Unable to Clone Boot SSD Due to Sector Size

[Deactivated] on 01/05/2021 - 21:00

Hi guys, quick question on two ozbargain finds.

My old M2 SSD (Crucial P1) has been my boot drive for about 2 years, and I've recently upgraded to a Auros Gen 4 M2 SSD (both 1TB). Anyway, I tried to use Macrium reflect to clone my boot drive, and I'm given an error message, because the Crucial has 512b sector size, and the Auros has a 4K sector size. Macrium won't allow you to clone one drive to another with a different sector size. I tried to instead image the drive onto a mechanical HDD and then use Macrium create a boot drive out of the image, but I ended up having the same problem.

Does anyone know how to circumvent this issue, short of a clean install of windows and all my software?

Computing

Comments

  • Mechz on 01/05/2021 - 21:17

    I've cloned a lot of drives at work with Macrium and never had this issue.

    Are you deleting the partitions before doing the clone?

    • Switchblade88 on 01/05/2021 - 21:26

      Same here, never had an issue with Macrium.

      I would assume that if Macrium is correctly cloning to an unpartitioned drive that the sector size is irrelevant, but if the OP is encountering this error as described then something clearly is amiss.

    • [Deactivated] on 01/05/2021 - 21:32

      No, this is a newly installed SSD. Not touching partitions at all.

      • Mechz on 01/05/2021 - 21:34

        Delete the existing partitions before you clone. Then let us know if it still doesn't work.

        • [Deactivated] on 01/05/2021 - 21:38

          The old SSD only has normal boot/EFI partitions, I've not added any. You're not suggesting I get rid of those?

          • Mechz on 01/05/2021 - 21:43

            @[Deactivated]: Delete all the partitions on the drive you are copying to. So the auros should be all grey before you click next.

            • [Deactivated] on 01/05/2021 - 21:47

              @Mechz: Ok, I think it is, but I'll give it a go in 13 mins (F1 practice is on :))

            • [Deactivated] on 01/05/2021 - 22:25

              @Mechz: OK, so I've reformatted the Auros, there are two partitions on it, a 128mb section called unformatted primary, and a 928.87gb NFTS primary partition. Do I need to delete the first one? Can I do that through Macrium?

              Edit I have noticed an issue though.

              The P1 has 3 partitions, a 529mb recovery partition, a 99mb EFI partition, and a 930.88 GB NFTS partition (817gb used)

              The Auros has a smaller primary partition of 928.87gb. Is this the issue? Can I fix it?

            • [Deactivated] on 01/05/2021 - 22:30

              @Mechz: Did this, still same error message

              • Mechz on 01/05/2021 - 22:46

                @[Deactivated]: Ok this is off the top of my head for instructions.

                Select your boot drive
                click 'clone this disk'
                select the Auros
                click 'delete partition' until there are no partitions left on your Auros disk
                click next until it starts cloning the disk, there's a checkbox to ensure you confirm you want to delete everything, tick it

                It should be done in a few minutes.

                • [Deactivated] on 01/05/2021 - 23:18

                  @Mechz: Yeah did it, sector size error messages. Wont let me get passed next.

  • stebie on 01/05/2021 - 21:53

    What model is the AORUS SSD? Drives may use 4K blocks physically (4Kn) but use 512B blocks logically (512e).

    What's the error that Macrium Reflect returns? Can you provide a screenshot?

    Instead of performing a straight drive clone, can you create a backup file to another drive first then attempt to restore said backup to the new SSD?

    • [Deactivated] on 01/05/2021 - 21:59

      This model: https://www.gigabyte.com/au/Solid-State-Drive/AORUS-Gen4-SSD…

      I believe the error says: Target disk has incompatible sector size

      I've tried performing a backup and restoring, same error.

      • stebie on 02/05/2021 - 14:04

        I couldn't find the sector size used on the AORUS product page.

        This Macrium KB article may assist further with your error, including confirming the sector size of your drive: http://kb.macrium.com/KnowledgebaseArticle50193.aspx

        Macrium appears to back up sectors known to contain file data, not simply the files themselves, hence this error.

        As others have stated, you may need to try another product that doesn't back up data at the sector level.

  • smashman42 on 01/05/2021 - 22:02

    Can you manually create the new partitions on the new drive and do partition to partition cloning instead?

    I've never used this Macrium stuff but that's what I do whenever I ran into problems with Clonezilla, whether it be Windows or Linux partitions partition to partition has been more reliable for me than disk to disk.

  • Transient on 01/05/2021 - 23:48
    +1

    Have you tried using Macrium to create an image of the old drive, then restore the image onto the new drive? Not sure if that was what you said you tried doing.

    • [Deactivated] on 02/05/2021 - 11:33

      Yep, doesn't work.

      • Transient on 02/05/2021 - 11:56

        When you tried cloning, did you have both SSDs in M2 slots on the motherboard or the Aorus in a USB enclosure?

        • [Deactivated] on 02/05/2021 - 11:56

          Both in M2 slots on motherboard.

          • Transient on 02/05/2021 - 13:11

            @[Deactivated]: Have you tried:
            1. Create a Macrium Rescue USB or CD
            2. Run Macrium, and create an Image off to the 3rd drive
            3. Swap new for old SSD.
            4. Boot from the Macrium Rescue thing you created.
            5. Tell it where the Image is, and what drive to apply it to.

            Some forums suggest EaseUS Todo may work.

  • pjetson on 02/05/2021 - 08:47
    +1

    Why not download Acronis from the crucial web site and see if it works for you?

  • the Unforgiven on 02/05/2021 - 11:16

    I use Minitool Partition Wizard to clone my SSD's when I had problems,
    I was using Acronis Disk Director for yonks
    Let the Wizard take care of all the settings
    Here is a link to the free version of the software, give it a try

    https://www.partitionwizard.com/free-partition-manager.html

    If the free doesn't do it for you, click on the 'go pro' link & you can download a 'trial' version of the pro
    I hope it fixes your problem

  • krunchymoses on 02/05/2021 - 11:38

    Yeah, give Acronis a shot. I use acronis bootable USB for clones and never had an issue going from one to another. Worth a go.

  • jv on 02/05/2021 - 14:08

    Have you tried to copy onto floppies first?

  • randomusername2017 on 02/05/2021 - 14:46

    Could be an alignment issue
    Create a 1Mb partition on the auros and leave the remainder blank and see if Macrium accepts that..

    Alternately Acronis, clonezilla and other programs perform the conversion to 4k on the fly

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