Using Reflect to image another Windows OS drive (not the hosts OS drive)

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I am using Macrium on my Windows 10 laptop and connected another PCs drive to clone via USB. The other system’s drive shows up as drive E: on my laptop. I was able to take an image of it but when I write the image to another hard  drive and connect it to the other system the drive letter is also E:  and I’m trying to figure out how to change the drive letter back to C. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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You can’t change the drive letter if it’s an additional drive. You need it to be the only drive and it will then boot and be C:.

Windows stores drive letter assignments in the currently running Windows. If you boot from an internal disk and connect an external disk, the external disk drive letter is stored on the internal disk.

cheers, Paul

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The problem is, I can’t boot it. The motherboard of the computer it came from is dead and if I boot it on another system with a different motherboard it will try to do a repair and potentially corrupt windows which is why I’m stuck in this situation. I’d think there’d be a USB boot for Macrium or another solution that would allow you to do this.

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Not quite sure what you are trying to accomplish here:

Why do you need to change the drive to C: if you are not going to connect it to another computer, you said the original MB was dead, which will have to update the drive to be bootable on that system.

If you are just trying to recover files you should use Reflect to Mount the Image file. This will give you access to copy any files you want to recover.

If you have another goal please let us know so we can better assist you in your quest.

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
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geekdom

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I am putting it back into another computer albeit another motherboard which opens up a whole bunch of other issues as far as windows goes. I think it went back to C: as I put it into the other computer and it launched windows and did a hardware detection update but now I have a black screen which is pretty common when you swap a motherboard but again, that’s a whole other story.

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I don’t know anything about Macrium Reflect, but I’ve done what you’re trying to do using Image For Windows with a more complex setup.

I did not clone.  I used drive images to do a hardware upgrade, restoring the images to the new hardware.  I suggest that you use imaging instead of cloning, but I have no experience with Macrium Reflect.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We were all once "Average Users". We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do to our systems, we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

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To fix that I suggest you get a bootable USB of the same Windows version as used on that disk.
Boot from the USB.
Perform a repair install of Windows – do not delete any data.

cheers, Paul

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Paul T wrote:

To fix that I suggest you get a bootable USB of the same Windows version as used on that disk.

Boot from the USB.

Perform a repair install of Windows – do not delete any data.

Not possible.  Booting from the USB will only allow a clean install.  A repair/re-install can only be performed after being booted into Windows in an account that is a member of the Administrators group.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We were all once "Average Users". We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do to our systems, we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

Computer Specs

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If you are using the Free version of Macrium Reflect you’ll need to purchase the paid version. This will give you the option to restore to different hardware using your Image file and Reflect will do most of the work of getting the correct drivers for the new motherboard and devices.

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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geekdom

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I’m reading a lot of information (and misinformation) regarding various backup packages and successful implementation, usage, and restoration.

Backup and restore is complicated. Could we find a direction and go with a complete explanation — and without the in-thread comparisons of Brand X to brand Y?

If the computer world were a perfect world we wouldn’t need backups. But the computer world isn’t perfect and we need to know accurately what to do when things go bad and we need to practice the steps.

Carpe Diem {with backup and coffee}
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geekdom wrote:

… we need to know accurately what to do when things go bad and we need to practice the steps.

Been there, done that, but not with the imaging software the OP is using.

geekdom wrote:

Could we find a direction and go with a complete explanation — and without the in-thread comparisons of Brand X to brand Y?

bbearren wrote:

I did not clone. I used drive images to do a hardware upgrade, restoring the images to the new hardware. I suggest that you use imaging instead of cloning, but I have no experience with Macrium Reflect.

Knowing that @RetiredGeek is in this thread and is also very familiar with Macrium Reflect, I was anticipating his further participation in the particulars RE Macrium Reflect, which he is.  I was not, and am not, trying to persuade the OP to change horses in the middle of the stream, as it were, just advising that what he is trying to do cannot be accomplished using a cloned drive, and counting on RG to continue with his excellent advice RE Macrium Reflect.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We were all once "Average Users". We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do to our systems, we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

Computer Specs

1 user thanked author for this post.

geekdom

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I have been using Macrium Reflect daily for 5 years, originally the free edition, but then upgraded to the Home edition.

But I have never used the “Clone” function in Reflect, although I have cloned several drives using the new drive vendor’s utility. I assume from the Macrium user manual that cloning is the same process that the vendor’s utility offers, although some options may differ, or be selectable. But regardless, it’s the same concept.

The key here is that if you are cloning a system boot drive (C:), then afterwards you must remove the source drive and swap the newly cloned drive into the internal position that the source drive occupied.The drive MUST be internal for Windows to boot!

Then it should boot right up, assuming you are using the same machine.

I imagine that the situation would differ if you are attempting to move the drive to a different system. In that scenario, I’m not sure even what a clone buys you. Why not just back up the drive to protect the data, and then move the original drive to the new machine?

Windows 10 Pro 22H2

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It would be useful if potential contributors to a thread would read through the entire thread beforehand.

JohnW wrote:

Then it should boot right up, assuming you are using the same machine.

tdalton wrote:

I am putting it back into another computer albeit another motherboard which opens up a whole bunch of other issues as far as windows goes.

JohnW wrote:

I imagine that the situation would differ if you are attempting to move the drive to a different system. In that scenario, I’m not sure even what a clone buys you.

Nothing.  The clone buys you nothing in a different machine.

JohnW wrote:

Why not just back up the drive to protect the data, and then move the original drive to the new machine?

That won’t work either (same as a clone), but a workable solution has already been suggested, and reiterated.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We were all once "Average Users". We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do to our systems, we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

Computer Specs

1 user thanked author for this post.

geekdom

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I read the thread. I was just attempting to summarize the cloning scenario by reiterating related comments in one post, and adding a few points of my own.

Windows 10 Pro 22H2

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Thank you for all of the replies. I wanted to let everyone know that taking an image of the entire drive from the host with the dead motherboard and restoring the image along with the partitions to another drive which I then connected to another computer with a different motherboard WORKED and not only did it work with the right drive letter, much to my disbelief, Windows reconciled the new motherboard hardware and the system is now running with no observed issues! This is a feat in my book because a Windows OEM license is NOT supposed to be able to work on another manufacturers motherboard although I’ve heard of people swapping like-for-like motherboards successfully. Thanks again.

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tdalton wrote:

This is a feat in my book because a Windows OEM license is NOT supposed to be able to work on another manufacturers motherboard

If your Windows 10 is an upgrade from Windows 7/8/8.1 then it has become Retail.

Open a Command Prompt and type

slmgr /dli

This will open a display of your Windows version and licensing information.

Retail can be relocated.

 

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We were all once "Average Users". We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do to our systems, we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

Computer Specs

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bbearren,

Right you are:

DellXPS8920 Purchased with Win 10 Pro – OEM

DellXPS8700 Purchased with Win 8 Pro – Free upgrade to 8.1 then 10 – Retail

Dell Inspiron 137000 Purchased with Win 8.1 Home – Updated to 10 then Pro (questionable license!) – Retail

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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RG, purchasing the Pro upgrade from the Microsoft Store will also make OEM Home change to the Retail channel.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We were all once "Average Users". We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do to our systems, we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

Computer Specs

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