Move Windows 7 to another disk

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  1. Posts : 22,814
    W 7 64-bit Ultimate
       #21

    gregrocker said:
    This is why I suggested he recreate the SysReserved partitiion he copied if he wants to keep it on Disk1. Be sure to mark it Active before running the Repair, or if you want to delete it mark Win7 partition Active instead.
    Now that I look back I see you did.

    This could be used as an outline to add the SysResv to Disk 1 though Partition Wizard would have to be used to create and format the SysResv instead of using disk management as in Step Two since Windows won't boot.

    System Reserved : Create for Dual Boot


    mjf said:
    I'm referring to the disk signature (4 bytes) which lives on the physical MBR (first 512 bytes). This is what Windows 7 (and Vista?) uses to avoid disk collisions and is recorded also in the registry.
    A clean all (even partly run) is one of the few things to completely wipe the MBR and the old disk signature on disk 0.

    Unplugging the disk 0 would have avoided this but that's history. If disk 0 is looking suspect then you'll need to do it sooner or later.
    Running the clean command on Disk 0 rather than the clean all in diskpart will remove all the format configuration data and only takes seconds.

    DISKPART : At PC Startup

    Though in this case the best way forward would be to boot the Partition Wizard boot disk and first do a wipe to write zeroes to the Disk 0 SysResv partition then delete that partition to leave unallocated space on Disk 0.
    Then create, format and mark as active a new SysResv partition to the front of Disk 1 while still in Partition Wizard.

    Then replace the Partition Wizard disk in the CD/DVD drive with the Windows 7 disk and restart the PC to run the 3 separate startup repairs with the restarts to the new SysResv partition on Disk 1.

    Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times
    click to enlarge
    Move Windows 7 to another disk-clean.jpg
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 44
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
    Thread Starter
       #22

    Update
    I wiped disk 0:



    Then I deleted the System partition on disk 1 and then created a new 200MB primary partition.

    My disks then looked like this:

    Then I rebooted using my Windows 7 DVD to get to the Repair your computer option.

    but the operating system doesn't appear in the list.

    I don't want to click the Startup Repair option because whenever I do it takes ages for the operation to complete (unsuccessfully). It only seems to work if Windows appears in the list of operating systems.

    I select the Command Prompt and then perform the following commands using bootrec.


    All the previous steps were done with the Windows 7 partition set as active on disk 1.
    Unfortunately Windows still won't boot.

    I repeat all of the pervious steps, but this time I set the 200MB partition on disk 1 as active.
    Windows still won't boot.

    If there was a way to get Windows to appear in the list of operating systems I'd be much more optimistic of getting Startup Repair to work.

    Does this information help? I've tried to follow the advice in this thread but I'm having difficulty getting Startup Repair to work properly. Are there any ideas I can try now, or maybe there are some steps I didn't follow correctly?
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 44
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
    Thread Starter
       #23

    Bare Foot Kid, I'll have a look at your post tonight. Thanks.
      My Computer


  4. mjf
    Posts : 5,969
    Windows 7x64 Home Premium SP1
       #24

    Bare Foot Kid said:
    mjf said:
    I'm referring to the disk signature (4 bytes) which lives on the physical MBR (first 512 bytes). This is what Windows 7 (and Vista?) uses to avoid disk collisions and is recorded also in the registry.
    A clean all (even partly run) is one of the few things to completely wipe the MBR and the old disk signature on disk 0.

    Unplugging the disk 0 would have avoided this but that's history. If disk 0 is looking suspect then you'll need to do it sooner or later.
    Running the clean command on Disk 0 rather than the clean all in diskpart will remove all the format configuration data and only takes seconds.
    I said clean all.

    I'm not sure if "Wipe all" in Partition Wizard wipes the MBR.
    If the MBR is cleared then disk 0 should not be initializing which is what I was suggesting.

    Getting late , got to go. Hope you make progress.
    Last edited by mjf; 03 Mar 2011 at 06:42. Reason: add
      My Computer

  5.    #25

    The only way I've been able to get Win7 with Active SysReserved or OS partition to be force recognized in WinRE is using the bootrec.exe /fixboot and /fixmbr.

    Try also Rebuild MBR from PW CD
    Last edited by gregrocker; 03 Mar 2011 at 16:23.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 44
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
    Thread Starter
       #26

    Well, I decided to wipe disk 0 (already done) and disk 1 (in progress). Starting with a clean slate my make things clearer to me.

    Once that's finished I'm going to restore my backup image of Windows 7 to my disk 1. If it doesn't boot then I'll repeat the steps that have been described to me earlier: create a 200mb primary partition, mark Windows partition as active, perform System Restore x 3, etc.

    I'll keep the thread updated on any progress.

    I really hope wiping the disk 1 wasn't a big mistake!!
      My Computer


  7. mjf
    Posts : 5,969
    Windows 7x64 Home Premium SP1
       #27

    liverpaul said:
    I really hope wiping the disk 1 wasn't a big mistake!!
    I don't know that you had too many options left. If disk 0 is dying best to replace it at some stage. At worse you may have to go back to a clean install.

    If you haven't already done it, maybe make disk 1 (2nd disk) rather than disk 0 the primary boot disk in the BIOS boot list.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 22,814
    W 7 64-bit Ultimate
       #28

    I just started a simulation in VirtualBox and it just started installing, I'll be back after, whether it works or not.


    click to enlarge
    Move Windows 7 to another disk-disk1.jpg
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 44
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
    Thread Starter
       #29

    mjf said:
    liverpaul said:
    I really hope wiping the disk 1 wasn't a big mistake!!
    I don't know that you had too many options left. If disk 0 is dying best to replace it at some stage. At worse you may have to go back to a clean install.

    If you haven't already done it, maybe make disk 1 (2nd disk) rather than disk 0 the primary boot disk in the BIOS boot list.
    I'll look at the BIOS next. Even if I'm eventually forced to do a clean install, at least I've learned plenty from the advice given here.

    to you guys for sticking with it. I appreciate the help.

    I'll keep updating until the issue is resolved or I give up and do a clean install.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 22,814
    W 7 64-bit Ultimate
       #30

    OK no surprise here, I have another plan, I'll be back.

    Move Windows 7 to another disk-no.jpg
      My Computer


 
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