a week or so.

I am using a Corsair F60 SSD and a Western Digital 500AAKS as drives, and using the free version of Acronis that WD provides, if any of that matters. I am not sure, at this point.