Replacement SSD recognised in windows but not in boot

[Timmer39moon]

I’ve got a new 2TB Kingston SSD which I have cloned in windows with acronis. The SSD is recognised in windows. When I boot the pc it tells me that there is no HDD installed. I can’t find any options in BIOS and have downloaded all updates - BIOS etc.

im sure it is connected ok. Is it a formatting issue/BIOS setting or similar?

[Raqeeb26]

Hi @Timmer39moon ,

Welcome to The HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

This is a very common issue when cloning a drive, especially in modern HP business notebooks using UEFI/Secure Boot. The fact that the SSD is recognized in Windows but not in the BIOS's boot list strongly suggests the problem is with the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) on the new drive, or a partition style mismatch.

The HP BIOS is looking for a specific boot entry (usually called Windows Boot Manager) that points to the EFI partition on the new drive. Cloning software sometimes fails to properly update this entry or the necessary boot files.

Here is the step-by-step approach to fix this:

Step 1: Check Partition Style (MBR vs. GPT)

Your EliteBook x360 830 G6 uses UEFI and typically requires the GPT (GUID Partition Table) partition style for the boot drive.

1. Boot the PC from your old drive (or a Windows installation USB) and open Disk Management (search for it in the Start Menu).
2. Right-click on your new 2TB Kingston SSD (Disk 1, for example) and select Properties.
3. Go to the Volumes tab and check the Partition style.
   • It should be GPT (GUID Partition Table).
   • If it is MBR (Master Boot Record), this is likely the core issue, as the BIOS is set to UEFI mode (which requires GPT) and cannot see the MBR drive as bootable.

If the style is MBR: You need to repair the boot files, which is covered in Step 3. (Do NOT try to convert the drive from MBR to GPT if Windows is already installed on it without knowing exactly what you are doing, as this can corrupt the OS. It is safer to repair the boot files.)

Step 2: BIOS/UEFI Settings Verification

While you've updated the BIOS, double-check these critical settings:

1. Restart the PC and press 1$\text{Esc}$, then F10 to enter the BIOS Setup Utility.2
   
   
2. Navigate to Security > Secure Boot Configuration.
   • Secure Boot should be Enabled if you are booting from a GPT/UEFI drive.
   • Legacy Support should be Disabled (or not visible) to ensure a pure UEFI boot path.
3. Go to Advanced or System Configuration > Boot Options.
   • Look for the UEFI Boot Order. You should see an entry called OS Boot Manager or Windows Boot Manager. The new drive's name might not appear here, but the OS Boot Manager entry should be present.
4. Crucial Step: Check if there is an option related to SATA or Storage Mode. Ensure it is set to AHCI, not "RAID" or "Intel VMD" (if those options exist).

Step 3: Repairing the Boot Configuration Data (BCD)

This is the most common solution for a recognized-in-Windows, but non-bootable-in-BIOS cloned drive. You will use a Windows 10 Installation USB to access the Command Prompt.

1. Create a Windows 10 Installation Media on a USB stick using the Microsoft Media Creation Tool (if you don't already have one).
2. Boot from the USB drive (press F9 during startup to access the boot device menu).
3. Select your language and click Next.
4. Click Repair your computer (lower left corner).
5. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt.
6. Once the Command Prompt opens, type the following commands one by one, pressing Enter after each:

bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot  (You may get an "Access is denied" error. Ignore it for now.)
bootrec /scanos
bootrec /rebuildbcd

For the last command, it should ask if you want to add the installation to the boot list. Type Y (or A for all) and press Enter.

1. Type exit and restart the PC. Your new Kingston SSD should now boot automatically via the repaired Windows Boot Manager entry.

If the bootrec /fixboot command gives an "Access is denied" error, you must assign a drive letter to the EFI partition and format it before running the repair commands. If you are not comfortable with advanced disk partitioning, it may be easier to perform a fresh install of Windows 10 onto the new SSD, which will guarantee proper UEFI boot files.

This video shows how to access the BIOS settings on an HP PC, which is the first step in troubleshooting the boot order: How to Configure the Boot Order in the System BIOS for HP PCs

This video shows how to access the BIOS settings on an HP PC, which is the first step in troubleshooting the boot order: How to Configure the Boot Order in the System BIOS for HP

Hope this helps resolve your issue

Please , do let me know if you need any other assistance, will be happy to assist you 

I hope you have a good day ahead,

And Feel free to ask any other queries as well.