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Question

Disk Cleanup + SSD = unbootable

Aug 31, 2017 6:13AM PDT

I used to use Disk Cleanup YEARS ago and it works no problem on a HDD Windows 7.
Now I just ran Disk Cleanup (with default settings - which is to clear temp folder, clear recovery/rescue files, update files, etc. etc).... on my SSD C:\Windows 7 - I do still have the old Windows 7 on the D:\ HDD (which was cloned to C:\ using the Samsung 840EVO SSD clone tool CD.

After reboot - Windows fails to start. It forever keeps on System Repair - reboot - System Repair - reboot - forever. It says lots of files are corrupted.
I tried to do a recovery - but it says my recovery files have been deleted. I tried installing Windows 7 ontop of my existing Windows installation (Upgrade option) but it won't let me - saying Windows was previously installed via Windows itself...

Someone please help!

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
PS: I can't clone my HDD again since it's been so so so long
Aug 31, 2017 7:22AM PDT

PS: I can't clone my HDD again since it's been so so so long. I just want to recover my SSD drive.

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Clarification Request
Microsoft Disk Cleanup
Aug 31, 2017 7:30AM PDT

Microsoft Disk Cleanup is what I used

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Clarification Request
some extra information
Aug 31, 2017 1:18PM PDT

PSS: actually, I think I deleted the Windows folder from the old HDD already - so no way booting up there.

Microsoft Disk Cleanup options:
Downloaded Program Files
Temporary Internet Files
Game Statistics Files
Recycle Bin
Service Pack Backup Files
System error memory dump files
Temporary files
Thumbnails
Per user queued Windows Error Reporting
System queued Windows Error Reporting

---- so how can this corrupted my Windows on SSD?

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Answer
I ran across this.
Aug 31, 2017 6:20AM PDT

Turns out the owner had opted out of a BIOS update that included among other things SSD support. They feared the BIOS update and paid for the later failure. We'll never know if that was it.

Anyhow, this is now a recovery job. You'll get your files safe and then start over.

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So this happened to you too? All I need to do is a BIOS upda
Aug 31, 2017 7:21AM PDT

So this happened to you too? All I need to do is a BIOS update? Dell XPS

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In the cases I worked, it was a recovery job.
Aug 31, 2017 8:06AM PDT

The SSD contents were trashes so we tried RECUVA to get the user files out. Most came back and then it was the old start over. Update the machine's BIOS, install the OS, drivers and Apps according to the maker instructions.

I think you want me to tell you the BIOS alone fixed it. So far, not yet. We think it had something to do with the SSD support or just another malware, trojan, ransomware or other issue.

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Answer
No boot
Aug 31, 2017 7:31AM PDT

If I understand correct.
Sometime in the past you cloned your w7 hdd to a ssd.
You have been running off the ssd.
You ran some util and it made a mess of your ssd.
Simple fix....spin in your backup.
What!....you don't have any backup?
Are you nuts?
Can you boot from the w7 hdd?
If so try to extract 'your stuff' from the ssd.

Never/never/never run one of these machines without a backup.....stuff happens.