beta feature not working properly?

[SomeGuy1]

Install windows 8.1 from CD works perfectly, cloning the existing doesn't work. Did you use the same computer, same USB external disk and same partition scheme?

Short answer:

Yes.


Long answer:


Attempts of the day;

(I repeated the processes)

Ran diskpart

clean
convert gpt
delete partition override (remove the reserved partition created by default)
create partition primary size=650
format quick fs=ntfs label="WINRE"
create partition efi size=260
format quick fs=fat32
create partition msr size=128
create partition primary size=64000
format quick fs=ntfs label="Windows"
create partition primary
format quick fs=NTFS label="Recovery"

(Note; I am not really planning on using the "recovery" partition, but included it merely for consistency)

So, my USB has the same number of partitions in the same order, the WINRE, System, and MSReserved partition are of identical size, with Windows and "Recovery" partitions that are obviously smaller


Ran WinToUSB

Selected the Internal Installed system as the source (Win8.1 "with bing" 6.3.9600 build 9600)
Selected the 260 FAT32 EFT drive for the EFI system partition
Selected the 62G NTFS partition for the boot partition
The system rebooted and ran
"System clone completed successfully"


I interrupted the boot process to make sure it was booting from the USB hard drive first in UEFI

I got a blue screen with the message "inaccessible_Boot_Device"

Tried again, got a little window that said boot device failed

I got a blue screen with the message "inaccessible_Boot_Device"

Just for fun, selected the USB drive as the boot device, without UEFI

Got a simple line of text "No bootable device"


No luck.



Rebooted from the internal hard drive.


Attempted to run WinToUSB again, using the CD as the source, but received an error message
"Already has a version of Windows installed or the same name file has been existed!"
"Please format the destination partition and retry. (0x000000/F2200AC0000)"

Exited WinToUSB


Ran diskpart

(I did not do anything to alter the partitions)

Select partition 2 (This is the 260M EFI partition)
format quick fs=fat32
Select partition 4 (This is the 62G partition)
format quick fs=ntfs label="Windows"

Exited Diskpart


Ran WinToUSB

Selected the CD as the source
Selected the 260 FAT32 EFT drive for the EFI system partition
Selected the 62G NTFS partition for the boot partition

WinToUSB ran, finished.


Rebooted.

I got the logo and wait/spinning thing, the system rebooted by itself, then went into the installation procedure asking for time zones, product key, etc.

Success!

(Well almost, the reason I want to clone the existing installation is that my product key will not work with the ISO that I have, and an ISO of the OEM version that matches my product key is not available...)


"Congratulations, you have successfully installed Windows. Share WinToUSB with your friends."



So, the CD worked, cloning did not.


*****************************************************


Yet another experiment:


(I tried using the ISO as the source also, but

*this attempt WAS using a different external drive and a different computer*)

(I have used this external drive successfully using the CD as the source on the Win8.1 machine, with both the internal HDD and the USB drive formatted as GPT, same as the attempt outlined above)


USB Drive #2

Ran Diskpart (on Win8.1 machine)
clean
create partition primary size=48000
format quick fs=ntfs
active
create partition primary
format quick fs=fat32


Ran WinToUSB (on win7 machine, internal drive formatted as MBR)

Selected Win8.1 ISO as source

Selected external USB MBR partition as destination for both system and boot

WinToUSB ran, finished.

I disconnected the drive from the Win7 machine and attached it to the Win 8.1 machine.

Turned it on. There was no UEFI boot option available. (USB disk is formatted as MBR)


I got the logo and wait/spinning thing, the system restarted by itself, but booted from the internal drive. I shut it down and restarted, manually selecting the USB drive. It then went into the installation procedure asking for time zones, product key, etc.

Success!

(Well, with the caveat above)


"Congratulations, you have successfully installed Windows. Share WinToUSB with your friends."



So, the ISO worked.

(* Created on a different computer and a different USB drive, but run on the same computer. *)


*********************************************

So, I believe at this point I have used many/most combinations of "host" computers, external USB drives, GPT vs. MBR format, using the ISO or the CD as the source.

The common problem seems to be "cloning" from the existing installed Win8.1.


Thank you very much for the replies and attention.

If there is anything else I can try for a test for you please let me know.