5 Fixes: SSD Stopped Booting on Windows 10/11

Discover quick fixes and expert solutions for your Windows 10 booting headaches! Dive into our blog post on SSDs stopping booting – revive your system with ease!

By @Maggie Last Updated February 22, 2024

Case: My SSD not recognized and PC won't boot

Last night I shut down my computer as normaly, it took more time than usual but I didn't think much of it. Today as I was turning it back on, some blue screen showed up (couldn't take a photo) saying that some problem were found or so and that it would boot after and it was showing 0%. 5 second later it booted back but into the bios. Me don't knowing why just tried to exit the bios and get into windows but it took me back to the bios. Then, I noticed that I had no boot options, like I didn't have a SSD.

If you've encountered the frustrating scenario of slow boot up Windows 10 SSD or not boot issue, fear not. This guide aims to unravel the mystery behind this issue and provide comprehensive solutions to get your system up and running seamlessly.

Why Windows SSD stopped booting on Windows 10/11?

If your SSD stopped booting Windows 10 after cloning, it could be due to various reasons. Here are some common ones:

  • Bad sectors: If the source disk had bad sectors, it might cause the cloned SSD not to boot.
  • Corrupted booting files: The system could become corrupted during the cloning process, leading to boot failure.
  • Missing System Reserved partition: If the System Reserved partition wasn't cloned properly, it could prevent the SSD from booting.
  • Wrong boot order: If the wrong drive is set to boot from, the SSD won't boot.
  • Missing boot files: Changes in drive letters during the HDD to SSD transition could result in missing boot files, causing boot failure.
  • GPT/MBR conflict: Conflict between GPT and MBR partition styles may prevent the cloned drive from booting.
  • Faulty Connection: Loose cables or improper connections can impede the communication between the SSD and the system.

Once you've identified the cause, you can apply appropriate fixes. There are proven solutions available to resolve SSD booting issues.

▶If you want to reinstall or migrate Windows OS to SSD without encountering SSD boot problem in Windows 10/11, you can follow the instructions provided on this page for another attempt.

How to solve SSD not booting problem

SSD stopped booting Windows 10/11 after clone is a common phenomenon that many users have met before. How to solve it? Here you can find the answer.

Method 1. Change the boot order to boot from the cloned SSD

If your Windows 10 isn't booting from the SSD after upgrading or cloning the system hard drive, it might be due to an incorrect boot order. Here's how to change the boot mode:

1. Enter BIOS Setup and navigate to the Boot tab.

2. Set the cloned SSD as the first boot option and press F10 to save and exit. Your computer should now boot successfully. If not, try the following steps:

- If your SSD is connected externally via a USB cable, move "Removable Devices" to the top of the list using the + key. Make sure your external hard drive is the only USB storage attached when booting from it.

- If your SSD is connected internally via a SATA cable, move "Hard Drive" to the top of the list and ensure your SSD is the first option under "Hard Drive".

By adjusting the boot order in BIOS, you should be able to boot Windows 10 successfully from the SSD.

Method 2. Setting BIOS to boot from UEFI or Legacy

If your SSD is a GPT disk, ensure that the EFI/UEFI boot mode is enabled in BIOS Setup. Follow these steps to configure it:

1. Continuously press a specific key (usually F2, F8, F12, or Del) to enter BIOS Setup.

2. Use the arrow keys to navigate to the Boot tab. Here, select UEFI/BIOS Boot Mode as Legacy or UEFI.

3. Press F10 to save the settings and exit. Restart your computer from the cloned SSD.

If your SSD is an MBR disk, set the boot mode to Legacy. If your computer only supports Legacy boot mode, you can convert GPT to MBR to ensure successful booting. 

Method 3. Re-clone your disk

Sometimes, an incorrect clone may cause the necessary boot file or partition missing. To ensure a successful boot drive clone, reliable and professional cloning software is needed. Here I recommend AOMEI Backupper Professional. This software runs smoothly on Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP, for Server users, it has Server version for compatibility concerns.

  • It supports System Clone, Disk Clone and Partition Clone for various and flexible cloning needs.
  • It allows you to clone large HDD to smaller SSD only if the destination disk is large enough to store data on the source disk.
  • It supports various disk types, including SATA/IDE/PCIe disk, M.2 drive, NVMe SSD, etc. To enjoy faster reading and writing speed, it's suggested to clone Windows 10/11 to NVMe SSD.

