System reserved on secondary HDD

[CharlesDesign]

Hi there,

Right, I've installed windows 7 on my ssd C: and E: my hdd, is my secondary hard drive.
I'm a little confused as to what has happen to E: and why it is a system reserved, which won't be formatted.
It might also be worth mentioning that E: wasn't visible at first.

I did later find out that it is common practice to wire the secondary hard drive once windows is installed.
Unfortunatly I've just finished setting up the computer with all my software's which turned out to be a long process which I would like to avoid doing again.

Can anyone please help me clear this up?

Many Thanks

Charles

 

[theog]

Mark the Windows 7 HD Drive ACTIVE
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/71432-partition-mark-active.html?ltr=P
Than
Physically disconnect your Disk 0 & Disk 2 HD.
Make the Windows 7 HD, disk0 & first HD boot in BIOS. Also connected to the first Sata port on the MOBO.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html?ltr=S
Note: You may need to do startup repair 3 to 4 times.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105541-startup-repair-run-3-separate-times.html

When Windows is booting OK, Reconnect the other two HD, as Disk1 & Disk2, Mark the two HD Drive INACTIVE.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/197157-partition-mark-inactive.html

 

[CharlesDesign]

Great, thanks for the quick answer.

Could you please just clear up what you mean by this: Make the Windows 7 HD, disk0 & first HD boot in BIOS.

 

[theog]

Your OS drive should disk0 in DM, your SSD C: is disk1.

 

[bigmck]

Your OS drive should disk0 in DM, your SSD C: is disk1.

I agree that is the way it should be, I don't think the DM always gives a true indication of things. I have switched my cables every way possible and my C: drive still shows as Disk 1.

 

[CharlesDesign]

Your OS drive should disk0 in DM, your SSD C: is disk1.

I agree that is the way it should be, I don't think the DM always gives a true indication of things. I have switched my cables every way possible and my C: drive still shows as Disk 1.

I believe you're right, my ssd was plugged into Slot 1 but showed up in 0 on the bios.

Went through the instructions but when launching the windows repair through the original CD it says the the disk in not compatible with the version installed even though it was the one used to install Win.

Also worth pointing out that my computer can't find the boot file when the hdd is unplugged even though everything was installed on the SSD, which seems very strange...

 

[theog]

Are you sure, use a x32 disk for x32 install, x64 disk for x64 install.

 

[CharlesDesign]

Indeed the same 64bit CD used to install Win.

 

[CharlesDesign]

Looks like I'm going to have to go through a format once again, just without my hdd this time.

 

[theog]

You can make the Start up Repair CD
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html
which will made the bit version that is installed only.

 

[CharlesDesign]

Thanks, I'll give it a go.