Windows 7 - Lost MBR

Have tried what happenes when you disconnect the new drive?

Does Windows boot then?

Unfortunately it does not

Hmm.

Could you tell me the sequence of events, from where Windows 7 was fine until it wasn't?

When you installed the new drive, was that the end for Windows 7, or did that happen later?

What I suspect is that in first instance, the boot sequence in the BIOS was set to boot the new drive, and maybe you changed it later.

Meanwhile the multitude of repair attempts have ruined your install.

Correct me if this is not the way it went.

Meanwhile you can try these commands.

bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /RebuildBcd

bootrec /fixboot returns "Element not found." bootrec /RebuildBcd scans, asks if I want to add C:\Windows to the boot list, and when I type Y it returns "Element not found."

The MBR went away at the same time I installed the second hdd. The BIOS boot sequence never changed. I don't see how my install could be ruined if all of my data is still present, I just can't figure out how to get the MBR set.

It sounds very much like a damaged boot sector. (lets hope not.)

The best thing to do is to install Windows 7 on the new disk.
When done, copy the user files from the damaged disk to the new.
(You will have to take ownership of the whole partitions of the old disk,
and also add your username to the security list with full permissions.)

And with a partition program delete all partitions, make a new one, and see if the old drive is usable.

Good luck.

I have to go to bed now.

I'll check in tomorrow.

Greetz

Well, I installed 7 on a spare HDD (didn't want to put any MBR voodoo on the new one, because it's just going to be my data drive... gotta love 2TB on sale!), copied the whole OS drive over to that, unplugged that one, installed 7 on the original OS drive, plugged in the new drive, and it boots! I do appreciate the speed with which 7 installs, considering I went from a perfectly happy 7 install, to nothing, to 2 more installs in separate hdds in less than 5 hours after UPS delivered my new hdd...

Awake again, short sleep.

Yes, install speed of Windows 7 is phenomenal.

So I understand you are a happy customer again?
Everything up and running?

Bootrec.exe /FixMbr

Bootrec.exe /FixBoot

Bootrec.exe /RebuildBcd

After done reboot.
If that doesnt work repeat the above but before reboot type -

Bootsect.exe /nt60 all /force