Can't boot into Windows7 after deleted primary partition.

[dimpel]

Hi, I'm using Windows7, dual boot with Linux Ubuntu 10.04, Recently, I installed another OS (Linux Mint). Before installing this Mint, I deleted primary partition (sda1) and created entended partition from the earlier primary partition sda1. Since that, I cannot boot into my Windows7 anymore (received error message something like "no bootable device insert boot disk and press any key"), but I've no problem in booting into both Linux Ubuntu and Mint.

I've tried a few things, but seems like the luck is not with me. Below are the things that I've tried:

1. Boot Recovery Disc Windows7 and done the Repair Startup many times (more than 5 times), still no luck.

2. Boot Recovery Disc Windows7 and chose Command Prompt to use:
Bootrec /scanos - The Windows is listed.
Bootrec /fixboot - No element found,
Bootrec /fixmbr - Completed succesfully.

3. Boot Recovery Disc Windows7 and chose Command Prompt to use Diskpart, everything seems okay for the list disk, select disk, list partiton, select partion, except the "active" command. I've been prompted with something like "Virtual Disk Service Error: the specified partition type is not valid for this operation".

I've installed back grub for me to log in into Linux Ubuntu/Mint. From Linux Gparted, I can see this windows partition is flagged as boot. Currently, I've unplugged the other 320 GB hard disk and only use one 320 GB hard disk for all the OS above. I've read a few threads with similar issues, but I think it's time for me to open a new thread for my problem. Please help, I want to log in into my Windows7. Thank you in advance.

 

[wee]

I think a screen shot of the disk manger will be helpful.

 

[windowsapple]

Yes, we need a screen shot. And you said you deleted the primary partition? Isn't your Windows 7 Installation on that or something? Please clarify.

 

[pcs3657]

Deleting the primary partition was not a great thing to do,

the boot table and files are always saved on the primary partition.

In this case the only solution is to back up your data and then do a clean install of both the os's

 

[dimpel]

Yeah, it's my mistake that I deleted the primary partition. I wish there is any other way/method to boot into that Windows7 again, without formatting.

The Windows installation is another extended partition, and the deleted primary partition was holding some other data. I decided to delete the primary partition before I installed Linux Mint, didn't know this problem will happen.

I'm at workplace now, and that computer is at home. I'll attach the Disk Management's screenshot later in the evening.

 

[wee]

not important

 

[dimpel]

Here is the screenshot for the Disk Management, captured by using Gparted from Linux Mint 9.

Windows7 installation is in sda7. The earlier deleted primary partition is now divided into sda9 and the unallocated partition next to sda9.

I wish there is any other way/method to boot into that Windows7 again, without formatting. Please help. Thanks.

 

[wee]

From just a quick look, it may be salvageable, I can't guarantee this but besides possibly missing some boot stuff that may be able to be reinstalled the extended partition is a problem I believe. A more experienced windows user will be needed here to take a look. I guess since you can't get into windows a screen shot from the disc manager isn't possible for them if needed. I use gparted all the time so I recognize the setup. I will be busy tomorrow writing a paper for a class, pacific LA time but I will look in on the progress. If you have to do a reinstall I think it will only be W7 the Linux stuff since it boots seems to be using the same grub. A custom install of W7 is easy if you have a install dvd.

 

[dimpel]

Thanks for the comment Wee. I also hope this is only about boot stuff issues that might possible to solve.

I'm still looking for others to comment, please help. Thanks.

 

[SIW2]

You need to have a primary partition to boot windows.

Boot PW , http://www.partitionwizard.com/partition-wizard-bootable-cd.html rt click the win 7 volume, select Modify>set as primary.

Apply. Rt click it again , Modify>set as active. Apply.

Boot the 7 install dvd and run startup repair ( it will probably take 3 runs ).

It will rewrite the disk code , so you would have to reinstall the linux bootmgr .

EDIT - hold that thought - looks like PW doesn't handle ext4.

 

[gregrocker]

All bets are off with GRUB on the HD, but the procedure to repair or rewrite the MBR into the WIn7 partition is to first mark it active, then run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots until Win7 starts.

