Problem with SSD Install

[dbroo]

Hi there!

I'm having problems installing a new Samsung 860 EVO SSD on my HP Pavilion 510-p030 desktop. 

My goal is to replace the existing hard drive with the SSD for all the obvious reasons. I used the Samsung software to clone the drive. I've been able to boot from the SSD drive manually. However, when I try to remove the HD and install the SSD in its place, the computer won't boot at all. I get the HP logo but it goes no further. If I hit F10 during startup I get the message screen that tells me I can enter setup by hitting escape, but when I do that, nothing happens. I am able to enter setup probably with the HD installed. 

Interestingly, at one point I tried using the optical drive connections to install the SSD as simply a second drive, the computer has the same problem and won't boot past the HP logo. 

If I simply plug in the SSD through a USB, I can see the drive and it doesn't appear to have any obvious problems. 

I see plenty of examples of people doing this switch very easily and yet I keep getting stuck. Anyone have any idea as to why to the boot process would stall with the cloned drive? Is there something unique within the HP world that is preventing the computer from recognizing the SSD?

Thanks. 

[banhien]

@dbroo 

I don't know Samsung cloning software but I know O&O DiskImage  and 1, 3, 5, 6 software on the following link work

      https://www.techradar.com/au/best/best-disk-cloning-software

Some of them are free.  Please clone again using one of above software.

Regards.

[dbroo]

Because the SSD will boot manually, it appears that it was properly cloned. The question is why won't it boot up when it is installed in place of the HD. What intrigues me is that when I pull the optical drive connection and replace it with the SSD, the computer won't boot. That doesn't make sense.