Windows 10: Windows 10 doesn't boot from old disk after installation on new disk UEFI

Hello, I was asked for replace HDD to SDD drive in the desktop by creating clean installation. Unfortunately during installation computer stuck on Activation serial number screen every time. I decided to take new SSD to home, put it into my personal laptop, install Windows without key and then put it back to the desktop. It worked, desktop booted from this disk and Windows succesfully activated there was previously Windows on HDD so it was not problem.


When I came back home after that, I decided to make my laptop working again, so I put my SSD with Windows. Unfortunately it didn't start. I tried to use rebuildbcd using this link but it help just a little bit Windows starts booting but an erorr is shown - i am not sure what is its content and I am outside the home. I know that I can install Windows on my disk and laptop will start, but it would take a lot of time, because all the software installed. Do you have any ideas? I don't have another working computer at home, so the only thing I have is bootable pendrive with Windows 10 Installation. My account has admin role.

:)

 

Boot disk Windows 10

I am installing a new hard drive on my laptop and I have Windows 10 upgrade currently on my old hard drive. How do I make a boot disk for my new hard drive once I install it? I have tried using the Windows 10 boot disk creator but it doesn't let me install
it once I put the new hard drive in. It tells me the drive it is on is locked and to unlock it but I don't know what that means. Any suggestions?

 

Unsupported Disk Layout for UEFI firmware

Hi BobZ

Sounds like you are doing a clean install. Is that correct?

Yes your disk has to be GPT to clean install if you want to boot UEFI. Please ensure you have your personal data backed up before following steps below.

Boot with your media, on the first screen that appears press Shift + F10 to get command prompt. This will wipe your disk.

diskpart
List disk
select disk 0 (ensure zero is where you want to install, change to appropriate disk number)
clean
Convert gpt (if required for UEFI)
exit
exit

It is a good idea to just have your boot disk connected when installing, then connect other disks.

When doing a clean install please see this tutorial for BIOS recommendations.

Clean Install Windows 10

 

Unsupported disk layout for UEFI firmware

I hear you on configuring your own PC the way you choose to.

His PC could not boot to a GPT disk if in Legacy BIOS mode. It could not boot to an MBR disk in UEFI mode. The error tells us that his disk is not partitioned for UEFI, so he is in Legacy BIOS mode, on an MBR disk, but has UEFI/GPT capability. On a Legacy
BIOS-only PC, like my 2007 Dell XPS laptop, it would not give this error.

You are right that we do not know which version Windows Update is trying to install. He might not be able to upgrade directly from version 1507/build 10240 to version 1709 (or 1803). I could do a test tomorrow to see if the upgrade can be done in one step.
I think that it might have to be done in two upgrades via Windows Update (because 10240 cannot do a UUP Windows Update) but probably can upgrade in one step via mounted ISO.

Using a downloaded ISO might also bypass this error, as I think you originally suggested, leaving the disk as MBR.