Hard Drive with MBR Failed; how do I get main installation working?

[MasterofTofu]

My former hard drive with my MBR on it failed. This hard drive was/is 750GB and when I purchased my 'main' 2TB hard drive I made another fresh install of Windows. In other words, I had two installations of Windows on two separate hard drives. However, the MBR is located on the now-failed 750GB hard drive, and so my 2TB install of Windows won't work. I have tried (and failed) at repairing or otherwise installing a new MBR on the 2TB hard drive. I am at a loss at what to do. Perhaps I am missing something big or am making a small oversight, I really don't know. Help appreciated!

 

[theog]

If there was no MBR on the 2tb HDD drive, Windows would not install.

For old 750gb HDD drive
Check the hard drive with the manufacturer's diagnostic tools.
Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp.
Hard Drive Diagnostic Procedure

 

[Kaktussoft]

1. detach faulty disk from system
2. Perform a startup repair

 

[gregrocker]

Startup Repair will not work to write the System boot files to the remaining Win7 partition unless you mark it Active first:

First Mark Partition Active, then run Startup Repair - Run up to 3 Separate Times until Win7 starts and holds the System Active flags showing the boot files are onboard.

 

[MasterofTofu]

Thank you so much for all your help. I tried everything you guys told me, and when it came down to it gregrocker's method got my system up and running again. Marking the partition as active was the main hurdle I was having problems with. Thanks!!

 

[AddRAM]

He`s the man

 

[Kaktussoft]

Thank you so much for all your help. I tried everything you guys told me, and when it came down to it gregrocker's method got my system up and running again. Marking the partition as active was the main hurdle I was having problems with. Thanks!!

Normally if no partition is marked ACTIVE, startup repair marks the partition with file bootmgr on it as ACTIVE. Don't know what happens when 2 partitions have that file or no partitions have that file.

 

[gregrocker]

From what I've seen if the Active flag is not on the partition, Startup Repair will not work until you mark the intended boot partition Active showing it where you want the boot files repaired or written.

 

[Kaktussoft]

I tested it myself a few weeks ago (see #7)

partition 1: primary with OS. Deleted bootmgr (actually renamed it). Renamed \boot\bcd
partition 2: empty primary ntfs partition. Only file bootmgr on it.

No partition active. Rebooted from win7 system repair disk (it didn't find win7 instance). Then ran startup repair. It did make partition 2 ACTIVE and places bcd file on it.

 

[gregrocker]

Interesting.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Interesting.

Try it yourself. Safest thing to do:

• Mark the current ACTIVE partition INACTIVE
• Do a startup repair

 

[gregrocker]

It's rarely an issue where no partition is marked Active. In fact it isn't until toward the end of Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start that a step is given to check the Active flag is on SysReserved (preferred) or C before running 3 Repairs, then move it to the other to try 3 repairs again - all a last resort.

In rare cases if something is blocking repair of Active partition this can be circumvented by writing the System boot files to another partition - even a freshly constructed SysReserved partition - using Startup Repair x3 - all last resorts.