hp 17-cn0053 win 11 make new ssd boot drive

[dwmc2]

Added a 1TB SSD and cloned the existing 1TB HDD to it, but can't figure out how to make the new "D" drive the boot drive.  

Once I can boot from the SSD, I will use the HDD as storage.

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

Notebooks that came with dual storage configurations have no operating system on the hard drive.

Windows will always want to boot from the 2.5" drive first and not the SSD when it has an operating system on it.

What I suggest you do is to temporarily disconnect the 2.5" drive and the Windows boot manager should switch to the SSD as it will be the only bootable device.

Run the notebook for a bit on the SSD to confirm it works OK.

Then you can connect the hard drive back up, format it and use it for storage.

[dwmc2]

That was going to be my last resort option.  I just hate opening up the machine to do it. 

Thanks for confirmation.   Doug

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome, Doug.

[dwmc2]

See previous answers for problem and proposed solution.

Removing the HDD worked, but the first boot of the SSD required the Microsoft Bit Locker Recovery Key so anyone finding this answer should be aware and have it available.  (Check your MS account for the device after cloning the HDD to the SSD.)

I booted to the SSD twice successfully and then tried to re-install the HDD, but the system didn't want to boot.   I don't know if there was some system problem or the HDD wasn't correctly installed, so I just removed it and am running without it. 

Also, the HDD had been updated (MS) after the clone, but I just went to check updates and re-downloaded to the SSD so that wasn't an issue.