Move Windows 7 to another disk

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  1. Posts : 44
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
       #1

    Move Windows 7 to another disk


    Hi,

    First of all, here's a few things to know:

    - My laptop has 2 hard drives

    - I have a genuine DVD of Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit

    - The drive that I originally installed Windows on is starting to fail (1st drive), so I want to move the OS to the other drive (2nd drive).

    - I have a cloned backup of Windows and all my programs and settings, etc. I did this using Paragon Backup & Recovery (free edition).

    - From my backup image, I have recovered the OS to the other drive (2nd drive). Then I got boot up problems (wouldn't boot) so I used the Windows 7 DVD to System Repair. This allowed me to boot up, but it seems to have created a System reserved partition on the 1st drive (I want everything on the 2nd drive), and everything else seems to be on the other drive (1st drive).

    - I copied the System reserved partition on the 1st drive to the 2nd drive (I think I uses Easus Partition Master, free edition). However, when I delete the System reserved partition from the 1st drive I once again can't boot up and have to do the System Repair again.

    - I've tried several different tools to try changing active partitions, etc, but I'm just not knowledgeable enough to know what I'm doing.

    So, here I am looking for help

    Any ideas what I can try? I'm a total newbie at this stuff, so any help would be appreciated. I've included a screen capture of my Computer Management window.

    Thanks

      My Computer


  2. Posts : 22,814
    W 7 64-bit Ultimate
       #2

    Hello liverpaul, welcome to Seven Forums!


    You have to power down the PC and disconnect the Disk 0 and connect the Disk 1 to the #1 SATA port on the motherboard and set that as the second boot device after the CD/DVD drive and boot the Windows 7 disk to first mark the Windows 7 partition as Active then run the 3 separate startup repairs with restarts discussed in this tutorial at this link below to make the Windows 7 partition the "System" partition.

    Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times


    Be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.
      My Computer

  3.    #3

    Unplug Disk0. or Wipe or mark System Reserved Inactive using free Partition Wizard bootable CD.

    Now rightclick your System partition on Disk1, delete it and create a New Primary partition of 200mb, mark it Active.

    Next boot the Win7 Repair CD or DVD Repair console to run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times (not including the first offered repair), to write the System boot files to the System partition and the Repair console to your F8 Advanced Boot Tools menu.

    If this fails to start Win7, from DIsk tab on booted PW CD, select Rebuild MBR.

    If that fails, delete the System partiiton and mark Win7 partiiton itself Active, then run Startup Repair x3.

    Report back and we will look at other options, including copying out your files using the Load Drivers mini-explorer on Install or Repair disks, and clean reinstalling.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 44
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Bare Foot Kid said:
    Hello liverpaul, welcome to Seven Forums!


    You have to power down the PC and disconnect the Disk 0 and connect the Disk 1 to the #1 SATA port on the motherboard and set that as the second boot device after the CD/DVD drive and boot the Windows 7 disk to first mark the Windows 7 partition as Active then run the 3 startup repairs discussed in this tutorial at this link below.

    Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times


    Be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.
    Thanks for the reply. I was hoping there would be a software related way to do it, I didn't realise I'd have to open up my laptop (scary). If that's the only way to do it then I'll have a look at how easy/difficult it is to access the hard drives.

    If I decide that opening up my laptop is too difficult/risky, will I be able to do a clean install of Windows onto the 2nd drive will no problems?
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 44
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
    Thread Starter
       #5

    gregrocker said:
    Unplug Disk0. or Wipe or mark System Reserved Inactive using free Partition Wizard bootable CD.

    Now rightclick your System partition on Disk1, delete it and create a New Primary partition of 200mb, mark it Active.

    Next boot the Win7 Repair CD or DVD Repair console to run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times (not including the first offered repair), to write the System boot files to the System partition and the Repair console to your F8 Advanced Boot Tools menu.

    If this fails to start Win7, from DIsk tab on booted PW CD, select Rebuild MBR.

    If that fails, delete the System partiiton and mark Win7 partiiton itself Active, then run Startup Repair x3.

    Report back and we will look at other options, including copying out your files using the Load Drivers mini-explorer on Install or Repair disks, and clean reinstalling.
    I'm going to try this method
    Wipe or mark System Reserved Inactive using free Partition Wizard bootable CD
    I'll report back when I try it, probably is a day or two.
    Thanks
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 22,814
    W 7 64-bit Ultimate
       #6

    Don't open the lappy, use Option Three in this tutorial to wipe secure erase the Disk 0 and mark Windows 7 active and do the startup repairs.

    Partition Wizard : Use the Bootable CD
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 44
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Bare Foot Kid said:
    Don't open the lappy, use Option Three in this tutorial to wipesecure erase the Disk 0 and mark Windows 7 active and do the startup repairs.

    Partition Wizard : Use the Bootable CD
    Thanks, I'll report back here with an update.
      My Computer

  8.    #8

    If you want a System Reserved partition for the Repair Console it places on F8 boot menu, you need to reconstruct it per the steps given earlier, mark it Active and run Startup Repair x3.

    If you don't want the SysReserved partition then delete it, mark Win7 partition active and run the repairs.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 44
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Update:
    I tried the above methods but each time I do Startup Repair, it runs for over an hour before I eventually get the following error message.

    Right now, I can no longer get Windows running so I'm posting from my phone!

    Any ideas that I can try now? I'd love to be able to get my original backup working again, but I am aware that I may have to do a clean install and lose all my programs and settings. All my data is backed up, so at least that's safe.
      My Computer


  10. mjf
    Posts : 5,969
    Windows 7x64 Home Premium SP1
       #10

    Try the Bootrec commands directly as per the MS guidance.
    How to use the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to troubleshoot and repair startup issues in Windows
    This has solved your problem for others. Don't forget the BCD rebuild.

    Does this problem occur with disk 0 connected or disconnected?
    Last edited by mjf; 02 Mar 2011 at 14:15. Reason: Edit
      My Computer


 
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