How to make GPT volume bootable

Mas21 · 29 Aug 2018

I'm not sure the history is too helpful as the question says it all, but here it is.

On an Acer predator G3-605 I had a mSATA 60GB SSD as system disk that was too small. I bought a larger replacement and used Acronis True Image 2019 to clone it. The clone was successful in that the files all appear to be copied, but when examined using Disk Management I see that the disk is not shown as Active, Bootable.

Although I am certain that I at no time cloned from larger disk to smaller, neither disk now is bootable ! And the O&O image I took before I started this also, when used to restore from, produces a disk that is not bootable. Baffled.

Reinstalling Windows then restoring all documents and reinstalling all programs is clearly one way forward, but I just want something like DISKPART ACTIVE that would remedy the problem. I don't know enough to know why there is no such command (as far as I know) for GPT disks.

Caledon Ken · 29 Aug 2018

Do you have a boot disk (USB Thumbdrive) that you can boot, enter repair and fix startup issues.

Boot to Advanced Startup Options in Windows 10

If you were booting UEFI there is no Active as you can see in my disk management shot

How to make GPT volume bootable-image.png

Can you post a Disk Management shot, you said you could see it was not Active. Expand all columns so info isn't truncated.

Disk Management - How to Post a Screenshot of

I would also enter BIOS and disable secure boot and fast boot.

dalchina · 29 Aug 2018

Assuming either of your disks is potentially bootable then Macrium Reflect's Fixboot feature may help.

You can boot your PC using Kyhi's boot disk, available from the top of the Software and Apps section here and then you can
a. Use Disk Management as suggested above
or preferably
Use Minitool Partition Wizard (on Kyhi's disk)
to view the disk's partitions.

and if those look ok

b. Run Macrium Reflect (on Kyhi's disk) and use its Fixboot feature.

sn00ker · 30 Aug 2018

I don't understand why people would do clone options unless the drive is dying or you can't do a full back up image. If you bought a new drive the best method would be a clean installation. Cloning bring everything from that drive whether it has bad sectors or not onto the other drive. I wouldn't even do a backup image on a new drive .. Clean is the best

Mas21 · 30 Aug 2018

Much appreciation for taking the time to reply. I will attach images requested.

I did run Macrium Reflect (on Kyhi's disk) and use its Fixboot feature.This did not produce an error but asked me to reboot. I did so then was asked to select the keyboard and click 'next'. This took me to the Advanced Startup menu of Windows where I tried to 'continue to start Windows 8.1 normally. Alas that failed and returned me to the Advanced Startup menu. This time I tried to repair Windows but that failed and generated the log files that are uploaded here.

sn00ker, reinstalling Windows would cause all programs to need to be reinstalled, settings adjusted, files restored - a lot of effort to simply get a larger amount of free space on the disk. And that's assuming all the product keys and account details are readily available. However I take the point that it would produce a cleaner installation.

dalchina · 30 Aug 2018

Windows 8.1

Please confirm which OS you are running... your specs say Win 7, then you mention Win 8.1. Is this the correct forum for you?

(sevenforums, eightforums exist for those OS's)

Mas21 · 30 Aug 2018

dalchina said:

Please confirm which OS you are running... your specs say Win 7, then you mention Win 8.1. Is this the correct forum for you?

(sevenforums, eightforums exist for those OS's)

You're right, I should probably be in eightforums. Sorry to have troubled you.

Caledon Ken · 30 Aug 2018

So while you have our attention from your disk management shot you appear to be booting UFEI.

I see the EFI partition so like mine it won't be marked Active.

Interesting that your C: drive is not listed as boot.

You provided some text files. From disk info your EFI volume is volume 3 yet in BCD info you seem to be pointing at volume 2 and further on you Windows boot loader says Win 8.1.

I'm not an expert when it comes to all this so get it confirm. Your BCD info has a lot going on. I assume you multi boot in virtual machines as I see hypervisor.

Have you reset boot order in UEFI to point to right device. As well disconnectall other storage devices when setting BIOS order and attempt boot with them disconnected.

For you it might be as simple as recreating EFI partition but you would loose all this other stuff. (Hypervisor Ramdefects etc.) Your BCD has a lot more stuff. Mine is really simple, boot windows or macrium.

We have a procedure for rebuilding efi.

Mas21 · 31 Aug 2018

Thanks Caledon Ken. No, there's not been a virtual machine there. But the logic of your comment makes a lot of sense. Alas I really don't understand enough about the contents of BCD to know how to redirect the boot order (other than the obvious via EFI). This remains of academic interest but I have started getting me a Windows 10 boot media (already have the licence) so it may be a great unresolved issue for ever more. Thanks for your interesting comments.

Caledon Ken · 31 Aug 2018

Good luck.

Clean install will give you a great base to proceed from.