TeraByte Unlimited

Disaster has struck.
A long time user of BING but a novice on BOOTIT UEFI.
Have an Asus Vivobook S14 with a 2TB HDD (shows as HD0) and a 512GB SSD which had Windows 10 Pro 1803 installed and running (shows as HD1) and Bootit UEFI 1.20 installed.
I had done a number of backups and restores successfully in preparation for reinstalling W10 to 2004 version - until today.
I backup the full SSD, about 35GB for the various UEFI partitions and Recovery etc.
I have been using the Automatic option with no problems, but somehow (operator error or glitch), the restore recovered to my HDD, wiping out all my data files (I should be able to reconstruct it from various data backups etc). I subsequently restored from the same backup to the SSD using the Normal option, where I could more easily see the target drive that would be overwritten by the restore. Initially Windows started very slowly and runs slowly and shows the SSD offline, due to signature conflict according to Google - I have fixed that, again via Google.
It seems the Laptop is booting from HD0 (HDD) and not HD1 (SSD).
My one and only boot Bootit boot item was configured to boot from HD1 but after the restore it shows as booting from HD0 now.
I changed the Bootit boot item to boot from HD1 (SSD) but it makes no difference.
I notice that in Work with Partitions, selecting HD1, and BCD Edit > Windows 10 > Edit > Device the value shows as HD 0 Partition OS.
Looking through the various entries there are many references to HD0.
I am not sure whether to reinstall BootitUEFI and it will work out and create a Bootit Boot edit item for each drive and fix the problem or maybe clean and reformat HD0 (but then may not be able to boot at all).
At the moment, I have a basic running W10 but not sure if it is usable - luckily working from due to COVID so can get by with the work Laptop.
With the prep for W10 2004 mentioned above, I have a backup of it (using BootitBM 1.68 from a stick) with most of the apps I need and it is MBR so could try changing firmware to CSM legacy support again and restore that back up to HD1 (SSD). I was going to install BootitBM but had not done so yet. If the BootitBM restore is successful to HD1 (SSD) and all is OK, I could then reformat HD0 (HDD) and reconstruct my data.
Any help or suggestions welcomed.
Thanks in advance.
Greg.
PS - I'm in Sydney so timezones may work against us for replies and responses.

Greg,

Just a few questions.

Can you look in Partition Work and give us a list of the partitions on each drive? HD0 and HD1.

What is in your Boot Item? HD, Boot, Boot File, Rename Directory.

Thanks Brian.
HD0 (HDD 2TB):
GPT Partitions
SYSTEM 260 MiB EFI System
Microsoft Reserved Partition 16 MiB Microsoft Reserved
OS 120000 MiB NTFS/exFAT/HPFS/+
(freespace) 240000 MiB Free Space
KeyData-d1 127309 MiB NTFS/exFAT/HPFS/+
RECOVERY 800 MiB Windows RE
(Freespace) 1419343 MiB Free Space

HD1 (SSD 512GB):
GPT Partitions
SYSTEM 260 MiB EFI System
Microsoft Reserved Partition 16 MiB Microsoft Reserved
OS 120000 MiB NTFS/exFAT/HPFS/+
(freespace) 240000 MiB Free Space
KeyData-d1 127309 MiB NTFS/exFAT/HPFS/+
RECOVERY 800 MiB Windows RE

Boot Item:
HD=1
Boot=SYSTEM
Boot File=\EFI\Microsoft.001\Boot\bootmgfw.efi
Rename Directory=not ticked

Thanks Greg,

You can get bizarre issues if you have two EFI System partitions in the same computer. I'd disconnect the power and data plugs (or remove the drive) from your 2 TB HD. Then boot into BIU. In the Boot Item put a tick in Rename Directory and boot Win10. It might need a BCD Edit. If it's working properly, reconnect the plugs to the 2 TB HD and delete all partitions from that drive. Then fix the data issue.

Please let us know your progress.

Brian, thanks for the reply.
I'm not very technical and would not be confident of opening up my Laptop and touching anything inside.

The W10 that boots and is running is very slow and I am not sure it is usable, so I'm thinking of the following:

Plan A - set BIOS to CSM legacy support then restore the backup of W10 2004 MBR to HD1 (SSD) and hope it boots (I assume it won't attempt to boot to HD0 as it is GPT not MBR at this point). If not, install BIBM to its own partition at the end of HD1 and set up a boot item to boot from HD1. If all OK, then can continue and reconstitute my data on HD0 (HDD) after removing the existing partitions etc.

Plan B - Bite the bullet and blow away HD0, uninstall/reinstall Bootit UEFI and see if it will detect the situation and create an appropriate Boot item for HD1 (SSD) and if OK, do the data fix onto HD0.

Plan C - if all else fails, I may be able to could blow away the restored HD1 (take away the confusion of having 2 EFI systems) and change Boot item to HD0 and see if that is OK.

Plan D & beyond - anything the forum can suggest.

I think I can always go back to restoring to HD1 and look more into the BCD Edit for it (perhaps already having blown away HD0) or potentially restore to HD0 (with HD1 blown away), see if the performance is usable, then reconstruct the data to one of the drives.

Thought or suggestions ?

Greg.

Greg,

I suggest you delete the EFI system partition and the Win10 partition on the 2 TB HD. Then boot Win10 on the SSD.

Everything OK now?