Win 7, WD blue 500 GB HD, can no longer boot

Hi, I am new in this forum and anything but an expert, more a user with some knowledge about specific things that came up during trouble shooting.


I run a desktop on Win 7, with 2 HD in a mirror configuration. Recently, one HD stopped working. I have replaced the broken HD with a new WD Caviar “Blue” 500 GB, reestablished the RAID; everything seemed to be ok. Until about 3 weeks ago, the replaced HD stopped working. I have replaced the failed HD, but it would not integrate into the system. The running HD started having problems on startup; however, I could get the PC working. From my local service center there was no real help to fix the issue. Finally, the PC would not startup anymore. So, all the desktop options are no longer available.


I have tried booting from the Win 7 System Repair Disk; all these attempts did not get me anywhere. I have gone many times through the System Recovery Options without success.


I have also tried booting from the Win 7 OEM systems disk. This did not solve the problem; however, the System Recovery Options showed that Windows sits now on D: \.


During these attempts I got 2 error messages:


· RecEnv.exe – Corrupt file (The file or directory E:\$Mft is corrupt and unreadable. Please run the Chkdsk utility). I did run Chkdsk as recommended; however, this did not solve the problem. During the rerun of the System Recovery Options another error message was displayed:


· RegSvr32 (The module “fverecover.dll” may not [be] compatible with the version of Windows you are running. Check if the module is compatible with an x86 (32 bit) or x64 (64 bit) version of regsvr32.exe.

Due to the nature of the problem, I could check the compatibility of the “fverecover.dll”.
I have done DISKPART > list volume. The check came up with:
· Volume 0, C, System Rese, NFTS, Partition 100 MB, Healthy
· Volume 1, D, NFTS Partition 37 GB Healthy
· Volume 2 E Removable 0B No Media
· Volume 3 F Removable 0B No Media



I have read about the option from upgrading Win 7 from the OEM Systems disk; however, this option is not for me, as I cannot access the desktop environment.


I have made a completely new installation of Win 7 on a Seagate HD, just to verify that Motherboard and other peripherals are working properly, which they do.


The not bootable HD is spinning and after starting up, the sounds are completely normal. Most likely, the HD is ok.


I would like to run Win 7 from the currently not functioning WD HD to retrieve some data that are only on that HD. All other data are on a separate backup disk.


Any suggestion how to successfully tackle the problem?

Edit your profile with ALL your hardware specs.

What kind of RAID array you had (0 or 1). Is the new disk exactly same model type and size of the other?
Was the RAID array the boot able disks?

As you don't have now a RAID array, is it booting from the proper disk? Check on BIOS.

Expand Disk Management columns and post a image.
Follow the guidelines here to post an untruncated screenshot with all the information clearly visible. - Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image
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The configuration was RAID 1 (mirror). The new replacement disk for that RAID 1 was exactly the same model and size as the previous one. Both HDs are the same model and size. The RAID array was the boot able disk.


For collecting the required information, only WD 500 GB is connected. This is the HD that worked for some time alone in the broken RAID. The BIOS identifies this disk. The BIOS is set First Boot Device = Hard Disk. This HD is also set in BIOS Hard Disk Boot Priority as the primary boot media for Channel 1 Master.


After the PC would not start, I have had the remaining WD 500 GB HD (RAID 1) removed. Win 7 was then newly installed on a new Seagate HD. With the Seagate installation, Win 7 works fine. So the cable and the motherboard would not seem to be a primary cause for the problems with the WD 500 GB HDs. The RAID 1 configuration no longer exists in the BIOS.


I have opened both Western Digital 500 GB HDs to check for damage. For both HDs this is what I could see: the arm with the heads is parked in the resting position; the arm could be easily moved out of its resting position and back. The upper disk is completely clean (no marks, stains, scratches).


Both WD 500 GB do not produce noise when running.


In the attached file are photos made from a DOS environment and hardware. If you need more information, please let me know.

Edit your profile with ALL your hardware specs.

Please post your images as attachments - Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums

Backup all your data from the WD.
As you have Win 7 on the Seagate drive, use it to test the two WD with Data LifeGuard Diagnostics - Software and Firmware Downloads | WD Support

Normally on RAID BIOS settings you can clone one disk to the other to set a RAID 1 array.

I will update the HW specs in my profile and upload images as attachments after this.

I have copies from files on the WD HD in a separate location; however, what I really need from the WD HD is accessing my Outlook installation for accessing my E-Mails. The communication with the provider runs only through a computer-based system with no answers to my problem.

I have run the WD Data LifeGuard Diagnostics. No errors were detected, the WD HD got a PASS. The relevant results from the diagnostics are included in this reply.

How would I do the cloning? Would I have to disconnect the Disk 0 currently identified in the Disk Management with System Reserved, drive C, and drive D. Would I use the WD 500 GB currently identified in the Disk Management as Disk 1 for cloning?

The data on Disk 0 are of no importance at all; however, keeping the Outlook installation on Disk 1 is of great importance.

I will update the HW specs in my profile and upload images as attachments after this.

I have copies from files on the WD HD in a separate location; however, what I really need from the WD HD is accessing my Outlook installation for accessing my E-Mails. The communication with the provider runs only through a computer-based system with no answers to my problem.

I have run the WD Data LifeGuard Diagnostics. No errors were detected, the WD HD got a PASS. The relevant results from the diagnostics are included in this reply.

How would I do the cloning? Would I have to disconnect the Disk 0 currently identified in the Disk Management with System Reserved, drive C, and drive D. Would I use the WD 500 GB currently identified in the Disk Management as Disk 1 for cloning?

The data on Disk 0 are of no importance at all; however, keeping the Outlook installation on Disk 1 is of great importance.

As promised, here come the images as separate files.

the images showing LED's represent the situation, when the PC is starting up. At the end of this process, the lights are turned off, indicating no errors detected.

1 more image to come.

The image "DISKPART - Systems Disk - list disk and volume" is the final image for my post on 25.01.17. Please let me know when you need more information.

As I can see, your disk is healthy. Don't try to fix it.
Ask Jumanji for help. He is the disk guru. https://www.sevenforums.com/members/jumanji.html

Hi Megahertz07,

I would like to thank you for your support up to this point. Even though my problem did not go away, I have learnt a great deal, and probably you also have asked the right questions and made the right proposals. One of your proposals was using the working Seagate HD as boot media and also connecting the WD 500 GB disk to do the WD Diagnostics test. The disk management showed the WD 500 GB as online, but unallocated. Right-clicking on hat disk gives the option for creating a New Simple Volume (see attached file).

If creating a New Simple Volume leaves all data on the disk untouched, then Windows should be able to again read the disk, and if the Seagate HD is disconnected, then eventually the PC should eventually boot again from the WD 500 GB HD. If my assumptions were correct, my problem would be solved.

What do you think about this approach?