Cloned SSD Won't Boot? Make Cloned SSD Bootable [5 Ways]

Don't worry if you tried all means to upgrade and clone old HDD to SSD but it turned out the cloned SSD won't boot on your computer. Here we've collected 5 effective ways that will make SSD bootable again in Windows 10/8/7:

If you're also struggling with the same problem and don't know how to fix the SSD is not booting error, you've come to the right place. This post explains why cloned SSD won't boot and offers 5 effective solutions here to solve SSD unbootable error after clone. Read in-depth.

Causes - Why Is Cloned SSD Not Booting

Here is a list of all possible reasons that can explain why does the SSD won't boot after clone. If you have any one of them, stay here and follow the fixes below to get rid of this error immediately :

• The SSD is connected to the PC as an external disk. 
• The cloned SSD is not set as the boot disk.
• BIOS boot mode is incompatible with the SSD.
• The disk cloning process was corrupted or interrupted.
• Incomplete clones, missing boot partitions, or boot components.
• The source disk is unbootable.
• The SSD needs specific drivers, etc.

Solutions - How to Fix Cloned SSD Won't Boot Issue, Make SSD Bootable

The following methods are bound to resolve SSD not working after cloning for particular reasons. Follow the step-by-step guides to make the cloned SSD boot normally.

Method 1. Correctly Install the Cloned SSD with a SATA Cable

The disk clone software does not guarantee that the external disk can boot smoothly when using a USB cable. It is best to connect devices to a computer via SATA.

Step 1. Use a SATA cable instead of a USB connection cable.

Step 2. Install the SSD to the computer correctly via the SATA cable.

Step 3. Close the computer case and restart the computer.

If the SSD boots up, congratulations. Your problem gets resolved. If not, continue with Method 2. 

Method 2. Change Boot Order in BIOS, Make SSD Bootable as the Boot Disk

If the cloned SSD is not set to be the first boot option in BIOS, your computer won't boot from it. Therefore, you need to access BIOS and change the boot order to set SSD as the boot disk. Here are the steps:

Step 1. Restart the PC. When the startup screen appears, constantly press F2/F12/DEL to enter BIOS.

Step 2. Next, use the arrow key to choose the Boot tap and select the cloned SSD as the first boot option. 

Step 3. Press F10 to save and exit BIOS. And restart your computer. 

Wait patiently, and if your computer boots up, congratulations. The problem gets resolved. 

Note that, if your original boot disk is MBR, you'll need to set the partition active to make the SSD bootable after clone. And you can fix this issue in the next Method.

Method 3. Set System Partition as an Active Partition

The system partition should be set as the active partition. If the system partition is not set as an active partition, Windows 10 can't boot from cloned SSD. You can set the system partition as an active partition with an easy-to-use partition manager in the WinPE environment. Here is how to do it:

#1. Create a bootable disk and boot PC from it

Reboot PC > Press F2/F8/Del to enter BIOS > Set PC to boot from EaseUS bootable Disk > Reboot PC.

#2. Set SSD system drive as active

Step 1. Run EaseUS partition manager software. On the disk map, right-click the target partition and choose "Advanced".

Step 2. Then, select "Set Active" from the drop-down menu. Click "Yes".  And choose "Execute 1 Task(s)" and click "Apply".

#3. Set PC to boot from cloned SSD

Reboot PC > Press F2/F8/Del to enter BIOS > Set PC to boot from the cloned SSD > Reboot PC

After this, your computer should be able to boot up from the cloned SSD and you can make use of all cloned files on the new disk again.

Method 4. Re-Clone HDD to SSD

Incomplete clone or clone failure will cause the cloned SSD won't boot problem. Besides, if you haven't cloned the boot partition, the cloned hard drive will not be able to boot either.

Reliable disk cloning software - EaseUS Todo Backup can re-execute the disk cloning process, guaranteeing you the cloned hard disk bootable after the HDD to SSD clone.

EaseUS Todo Backup KEY Features

• Support smart file backup, system backup, disk, and partition backup.
• Support clone USB, external hard drive, HDD, and SSD.
• Clone OS from a larger HDD to a smaller SSD without re-installing.
• Create a Portable USB to take your Windows anywhere.

Step 1. Launch EaseUS Todo Backup and click "Tools" at the top right corner, you can see clone and other utilities.

Step 2. Choose the source disk or partition as well as the target disk. (Make sure the space of the target disk is larger than that of the source disk or partition.)

Step 3. The clone would permanently wipe out all data on the target disk/partition. If you have backup your data in advance, just click "Continue."

Step 4. Click "Proceed" to start cloning.

After this, you may repeat Method 1 and Method 2 to install the cloned SSD correctly into your computer and set it as the boot drive.

Then, reboot the PC and the SSD will boot up successfully.

Method 5. Customize 1-to-1 Service to Make Cloned SSD Bootable

If you've tried all the above four methods, but the SSD is still not booting or the cloned SSD won't boot with a black screen, you are now with really a tricky problem.

You can contact EaseUS's technical support team and let them help you via 1-to-1 remote assistance as soon as possible.

Stay Calm If Cloned SSD Won't Boot, Follow Fixes to Make SSD Bootable

On this page, we collected 5 reliable methods that work to help you fix the cloned SSD won't boot error. To make the cloned SSD bootable again, which method is the best?

Here is Editor's Pick:

1. Follow Method 1 and Method 2 to correctly install SSD and set it as a boot drive.
2. If the OS disk was MBR, follow Method 3 to set the SSD OS drive as active.
3. After this, your computer should be able to boot up from the new SSD now.
4. If it's still not working, re-do the clone with EaseUS Todo Backup.

FAQ on Cloned SSD Won't Boot

Will a cloned disk be bootable?

If you have made an image backup of your entire hard drive, you can clone the drive to another one, and it will be bootable. Remember that you need to ensure the destination disk is the same size or larger than the source disk. If you only clone a drive partition containing your operating system, it probably won't be bootable unless you use special software or perform additional steps.

How do I make my SSD bootable after cloning?

You need to do a few things to make your SSD bootable after cloning. Restart your PC, and press the key that opens the boot-device selection menu for your computer. Select the drive you want to boot from, which in this case is probably your SSD. If your BIOS does not have such a menu, check its documentation to see which key to press. Once you've selected the drive, it should boot from your SSD.