transferred the entire Windows 11 system

Hello all

I transferred the entire Windows 11 system and all programs as well to another disk


When I restart the computer directly, it goes to the old hard disk, so I have to press F11 in order to select the new hard disk.

Now, is there a risk if the old hard disk is completely deleted, and what is the correct way to delete it in order for the computer to recognize the new hard disk after booting?

losts80 said:

Hello all

I transferred the entire Windows 11 system and all programs as well to another disk


When I restart the computer directly, it goes to the old hard disk, so I have to press F11 in order to select the new hard disk.

Now, is there a risk if the old hard disk is completely deleted, and what is the correct way to delete it in order for the computer to recognize the new hard disk after booting?

Click to expand...

Well, I don't see any computer specs, but the easiest way (on a desktop computer), to find out, is to just physically unhook the old hard disk, and see if you can still boot. [Make sure the computer is OFF, when you unhook the old disk]


The default Windows 11 install has these partitions.
You need the two partitions in RED boxes (minimum), to boot into Windows...





You should post a complete Disk Management pic, so we can better advise you.
Like this... with everything showing...

I think you mean this one

losts80 said:

I think you mean this one

Click to expand...

Yeah.... you should just be able to remove Disk 0 and the computer should still boot.
If it does... then you can format Disk 0 if desired and use for storage or whatever.

But make sure the computer will boot from Disk 3, with Disk 0 unhooked... before you format Disk 0.

run bcdedit to check which partition you are booting from. If it is disk3 partition1 , rename or delete the efi folder on disk 0 system partition.

Then only the bootmgr on disk 3 should be found by bios.

Welcome
Thank you all for cooperation
Now I have this particular image. What should I delete or format without getting into the problem of booting when running?

@Ghot is so right.
I've messed with computers for years and installed windows many times but I learned a hard lesson with my Dell. My case was a no boot situation rather than a wrong boot one, but I believe the same principal applies to your case.
Dell's UEFI bios recognizes which disk is the primary disk depending on disk type. However, disk NUMBER assignment does not always follow whether a disk is primary or secondary.

Both my disks were configured GPT. My boot drive is m.2 but bios assigned disk 1. My secondary is HDD and assigned disk 0. My specs say that in that configuration, the m.2 is the primary drive no matter what drive number is assigned to it.

I installed Windows on the m.2, booted and all good. I disconnected the HDD, no boot.
Come to find out, if multiple GPT drives are installed when one installs windows, Windows will NOT automatically write the boot partition to the primary drive. It writes the boot partition to the first UEFI partition it SEES. (which in my case was the seconday drive because it was assigned disk 0)
For my boot partition to be written on my primary drive, the second drive should have been disconnected during the install.

So it stands to reason if you have 2 drives with two boot partitions, it's going to boot from the first boot partition it sees depending on drive number assignment, which may not be the drive you have in your primary slot.

@glasskuter

One way also to avoid that is after cloning a disk use any partition manager to change the GUUID's of the partitions - then when windows boots you should be able to choose which HDD either via the computers BIOS or with windows boot manager. Changing the GUUID's doesn't destroy any data.

Cheers
jimbo

Hello all
Thank you everyone. The system has been deleted from the old disk and reformatted

The computer now works smoothly

losts80 said:

Hello all
Thank you everyone. The system has been deleted from the old disk and reformatted

The computer now works smoothly

Click to expand...

Good job.




On a side note: The pics of File Explorer, don't tell us anything.
Always post a pic of Disk Management. Those tell us everything.

We've seen so many pictures of the disks in File Explorer, and later found out that things we "assumed" were true, because they should have been true... weren't. This is why we always ask for a Disk Management picture.
Minitool Partition Wizard pics are good also.




For example...

In the top pic most would "assume" that I have Windows installed on the C: drive. In MY case they would be right.
But in the top pic, there's no way to "know" for sure.

In the bottom pic however... we "know" that I have Windows installed on the C: drive...