New
#1
Windows 7 Ultimate x64 will not boot without DVD
Error: Operating System Not Found
This is a clean installation to a TB hard drive, partitioned into 200GB for C:, 300GB for D: and everything else is E:.
C: is the first partition, and is set as System, Active, Boot, Page File, Crash Dump and Primary Partition.
The others are set to Primary Partitions, only.
I have tried the following methods for getting the system to boot without the DVD (presented in the order I remember them, not necessarily the order I tried them):
1. System Restore's Repair Startup function
Result: Does not detect any problems.
2. System Restore's Command Prompt - used from a System Repair Disk*.
bootsect /nt60 /ALL /force /mbr
- This seems to repair all partitions, and made no difference.
bootrec /rebuildbcd
- This did not find any active Windows installations.
bcdedit /export C:\BCD_backup
ren C:\boot\bcd bcd.old
bootrec /rebuildbcd
- This fixed the earlier issue with no active Windows installations, but the Operating System Not Found error remains.
3. Reinstallation of operating system, after format of system partition (C Drive)
- Problem persists.
4. MSCONFIG
Checked boot options, current OS is the default OS, and the only OS.
5. BIOS Boot sequence check
Hard drive is set to boot after DVD drive, and would boot normally if there was no bootable media in the DVD drive.
6. Moving the bootmanager files from Windows 7 disk
BOOTmgr.efi
bootmgr
- No change, error persists.
*I have been using the System Repair Disk, built with Windows 7's own option to do so, located at Control Panel\System and Security\Backup and Restore. I have seen many suggestions for using the Windows 7 Install Disk's own recovery options, but I've not been able to locate them, and the commands and system recovery options all seem to be present on the System Repair Disk.
Help, please? I'm at a loss. Windows 7 boots and functions normally when it boots with the DVD in the drive.
Last edited by jfromthewest; 18 Nov 2010 at 14:44. Reason: Smiley where it shouldn't have been