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#21
System boot files are installed to the first partition which is marked Active.
It is always the Active flag which determines where the System boot files go, unless Win7 is being installed fresh to a target partition with no preceding Active partitions. In this case the installer will flag the install partition Active itself.
Have you decided if you want to keep Win7 on F, or clean reinstall it to the SSD with no other HD plugged in to interfere? What is the exact problem existing now then?
Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) will (re)create the "System" boot files to the first partition on the HDD / SSD that is detected by Windows as Disk 0 it does not matter if a partition is marked as active on Disk 1 or 2 or whatever, it will not work.
I just repaired Win7 on DISK3 making sure no preceding Active partitions existed and without unplugging any HD's. The System boot files remain on DISK3 Partition 1.
Hey guys. I figured I'd start over with all of this as I'm getting a bit confused, honestly. Below I've written what my process and goal are.
Here's what I'm doing at the moment:
I have disconnected all HDDs (750gb (old boot), 640gb, and 1.5tb (backup)). All of those drives are SATA II and formerly connected to the SATA 1, 2, and 3 ports.
Currently, my SSD is the only connected drive, and it’s plugged into the first SATA III port on the mobo. I just ran DISKPART on the device, running the following operations: clean all, partition primary, format/label, and active. (The drive is still formatting at the moment.)
Once DISKPART operations have completed, I intend to install a brand new copy of Windows 7 on the device. After that, I’ll boot into the SSD, leaving all other HDDs disconnected. I’m going to fully update W7 and then reinstall all the applications that I use and configure them. I’m also going to check in diskmgmt that the SSD is indeed Disk 0 / C: drive.
After all that…I’m going to reconnect my 750gb HDD, which is the one that included the only other bootable copy of W7 on the machine. There are just a few apps on there that I need to transfer over. (It’s easier to copy them over than to reinstall the entire thing.)
Next, I plan on rebooting and initializing/formatting the 750gb HDD, pending everything on the SSD primary is working as intended.
The 1.5tb HDD has an image of my 750gb drive, which I’m keeping solely as a backup in case none of these operations execute favorably. If everything is working correctly, I’m then going to install the 1.5tb HDD into the SATA II 1 port, format it, and create a backup/image of the SSD onto it.
I’m waiting on an RMA from WD to arrive for my second 640gb HDD. Once it arrives, I’m going to create a RAID 0 with both 640gb drives in the SATA II 2, 3 slots.
The 750gb drive, at this point, will then just be a backup drive in a box in storage.
Can I get some verification that this workflow will yield the results that I’m trying to achieve?
I can’t thank you all enough for your help – thank you! :)
You cannot move programs over, just their installer to reinstall.
Here are tips for getting a perfect reinstall - use the ones which apply to you: Reinstalling Windows 7
I personally would stay away from RAID, as it seems to more problems than it is worth.