Steps to clone hard drive to your SSD:

Step 1. Connect the SSD to your computer and make sure it can be detected. Free download AOMEI Backupper, install and launch it. Click Clone -> Disk Clone.

Notes:

  • If you only want to clone the operating system, you can use the System Clone feature.
  • To clone a disk without OS, such as clone an external drive or USB drive, you can try free disk clone software - AOMEI Backupper Standard.

Step 2. Select the original drive as the source disk.

Step 3. Select SSD as the destination disk.

Step 4. Here you will move to the final page. Check the box of SSD Alignment to optimize SSD performance and click Start Clone.

🌟Important:

If you encounter issues where Windows won't boot from a cloned SSD after transferring the system to another computer, this could be due to differences in hardware between the two systems. To resolve this and ensure successful booting, you should try the Universal Restore function on AOMEI Backupper:

1. Use System Backup to create a system image of the source computer.

2. Create a bootable media (such as a USB drive) to start the target computer into WinPE (Windows Preinstallation Environment).

3. Perform Universal Restore using the bootable media on the target computer. This process ensures that the target computer can boot successfully after restoration, even with dissimilar hardware.

By following these steps, you can ensure that Windows boots successfully from the cloned SSD on the target computer, even with different hardware configurations.

Method 4. Repair Windows Startup from Windows RE

If your cloned SSD won't boot in Windows 10/11, you may need to access the Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE) to repair Windows Startup. Here's how you can do it:

1. Boot from the Windows installation disc or USB drive.

2. Select "Repair your computer" when prompted.

3. On the "Choose an option" screen, select "Troubleshoot" -> "Advanced Options" -> "Startup Repair" (Windows 11/10/8).

4. Follow the on-screen instructions to start the repair process, which will attempt to fix any startup problems.

By using the Startup Repair option in the Windows Recovery Environment, you can troubleshoot and repair issues preventing your cloned SSD from booting successfully in Windows 10/11.

Method 5. Run Bootrec.exe

If your SSD isn't booting due to an MBR error, you can try using Bootrec.exe to fix it. Here's how:

1. Boot your computer from the Windows installation disc or USB drive.

2. Select "Repair your computer" -> "Troubleshoot" -> "Advanced Options" -> "Command Prompt."

3. In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands to fix Windows 10/11 booting issues:

  • bootrec /fixmbr
  • bootrec /fixboot
  • bootrec /scanos
  • bootrec /rebuildbcd

These commands will attempt to repair the Master Boot Record (MBR) and other boot-related issues on your SSD. Follow any additional on-screen prompts or instructions provided by the command prompt. Once the process is complete, restart your computer and check if the SSD boots successfully.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What should I do if my SSD is not detected in BIOS?

A: Check the connections and power supply to the SSD. If the issue persists, try a different SATA port or cable.

Q: Can I use AOMEI Backupper for backing up individual files?

A: Absolutely, AOMEI Backupper offers a flexible file and folder backup feature.

Q: Is it possible to recover deleted files using AOMEI Backupper?

A: Yes, AOMEI Backupper allows you to selectively restore individual files from a backup.

Q: Will AOMEI Backupper work for SSDs from different manufacturers?

A: Yes, AOMEI Backupper is compatible with SSDs from various manufacturers.

Q: Can I schedule automatic backups with AOMEI Backupper?

A: Certainly, the software provides options for scheduled backups at your convenience.

Q: Does AOMEI Backupper support cloud backup?

A: While the free version has limitations, the professional version offers robust cloud backup options.

Conclusion

Cloning a hard drive to an SSD offers significant benefits, but it can sometimes result in the SSD stopped booting Windows 10. In such cases, using reliable SSD cloning software may be more efficient than troubleshooting errors individually.

AOMEI Backupper is a powerful tool that simplifies the process of cloning HDD to SSD, or SSFD to HDD. With its help, you can ensure that your computer boots successfully from the cloned SSD. Additionally, AOMEI Backupper offers features to optimize the reading and writing speed of the SSD disk, thus prolonging its lifespan.

You can download AOMEI Backupper and try it out yourself to experience its effectiveness in cloning HDD to SSD and ensuring smooth booting from the SSD.