Problem after importing boot drive from another machine
Problem after importing boot drive from another machine
This problem began as a repeated crash to desktop error across different games. I discovered and resolved the original issue (related to bad GPU), and now I’m sharing the details of all the troubleshooting actions I took on the day this started.
The current set of related problems includes:
- Discord always needs to be logged in when opened
- Chrome displays “your preferences cannot be read” upon closing and reopening
- Can’t right-click taskbar icons (no context menu appears)
- Word documents are read-only, with no editing permissions (I’m the sole admin user)
- Possibly other issues remain undiscovered
These symptoms likely contributed to the problem, even though I addressed all steps aimed at fixing the crash. Here’s a mostly chronological list of what I tried:
- Executed sfc /scannow and rebooted
- Ran mdsched + reboot
- Performed chkdsk c: /f and rebooted
- Disabled XMP in BIOS and rebooted
- Conducted a clean boot, re-enabled disabled items, and rebooted
- Unplugged storage drives, reinstalled Windows on a new drive, enabled Launch CSM, tried to copy game saves
- Encountered “do not have access” error after loading bar appeared
- Restarted after clearing the loading bar
- Plugged in old boot drive and booted fresh Windows install
- Attempted to copy saved files but still faced access issues
- Restarted again after troubleshooting steps
Other actions included:
- Running the Search and Indexing Troubleshooter, C:\Windows\system32\ctfmon.exe restart, and PowerShell commands
- Disabling development mode in AppX packages
- Using a friend’s GPU with identical drivers (no CTD issue)
- Taking breaks to watch YouTube and get stuck on “Your Preferences cannot be loaded”
- Considering reinstalling affected programs
Anyone have insights on what might have triggered this? What steps should I try next?
When sharing a troubleshooting thread, it's important to provide your complete system specifications. List them as follows:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
Include the age of the PSU along with its make and model. BIOS version for your motherboard at this time.
I don't see how my hardware relates to a Windows permissions problem, but sure.
CPU: 14900KF
CPU cooler: Custom Watercooling
Motherboard: Strix Z790-H
Ram: 128GB Trident Z5
SSD/HDD: 2tb WD Black, 4tb Samsung 990 | Temporary Fresh OS drive: 512gb Patriot P300
GPU: 4090 / 3090 (old / temporary)
PSU: MSI Ai1000P (~1 year)
Chassis: Thermaltake P90
OS: Windows 10
Monitor: I'm not going to list all 7, sorry.
In short, you're suggesting unplugging old drives, using just one for the OS install, and then doing a fresh Windows setup.
That's what you meant?
I was hoping you'd reply to my question. But oh well. I'm here for assistance, not an online argument.
To address your request, I did respond as instructed. The first time I mentioned it in my original post, I said so clearly:
I understand my initial message is packed with details, but it must capture everything that might have led to the issue without being overly long.
Also, I corrected myself—actually enabled Launch CSM since no boot drives were found. I started with a fresh Windows, installed Steam Chrome and Discord, then connected the old drive to retrieve game saves after a proper restart. (I updated the original post accordingly)
Do you have any suggestions on what might have caused the problem? How can it be resolved? Or are there additional steps you'd recommend trying?
Someone suggested I attempt takeown and icacls /reset on my user folder to verify file permissions. After restarting, the system had completely broken my user profile, making it impossible to log in. Fortunately, I managed to access a temporary admin account, review security settings on the files, and discovered that no user actually had read permissions. By checking icacls /? I found a method to re-add my own SID with full access. The process took about ten hours across multiple icacls executions. Now I’m back to where I was before—Discord, Chrome, and Windows acting oddly—as described earlier. I also learned that Steam lacks permission to install new games, and Halo: MCC’s Anticheat doesn’t have the right access either. Other games I’ve tried, including other ACs, still work fine.
Note: I’ve received several suggestions like “oh just nuke everything reinstall windows. simple!” from other sites, but I’d rather avoid that if possible. It would take weeks to restore everything properly.