Issue: Windows 10 clones to same disk/different SSD won't boot.

Why: I've got a M.2 NVMe with the following structure:

• 300 MB Recovery Partition
• 100 MB EFI System Partition
• Windows 8.1
• Unallocated Space
• Windows 10 (clone source)

I want to extend the Windows 10 install to the left, and afaik it can be only done by cloning/reinstalling.

Attempts: I booted on a Linux pendrive and did a dd clone to a new partition in the unallocated space in the same drive. Then I used the Windows Recovery mode to create an entry for the new partition.

It won't boot, it black screens. Trying to bootrec, bcdboot copy, delete and rebuild everything doesn't work. I've tried to remove the entry pointing to the source Windows 10 and rename its Windows folder so only the clone remains in the boot but it didn't help either.

I then tried to clone the source to a different SSD with a new EFI Partition pointing only to that new Windows 10 clone, also deleting the EFI partition from the NVMe so there's only one possible EFI System Partition to boot from, but it still doesn't work, getting me a blue screen this time around.

I know I should have removed the NVMe at this point but it'd require to take the entire computer apart, as it's at the bottom of the mobo in a very tight mini-itx case.

The saving grace is that undoing the bcd changes is pretty straightforward, so the original 8.1 and 10 installs boot fine.

Questions: I suspect this is one of the cases in which Windows sprawls everywhere and gets confused, preventing itself from repairing whatever issues or creating correct entries until it loses access to the installations it shouldn't be touching in first place.

Is there a way to make the source Windows 10 install invisible to the Recovery Mode/cloned install without physically removing the disk or deleting the partition? I'd like to delete the source only once I'm sure the clone works.

Update 1

Turns out the issue with the cloned Windows 10 isn't about the bcd, or not about it alone. Trying to boot into it in safe mode gets me as far as to the login screen (!!!). Then things get weird.

• Trying to login gets me an "Unknown hard error" by Sihost.exe. The cursor won't stop blinking and spinning. Ctrl+Shift+Esc brings up the Task Manager, and from there I can open the cmd, explorer, etc.

• Taking a look at the Event Viewer log reveals an endless list of "DCOM got error "1084" attempting to start the service ShellHWDetection with arguments "Unavailable" in order to run the server" errors, which I suspect are the reason behind the blinking cursor.

• Sfc and dism /online find no errors to repair. Nor does chkdsk.

• Doing a normal boot on the other hand results in a screen that won't even show the login screen, is unresponsive to all shortcuts tried (Crtl+Shift+Esc, Win+P, Win+L, Win+Ctrl+Shift+B, Crtl+Alt+Del), won't display a context menu upon right clicks and generally eats the cursor (it's not visible until moved and disappears after a second idle, no spinning icon at all).

Issue: Windows 10 clones to same disk/different SSD won't boot.

Why: I've got a M.2 NVMe with the following structure:

• 300 MB Recovery Partition
• 100 MB EFI System Partition
• Windows 8.1
• Unallocated Space
• Windows 10 (clone source)

I want to extend the Windows 10 install to the left, and afaik it can be only done by cloning/reinstalling.

Attempts: I booted on a Linux pendrive and did a dd clone to a new partition in the unallocated space in the same drive. Then I used the Windows Recovery mode to create an entry for the new partition.

It won't boot, it black screens. Trying to bootrec, bcdboot copy, delete and rebuild everything doesn't work. I've tried to remove the entry pointing to the source Windows 10 and rename its Windows folder so only the clone remains in the boot but it didn't help either.

I then tried to clone the source to a different SSD with a new EFI Partition pointing only to that new Windows 10 clone, also deleting the EFI partition from the NVMe so there's only one possible EFI System Partition to boot from, but it still doesn't work, getting me a blue screen this time around.

I know I should have removed the NVMe at this point but it'd require to take the entire computer apart, as it's at the bottom of the mobo in a very tight mini-itx case.

The saving grace is that undoing the bcd changes is pretty straightforward, so the original 8.1 and 10 installs boot fine.

Questions: I suspect this is one of the cases in which Windows sprawls everywhere and gets confused, preventing itself from repairing whatever issues or creating correct entries until it loses access to the installations it shouldn't be touching in first place.

Is there a way to make the source Windows 10 install invisible to the Recovery Mode/cloned install without physically removing the disk or deleting the partition? I'd like to delete the source only once I'm sure the clone works.

Update 1

Turns out the issue with the cloned Windows 10 isn't about the bcd, or not about it alone. Trying to boot into it in safe mode gets me as far as to the login screen (!!!). Then things get weird.

• Trying to login gets me an "Unknown hard error" by Sihost.exe. The cursor won't stop blinking and spinning. Ctrl+Shift+Esc brings up the Task Manager, and from there I can open the cmd, explorer, etc.

• Taking a look at the Event Viewer log reveals an endless list of "DCOM got error "1084" attempting to start the service ShellHWDetection with arguments "Unavailable" in order to run the server" errors, which I suspect are the reason behind the blinking cursor.

