Boot error 0xc0000225 \windows\system32\winload.exe after clone

I've been assisting with a laptop needing an expanded SSD. The outcome is a text screen in the title text. The laptop is a HP model (I don't have the specifics, but can obtain and update with that); it appears to be built in about 2012 and has 8GB ram.

The machine is configured and operational with version 22H2 and is updated, however, the user has enabled the compression option due to running low on storage. Hibernate/fast start was disabled to ensure a full shutdown before the clone copy was made (so that the three partitions - boot, main windows, and recovery could be mounted using Linux if necessary.) The machine uses BIOS, not UEFI. There are only the three partitions on the 128GB SSD, and they fill the SSD.

Cloning was done using linux 'dd' command (bit-for-bit) copy from the 128GB SSD to a 1TB SSD (on in a USB-attached enclosure.) The three partitions were not mounted during the copy process. No sector errors were noted either in reading or writing. The goal was to just duplicate the 128GB worth of partitions on the `1TB drive, then after verifying operational, move the recovery partition to the end of the 1TB drive so that the main partition could be expanded. Use of gparted linux utility was planned for this step, but we have not reached "verify operational" step after the basic copy step was completed.

Upon swapping drives, the 1TB fails to start, with the error text noted. A screen shot is attached.

Booting the machine from USB flash freshly loaded using microsoft windows media creation tool and selecting repair option did not succeed (after a few moments of activity, the machine rebooted and returned to the same error condition noted.

Looking for advice on what is happening and how to recover?

Thank you!

Usually means the bcd entry is pointing at the wrong place. bootmgr looks in the bcd store to find the address and that is the message if he has been sent the wrong way.

can often be fixed using automated startup repair from windows boot media ( which you have already tried ), or by using bcbooot and bootsect commands.

If that is the only disk attached, boot installation media, open cmd prompt and type

bootsect /nt60 all /mbr

bcdboot windowspartitionletter:\windows

you will have to check what the windows partition letter is from booted media. It is not necessarily C when seen from booted media.

It will copy the boot critical files to the partition marked active and put in the correct bcd entry

Thank you SIW2 -

I will have access to the machine again in a few days, I will follow the steps you advise. In terms of the windows partition for the bcdboot command, will I see only the main partition (where \windows etc. is located) named by letter, or will the startup (small preceding) or recovery (small following) partitions also have letters at that point?

The machine has only the one drive (I had not specified that in my initial posting.)

Thank you for the quick and specific advice!

Dave

you can have a look by typing notepad in cmd prompt
press enter and notepad pops up

then in notepad click File > Save and you get a browse window

boot the media in bios mode ( not efi mode) . 2012 machine might offer both

Thanks, that is helpful advice for sure!

Anybody with rudimentary knowledge could also use bootice which will display the bcd entries and let you change or add or delete with an easy gui for lazy people like me. Runs fine in winpe without any extra dependencies.

But you need to know what the entry should be so you are able to see what is wrong and make appropriate changes.

Otherwise, use bcdboot command.