Windows 7 installation set external HDD as Active (and other problems)

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  1.    #11

    You don't need Startup Repair if Win7 is booting correctly.

    Short of moving the data off to wipe the external and reformat, you may need to manually remove the bootsecting in addition to the Active flag and boot files you've already removed.

    I'm looking for the exact command now, to specify the external drive letter. Don't run the one in the TechRepublic thread as 52 is for XP while 60 is for Vista/7.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 11,408
    ME/XP/Vista/Win7
       #12

    gregrocker said:
    You don't need Startup Repair if Win7 is booting correctly.

    Short of moving the data off to wipe the external and reformat, you may need to manually remove the bootsecting in addition to the Active flag and boot files you've already removed.

    I'm looking for the exact command now, to specify the external drive letter. Don't run the one in the TechRepublic thread as 52 is for XP while 60 is for Vista/7.
    MBR - Restore Windows 7 Master Boot Record
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 15
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #13

    gregrocker said:
    You don't need Startup Repair if Win7 is booting correctly.

    Short of moving the data off to wipe the external and reformat, you may need to manually remove the bootsecting in addition to the Active flag and boot files you've already removed.

    I'm looking for the exact command now, to specify the external drive letter. Don't run the one in the TechRepublic thread as 52 is for XP while 60 is for Vista/7.
    gregrocker said:
    You don't need Startup Repair if Win7 is booting correctly.

    Short of moving the data off to wipe the external and reformat, you may need to manually remove the bootsecting in addition to the Active flag and boot files you've already removed.

    I'm looking for the exact command now, to specify the external drive letter. Don't run the one in the TechRepublic thread as 52 is for XP while 60 is for Vista/7.
    Thanks for everyone's replies.

    I used the DISKPART command to remove the Active flag, but as far as removing the bootsecting I'm not sure. Only hidden files I could find and remove were BOOTSECT.BAK, bootmgr and Boot folder.

    From the MBR-restore link you've sent me I see the bootsect.exe was supposed to be inside that Boot folder?

    Even so could it still think the ext HDD is tied to the OS and booting somehow?

    Why did W7 installation messed with the external HDD anyway? Is it because it read it as Drive C:\ during one of the reboots or something?

    Oh, and the MBR-fixing won't make my ext HDD have boot files again right? Just to make sure.
    I'll try it later when I get back home, thanks.
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  4. Posts : 11,408
    ME/XP/Vista/Win7
       #14

    1) EXT HD was plug in when Windows 7 or Vista was install at some time.

    2) HD come from a PC with Windows 7 or Vista install on that drive & not reformat.
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  5. Posts : 15
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #15

    theog said:
    1) EXT HD was plug in when Windows 7 or Vista was install at some time.

    2) HD come from a PC with Windows 7 or Vista install on that drive & not reformat.
    Yeah it's 1), but why? It didn't mess with my other internal HDD. Why did it treat the ext HDD as related to OS install?
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 6,668
    Windows 7 x64
       #16

    This is something people have actually be complaining about. The installation will generally dump the boot files on whatever disk it sees as disk 0 at the time of install.
    This is regardless of whether internal / eternal or even the drive you pointed to in order to install the OS.
    I have actually taken to unplugging everything but the target drive when doing installs.
      My Computer

  7.    #17

    Kusuri said:


    Even so could it still think the ext HDD is tied to the OS and booting somehow?
    Yes, even though files are removed bootsect code is written to the HD bootsector, requiring running Diskpart Clean command to wipe.

    Kusuri said:
    Why did W7 installation messed with the external HDD anyway? Is it because it read it as Drive C:\ during one of the reboots or something?
    It should not have messed with External HD as Windows does not install upon USB-connected Devices. Was it connected eSATA?

    Kusuri said:
    Oh, and the MBR-fixing won't make my ext HDD have boot files again right? Just to make sure.
    There is no reason to repair the MBR on the Win7 HD if Win7 is booting correctly.

    I've PM'd my teacher SIW2 for the exact bootsect command to remove bootsect code from your external. The best way remains to move the data off and wipe the external using Diskpart or free Partition Wizard bootable CD. Clean and Clean All with Diskpart Command
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 15
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #18

    gregrocker said:
    It should not have messed with External HD as Windows does not install upon USB-connected Devices. Was it connected eSATA?
    Exactly, connected through eSATA... It was indeed the problem, I had no idea it would happen.

    gregrocker said:
    I've PM'd my teacher SIW2 for the exact bootsect command to remove bootsect code from your external. The best way remains to move the data off and wipe the external using Diskpart or free Partition Wizard bootable CD. Clean and Clean All with Diskpart Command
    Thanks. I might actually consider doing a Clean All on all my 3 drives, even. Even if that takes 3 days... Just going to try and see if I can find some way to back up all the data that's in the external HDD...

    Thanks.
      My Computer

  9.    #19

    If you plan to reinstall, follow these steps to get a perfect reinstall: Reinstalling Windows 7

    However this shouldn't affect Win7 at all if it is now labeled System Active Boot in Disk Management as it is repaired and fully self-contained now.

    What are the exact symptoms of the problems which are continuiing with your external?
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 15
    Windows 7 Professional 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #20

    gregrocker said:
    If you plan to reinstall, follow these steps to get a perfect reinstall: Reinstalling Windows 7

    However this shouldn't affect Win7 at all if it is now labeled System Active Boot in Disk Management as it is repaired and fully self-contained now.

    What are the exact symptoms of the problems which are continuiing with your external?
    It'll disconnect itself, even if I'm copying files, with several JRAID event error starting to appear periodically (every 1 minute or so) in the System Event Log:

    The driver for device \Device\Scsi\JRAID detected a port timeout due to prolonged inactivity. All associated busses were reset in an effort to clear the condition.

    When each of those errors happen I'll get a 3 second freeze in which I can't move my mouse. Also if I tell my PC to reboot or shutdown via start menu it'll just stay there saying "Shutting down...". Reconnecting the HDD doesn't help either. I have to hard-reboot.
    Last edited by Kusuri; 27 Jun 2011 at 01:12.
      My Computer


 
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