Windows 7: Dual Boot Question/Unable To Find System Disk

I currently have two separate hard drives in my home PC. My C: drive has Windows Vista on it and my X: drive has Windows 7 on it. The system is dual booted and if I choose either operating system, it boots fine to whichever OS I choose.



My issue is this: If I disconnect one of the drives (either one), I get an error after BIOS that it cannot find the system disk. I know which drive is C: vs. X: while looking inside my case.

My goal is to remove the drive with Vista on it to use in another PC (given drive prices are through the roof today). I just want to keep my drive with Windows 7 on it (currently labeled in the system as drive X).

Is there a way around this without having to format my drive (X) with Windows 7 on it AFTER I remove the C: drive with Vista on it?

Sorry if this all sounds confusing. Thanks in advance for the help.

Welcome to Windows Seven Forums.

A screenshot of your disk management layout would be a big help.

In the meantime I would have thought that carrying out a startup repair would sort out your boot problems.

Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times

In my humble opinion you probably have the boot files on the Vista drive so that when you disconnect it the computer is looking for your C drive - it can't find Windows 7 because you have it on the X drive.

When you've removed the Vista drive and got Windows 7 booting correctly, you need to change its drive letter to C.

Thanks for the reply. Is it possible to change the drive letter without going into Windows or can I change it after booting in to Windows?

You cannot change an OS drive letter as it will ruin it in every case.

If Windows 7 is not C when booted it is because the installer was incorrectly run from Vista which blocked out the availability of the letter so that Windows 7 couldn't assume C whenever booted, as it does when it's installer is correctly booted.

If you need to remove Vista then we need to see the requested screenshot to advise you the exact steps as there are unknowns that need to be seen first. Use the Snipping Tool in Start menu, maximize Disk Mgmt, capture a rectangular snip of the drive map with listings, post back using Paper Clilp in reply box. Screen Shots

Here you go:

You can Reinstall Windows 7 if it matters to you that it is not on C drive.

To remove Vista, mark Windows 7 partition Active: Partition - Mark as Active

Then power down, unplug Vista HD, swap its data cable to Windows 7 HD or enter BIOS setup to set Windows 7 HD first HD to boot, after DVD drive.

Next boot into Windows 7 DVD Repair console or System Repair Disk to run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times until Windows 7 starts on its own.

You can then plug back in the old Vista HD, if you need to boot it use the one-time BIOS Boot Menu key. When ready to delete it use Diskpart Clean Command then repartition in Disk Management. Partition or Volume - Create New

Help me get windows 7 to boot (again)


Mark all other HD Drive INACTIVE.
Partition - Mark as Inactive