Strange boot problem

dalchina said:

Here's another approach:
1. Create a disk image of what you believe to be a working Windows (C: ) partition
2. With only 1 SSD in your PC (to ensure no partitions are created elsewhere)
Clean install Win 10 (deleting all existing partitions other than data)
3, Make sure your new Windows partition is bigger than the old one
4. Check that boots ok, and Advanced startup options (Safe Mode, Command Prompt etc) are present. (= check your Recovery partition is ok).
5. Now booting from your Macrium boot disk, restore your Windows partition, replacing the newly created one.
6. Boot from a Win 10 boot disk and run Startup Repair

At step 6 why not just run Macrium's built-in utility to "Fix Windows boot problems" since you would already be booted into Macrium Reflect anyway?

NavyLCDR said:

At step 6 why not just run Macrium's built-in utility to "Fix Windows boot problems" since you would already be booted into Macrium Reflect anyway?

I did try that but no difference.

Looking at this it looks like the boot partition is on one drive and the windows installation is on another, or am I just being a bit dim?

Ignore the drive that is formatting - just getting a spare ready incase I need it.

dalchina said:

You said you cloned one to the other, so you should have two identical drives... can't see that.

It looks as if you're using legacy BIOS, not UEFI. Any reason why?

Minitool Partition Wizard gives a better view.
I reiterate- I think your best way forward is to have one disk connected in your PC to sort this out.

How far did you get with steps 1-6? E.g. Did you clean install on 1 disk and get your PC booting?

I am trying to get my head round the 6 steps above before having a go. If you can expand on them it may give me a bit more confidence. I cant lose the whole contents of my PC.
Have attached details as you suggested.

I was thinking of making E the active partition in Disk Management....instead of F. (any comments)
Regarding UEFI bios - I did think it was booting from EUFI, - how can you tell? Is it ok just to change it in the BIOS?
Thanks

Sambat said:

I was thinking of making E the active partition in Disk Management....instead of F. (any comments)
Regarding UEFI bios - I did think it was booting from EUFI, - how can you tell? Is it ok just to change it in the BIOS?
Thanks

Your SSDs are MBR type partitioning and you have nothing but NTFS partitions so your computer was booting in legacy BIOS mode. You need to leave it that way in UEFI settings (if you have a UEFI computer). Legacy BIOS booting might also be referred to as CSM mode in UEFI settings.

Are you booted into Kyhi's Recovery Tools from a USB flash drive now? If yes, then run Macrium Reflect. On the restore menu is a utility to Fix Windows boot problems. Run that utility. Note that if you changed the boot order in BIOS/UEFI to USB first, the computer will continue to boot into the USB flash drive inserted, you need to remove the USB flash drive to attempt booting from the SSD again.

Well this has got a bit stranger.Ran Macrium Disk (all options) repair but that seemed to make no difference.

I cloned my main ssd (256gb) to the spare drive I was formatting for safety reasons, then started the PC with just that new drive fitted.It still booted but had similar issues.I was then going to clone the boot sector from the 1TB, and the data from the 256GB SSD to the new drive to then see what happens.

Checked the BIOS first and everything looked fine.

Before I started I booted from the 256gb only to back up some very important info and it booted fine. I have tried several times now and it works fine.I dont know what or how this is corrected itself.

Whether it was me, or somehow the drive sorting itself but things are back to normal.I have learnt from the experience, and thank you to all of you that helped.