F5F Stay Refreshed Hardware Notebooks The laptop isn't starting after you took out and reinstalled the SSD.

The laptop isn't starting after you took out and reinstalled the SSD.

The laptop isn't starting after you took out and reinstalled the SSD.

M
MrBogdanr5000
Member
Find
148
02-15-2026, 06:22 PM
#1
Hello Everyone, I hope you're all well. I own an HP laptop 15 with the following specifications: Intel Core i3 13th generation, 8 GB RAM, and a 256 GB NVMe SSD.

Some time ago, I removed the SSD from my laptop (which had Windows 11 installed) and transferred it along with two other hard drives from another desktop to my primary machine for data backup. However, when I reinstalled it on my laptop, it stopped booting completely. I attempted various solutions to fix Windows using CMD from a bootable USB, including:

- bcdboot C:\Windows /s S: /f UEFI
- sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=C:\Windows
- chkdsk C: /f /r

I followed these steps carefully, using ChatGPT for guidance, to avoid further damage and lose my data. Despite these efforts, the boot process still failed, and I received no success messages from CMD. I’m not planning a fresh Windows installation; I want to keep working from where I left off.

Additional details that could assist in diagnosing the issue:

- The SSD has two partitions: one for Windows and another for my data.
- I previously transferred the SSD to another desktop without any problems.
- I used an NVMe to PCIE adapter during the transfer.
- Another potential step was using Minitool partition wizard to convert a hard drive from Dynamic Disks to basic, though I didn’t touch the SSD at that time.
- Here’s the error message I encountered on the blue screen (Imgur isn’t working for me):

"Recovery
Your PC/Device needs to be repaired
The operating system couldn't be loaded because a critical system driver is missing or contains errors.
File: \Windows\System32\Drivers\Ntfs.sys
Error code: 0xc0000102
You'll need to use recovery tools. If you don't have any installation media (like a disc or USB device), contact your PC administrator or PC/Device manufacturer.
Press Enter to try again
Press F1 to enter Recovery Environment
Press F8 for Startup Settings
Press Esc for UEFI Firmware Settings"

I’m seeking advice on whether it’s possible to replace the corrupted Windows files using another computer, since I can access the C: drive of the SSD through a different machine. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Reply
Reply
M
MrBogdanr5000
02-15-2026, 06:22 PM #1

Hello Everyone, I hope you're all well. I own an HP laptop 15 with the following specifications: Intel Core i3 13th generation, 8 GB RAM, and a 256 GB NVMe SSD.

Some time ago, I removed the SSD from my laptop (which had Windows 11 installed) and transferred it along with two other hard drives from another desktop to my primary machine for data backup. However, when I reinstalled it on my laptop, it stopped booting completely. I attempted various solutions to fix Windows using CMD from a bootable USB, including:

- bcdboot C:\Windows /s S: /f UEFI
- sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=C:\Windows
- chkdsk C: /f /r

I followed these steps carefully, using ChatGPT for guidance, to avoid further damage and lose my data. Despite these efforts, the boot process still failed, and I received no success messages from CMD. I’m not planning a fresh Windows installation; I want to keep working from where I left off.

Additional details that could assist in diagnosing the issue:

- The SSD has two partitions: one for Windows and another for my data.
- I previously transferred the SSD to another desktop without any problems.
- I used an NVMe to PCIE adapter during the transfer.
- Another potential step was using Minitool partition wizard to convert a hard drive from Dynamic Disks to basic, though I didn’t touch the SSD at that time.
- Here’s the error message I encountered on the blue screen (Imgur isn’t working for me):

"Recovery
Your PC/Device needs to be repaired
The operating system couldn't be loaded because a critical system driver is missing or contains errors.
File: \Windows\System32\Drivers\Ntfs.sys
Error code: 0xc0000102
You'll need to use recovery tools. If you don't have any installation media (like a disc or USB device), contact your PC administrator or PC/Device manufacturer.
Press Enter to try again
Press F1 to enter Recovery Environment
Press F8 for Startup Settings
Press Esc for UEFI Firmware Settings"

I’m seeking advice on whether it’s possible to replace the corrupted Windows files using another computer, since I can access the C: drive of the SSD through a different machine. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Reply
Reply
V
Viitin7
Member
Find
214
02-15-2026, 06:22 PM
#2
You can link the SSD to another PC and execute the DISM commands from an elevated CMD prompt. Run the following steps:
dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth
dism /online /cleanup-image /checkhealth
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
This process may fix any SSD corruption, though you might need to reinstall missing drivers. Here’s the command to use with your Windows Installation USB connected to your PC:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /source:WIM:X:\Sources\Install.wim:1
It should repair broken Windows files. I hope this assists. Please share your outcomes if you try it. This method has proven effective on my systems. Cheers.
Reply
Reply
V
Viitin7
02-15-2026, 06:22 PM #2

You can link the SSD to another PC and execute the DISM commands from an elevated CMD prompt. Run the following steps:
dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth
dism /online /cleanup-image /checkhealth
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
This process may fix any SSD corruption, though you might need to reinstall missing drivers. Here’s the command to use with your Windows Installation USB connected to your PC:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /source:WIM:X:\Sources\Install.wim:1
It should repair broken Windows files. I hope this assists. Please share your outcomes if you try it. This method has proven effective on my systems. Cheers.

Reply
Reply