 

[SIW2]

Except PW doesn't handle ext4 - just realized.

Unless Wee has a better idea:

Use Gparted to make an ntfs primary partition - it doesn't need to be big 200mb will do. Mark it Active ( rt click and Flag On )

Boot 7 dvd go to command prompt, type diskpart, lis vol, select the new primary with sel vol, ass ( to assign next available drive letter). Exi ( to leave diskpart).

bcdboot <7volumeletter>:\windows /s <newprimaryletter>:

bootsect /nt60 <newprimaryletter>: /mbr

That should get you booting back into 7.

Wee will advise what to do about booting linux afterwards.

 

[wee]

Except PW doesn't handle ext4 - just realized.

Unless Wee has a better idea:

Use Gparted to make an ntfs primary partition - it doesn't need to be big 200mb will do. Mark it Active ( rt click and Flag On )

Boot 7 dvd go to command prompt, type diskpart, lis vol, select the new primary with sel vol, ass ( to assign next available drive letter). Exi ( to leave diskpart).

bcdboot <7volumeletter>:\windows /s <newprimaryletter>:

bootsect /nt60 <newprimaryletter>: /mbr

That should get you booting back into 7.

Wee will advise what to do about booting linux afterwards.

I will be interested to see if the partition wizard can change that extended to a primary, I think you guys are certainly on the right track I'm just not familiar with that partitioner.

I'm going to assume that the grub in there now is grub 2 so here is a link to get it back in the mbr with a live cd.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Reinstalling%20GRUB%202
The commands here are pretty straight forward to reload grub2 and to mount the Linux partition it probably doesn't matter which Linux mint or lucid, just run the

sudo update-grub

command after getting back into the mounted installed OS after this reload. You want to boot to that mounted partition after reloading grub

The indicator in gparted for the extended is the light blue outline around the whole set, when you look at a gparted shot, and see partitions inside of a partition that is a extended partition generally, if you look closely you will see that that blue outline goes around the whole set and between the partitions.

 

[SIW2]

In case that wasn't clear, I don't think PW is a good idea in this case.

The lack of ext 4 support could cause all kinds of issues.

Paragon paid versions will do the job of course.

An alternative is to use the method posted here:

Use Gparted to make an ntfs primary partition - it doesn't need to be big 200mb will do. Mark it Active ( rt click and Flag On )

Boot 7 dvd go to command prompt, type diskpart, lis vol, select the new primary with sel vol, ass ( to assign next available drive letter). Exi ( to leave diskpart).

bcdboot <7volumeletter>:\windows /s <newprimaryletter>:

bootsect /nt60 <newprimaryletter>: /mbr

That should get you booting back into 7.

Wee will advise what to do about booting linux afterwards.

 

[dimpel]

Use Gparted to make an ntfs primary partition - it doesn't need to be big 200mb will do. Mark it Active ( rt click and Flag On )

Boot 7 dvd go to command prompt, type diskpart, lis vol, select the new primary with sel vol, ass ( to assign next available drive letter). Exi ( to leave diskpart).

bcdboot <7volumeletter>:\windows /s <newprimaryletter>:

bootsect /nt60 <newprimaryletter>: /mbr

Hooray !!

Thanks a lot SIW2, your steps above solved my problem.

Using Gparted I can't create primary partition from the unallocated partition inside extended partition. I can only created another primary partition by shrunk my sda4 partition (last partition in Gparted) and use the 'just unallocated partition' as the primary partition for the 200 MB partition required. That's all the difficult part, the rest of the steps are as same as mentioned by SIW2. Yeah at last, I managed to boot into windows7.

I also reinstalled Grub, using Linux Mint Live-CD. Everything seems okay just that I can't see Windows bootloader upon start although I can see it is listed when I've done the 'sudo update-grub'. I edited file 'grub.cfg' manually, changed the (hd0,1) to (hd0,7) in Windows7 menuentry (my Windows installation is in sda7). I then run again 'sudo update-grub' and restart, this time Windows bootloader really listed in Linux Mint's grub. Hooray !!

Thanks also to everybody who helped.

 

[SIW2]

You're welcome - glad it's all working for you.