• Sfc and dism /online find no errors to repair. Nor does chkdsk.

• Doing a normal boot on the other hand results in a screen that won't even show the login screen, is unresponsive to all shortcuts tried (Crtl+Shift+Esc, Win+P, Win+L, Win+Ctrl+Shift+B, Crtl+Alt+Del), won't display a context menu upon right clicks and generally eats the cursor (it's not visible until moved and disappears after a second idle, no spinning icon at all).

P.s.: Before the gparted thing I also tried to do a fresh install in a new partition then clone the source Win 10 over it. Didn't work and tipped me off about it not being about the BCD.

Issue: Windows 10 clones to same disk/different SSD won't boot.

Why: I've got a M.2 NVMe with the following structure:

• 300 MB Recovery Partition
• 100 MB EFI System Partition
• Windows 8.1
• Unallocated Space
• Windows 10 (clone source)

I want to extend the Windows 10 install to the left, and afaik it can be only done by cloning/reinstalling.

Attempts: I booted on a Linux pendrive and did a dd clone to a new partition in the unallocated space in the same drive. Then I used the Windows Recovery mode to create an entry for the new partition.

It won't boot, it black screens. Trying to bootrec, bcdboot copy, delete and rebuild everything doesn't work. I've tried to remove the entry pointing to the source Windows 10 and rename its Windows folder so only the clone remains in the boot but it didn't help either.

I then tried to clone the source to a different SSD with a new EFI Partition pointing only to that new Windows 10 clone, also deleting the EFI partition from the NVMe so there's only one possible EFI System Partition to boot from, but it still doesn't work, getting me a blue screen this time around.

I know I should have removed the NVMe at this point but it'd require to take the entire computer apart, as it's at the bottom of the mobo in a very tight mini-itx case.

The saving grace is that undoing the bcd changes is pretty straightforward, so the original 8.1 and 10 installs boot fine.

Questions: I suspect this is one of the cases in which Windows sprawls everywhere and gets confused, preventing itself from repairing whatever issues or creating correct entries until it loses access to the installations it shouldn't be touching in first place.

Is there a way to make the source Windows 10 install invisible to the Recovery Mode/cloned install without physically removing the disk or deleting the partition? I'd like to delete the source only once I'm sure the clone works.

Issue: Windows 10 clones to same disk/different SSD won't boot.

Why: I've got a M.2 NVMe with the following structure:

• 300 MB Recovery Partition
• 100 MB EFI System Partition
• Windows 8.1
• Unallocated Space
• Windows 10 (clone source)

I want to extend the Windows 10 install to the left, and afaik it can be only done by cloning/reinstalling.

Attempts: I booted on a Linux pendrive and did a dd clone to a new partition in the unallocated space in the same drive. Then I used the Windows Recovery mode to create an entry for the new partition.

It won't boot, it black screens. Trying to bootrec, bcdboot copy, delete and rebuild everything doesn't work. I've tried to remove the entry pointing to the source Windows 10 and rename its Windows folder so only the clone remains in the boot but it didn't help either.

I then tried to clone the source to a different SSD with a new EFI Partition pointing only to that new Windows 10 clone, also deleting the EFI partition from the NVMe so there's only one possible EFI System Partition to boot from, but it still doesn't work, getting me a blue screen this time around.

I know I should have removed the NVMe at this point but it'd require to take the entire computer apart, as it's at the bottom of the mobo in a very tight mini-itx case.

The saving grace is that undoing the bcd changes is pretty straightforward, so the original 8.1 and 10 installs boot fine.

Questions: I suspect this is one of the cases in which Windows sprawls everywhere and gets confused, preventing itself from repairing whatever issues or creating correct entries until it loses access to the installations it shouldn't be touching in first place.

Is there a way to make the source Windows 10 install invisible to the Recovery Mode/cloned install without physically removing the disk or deleting the partition? I'd like to delete the source only once I'm sure the clone works.

Update 1

Turns out the issue with the cloned Windows 10 isn't about the bcd, or not about it alone. Trying to boot into it in safe mode gets me as far as to the login screen (!!!). Then things get weird.

• Trying to login gets me an "Unknown hard error" by Sihost.exe. The cursor won't stop blinking and spinning. Ctrl+Shift+Esc brings up the Task Manager, and from there I can open the cmd, explorer, etc.

• Taking a look at the Event Viewer log reveals an endless list of "DCOM got error "1084" attempting to start the service ShellHWDetection with arguments "Unavailable" in order to run the server" errors, which I suspect are the reason behind the blinking cursor.

• Sfc and dism /online find no errors to repair. Nor does chkdsk.

• Doing a normal boot on the other hand results in a screen that won't even show the login screen, is unresponsive to all shortcuts tried (Crtl+Shift+Esc, Win+P, Win+L, Win+Ctrl+Shift+B, Crtl+Alt+Del), won't display a context menu upon right clicks and generally eats the cursor (it's not visible until moved and disappears after a second idle, no spinning icon at all).