Unable to Boot Windows from NVMe SSD After Removing Old SSD

Question

I previously had Windows installed on an SSD. Recently, I upgraded my PC by installing a new NVMe SSD and also installed Windows on it. However, upon booting my PC, the Windows Boot Manager presents me with a choice between the old Windows installation on the SSD and the new installation on the NVMe SSD. The issue arises when I disconnect the old SSD and attempt to boot the PC - instead of loading Windows from the NVMe SSD, it directs me to the boot menu. In the boot priorities listed in the BIOS/UEFI settings, only the Windows Boot Manager is visible, with no option to directly select the NVMe SSD.

I've checked the BIOS/UEFI settings, and the NVMe SSD is recognized. However, in the boot menu order, only the Windows Boot Manager is listed, and there is no option to select the NVMe SSD directly.

Additionally, I'm considering formatting the old SSD since I no longer need it. However, I'm concerned that doing so might affect the boot process for the NVMe SSD. Reinstalling Windows on the NVMe SSD is not an option as it already contains crucial data.

Answer 1

Hello

This can happen if the boot information was not updated when you installed Windows on your new NVMe SSD. Here are some steps you can take to resolve the issue:

 

Modify Boot Configuration Data (BCD): You can use the built-in BCDEdit tool to edit the boot configuration data. This requires running Command Prompt as an administrator and using commands to locate and remove the old Windows boot entry.

[Two Windows OS choices at boot; how to remove one? - Super User](https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsuperuser.com%2Fquestions%2F1512545%2Ftwo-windows-os-choices-at-boot-how-to-remove-one&data=05%7C02%7Cwesleyl%40wicresoft.com%7C274db3d0bd484c7f215808dc741ebe90%7Cb2ae8dd9097749768706861b488b1512%7C0%7C0%7C638512922698601900%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=HjDWdFeSvoxQJMvXueUumuXCxFywlaQLdIX5f1xKM1I%3D&reserved=0"原始 URL: https://superuser.com/questions/1512545/two-windows-os-choices-at-boot-how-to-remove-one。如果你信任此链接, 请单击或点击。")

 

Check EFI System Partition: The EFI System Partition (ESP) on your NVMe SSD should contain the boot loader for your Windows installation. If the ESP was not properly configured during the Windows installation, it might not be recognized as a bootable device. You may need to repair or recreate the ESP.

[Unable to Boot Windows after Installing New NVMe SSD - Removing Old SSD (usercomp.com)](https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fusercomp.com%2Fnews%2F1255862%2Fwindows-boot-issue-after-installing-new-nvme-ssd&data=05%7C02%7Cwesleyl%40wicresoft.com%7C274db3d0bd484c7f215808dc741ebe90%7Cb2ae8dd9097749768706861b488b1512%7C0%7C0%7C638512922698615878%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=SEgMnIKVhbfehNFlOnTDUCd%2BoMBvqCgnGQ6h43w%2BE5o%3D&reserved=0"原始 URL: https://usercomp.com/news/1255862/windows-boot-issue-after-installing-new-nvme-ssd。如果你信任此链接, 请单击或点击。")

 

Use Installation Media for Repair: Booting from Windows installation media and using the repair options can help fix boot issues. This might involve commands like bootrec /fixboot and bootrec /rebuildbcd to repair the boot sector and rebuild the boot configuration data, respectively.

[Use Bootrec.exe in the Windows RE to troubleshoot startup issues - Microsoft Support](https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsupport.microsoft.com%2Fen-us%2Ftopic%2Fuse-bootrec-exe-in-the-windows-re-to-troubleshoot-startup-issues-902ebb04-daa3-4f90-579f-0fbf51f7dd5d&data=05%7C02%7Cwesleyl%40wicresoft.com%7C274db3d0bd484c7f215808dc741ebe90%7Cb2ae8dd9097749768706861b488b1512%7C0%7C0%7C638512922698620859%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=cpY2aNNUNSjKsFXSTVYqGOmZjh%2BKpg%2F%2BxjBh4h0Qr3E%3D&reserved=0"原始 URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/use-bootrec-exe-in-the-windows-re-to-troubleshoot-startup-issues-902ebb04-daa3-4f90-579f-0fbf51f7dd5d。如果你信任此链接, 请单击或点击。")

 

Format Old SSD: If you're sure you don't need anything from the old SSD, you can format it, which should remove any lingering boot information. However, ensure that your NVMe SSD has the correct boot information before doing this to avoid losing your ability to boot into Windows.