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29 Nov 2011 | #1 |
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Windows is not installed on the drive from which it boots!?
I have 2 HDD, Disk0 and Disk1.
Disk0 is supposed to have my personal data, Disk1 the OS. Disk0 has 3 partitions (H:/ I:/ J:/ ) and Disk1 has 3 partitions too (C:/ D:/ E:/ ). One month ago I installed Win7 but erased my Disk0 by mistake and probably (very unlikely though! see below) started installing on there when I realized something looked wrong, canceled, then formatted Disk1 and installed there, on the first partition (I blame the badly designed Windows installer, Linux does it better). Fortunately, I recovered my data from Disk0 (only partition tables must have got wiped out) after Win7 finished installing on Disk1 with a recovery tool. I'm about to format Disk0 now (at least the first partition) but I noticed something weird on my Disk0 (data) hard drive. I have system files, of which creation dates match the day I installed Win7 (and recovered my partitions too). ![]() Note: disregard found.000, that's a file chkdsk must have created back when I used WinXP or something. Note2: columns are "Date modified" and "Date Created", YY/MM/DD I'm new to Win7 but I'm guessing these system files I see here should be on my System drive, not another drive, right? Here is what I have on my C:/ where Win7 is installed: ![]() Am I missing some (hidden) system files there? Here is what I have in the Disk Manager: ![]() I am confused. H:/ is marked as "System", which shouldn't be. I am afraid that formatting H:/ might prevent me from booting anymore. In such a case, will I have to either: 1) format C:/ and re-install Win7 ? 2) use recovery console and repair from there ? The second solution would be fine by me since my Win7 installation DVD is on a USB drive (I installed from there). As a side note, I am super confused as why one drive (SATA) is Disk1 and the other (IDE) is Disk0. I had to fiddle in my BIOS to end up booting on the right one (which I suspect is Disk0!). If I ever had to remove my IDE HDD, would I end up not being able to boot Win7? Remark: I got suspicious of that when trying to encrypt my system drive with TrueCrypt and TC says it couldn't handle a system that "does not appear to be installed on the drive from which it boots". ---------------- SOLUTION -------------- * I disconnected my IDE cable. * Reboot then set my USB key as HDD to boot on * Started windows 7 installation process which immediately found the error and started fixing it, then ask for reboot. * Second reboot, then second repair which I had to select in the recovery environment menu this time. Error got fixed again. * Reconnected my IDE HDD. * Re-set my usual boot configuration in BIOS (first drive being my SATA holding C:/, second drive being my IDE holding H:/ ) * Works fine! Thank you! |
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29 Nov 2011 | #2 |
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Disk 0 always gets the bootmgr
It's been a source of many complaints. The only way around it is to make sure the disk you are putting windows on is in the disk 0 position or the only drive installed at the time of the format. |
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29 Nov 2011 | #3 |
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As your HD set up is about the same, have look at my post here:
Follow this base tutorial: Help me get windows 7 to boot (again) |
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29 Nov 2011 | #4 |
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Ouch. This is worse than I thought. Another poor design decision by the Microsoft engineers? >:(
Are they even aware of that problem? (I sure hope so) Thanks for the replies, I'll follow that tutorial and keep this updated. Will this be a problem if I keep the current boot loader on my second HDD though (my current Disk0)? (probably a stupid question, if I choose to boot on Disk1 in the BIOS, right?) |
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29 Nov 2011 | #5 |
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Quote:
Ouch. This is worse than I thought. Another poor design decision by the Microsoft engineers? >
![]() Are they even aware of that problem? (I sure hope so) |
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29 Nov 2011 | #6 |
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I was referring to this:
It's alright, I'll get over it. This is not like there is no way around this after all. Thanks again. :) |
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29 Nov 2011 | #7 |
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It is always best to install to Disk 0.
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29 Nov 2011 | #8 |
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I agree. Actually, if I were able to tell which was which or even change that at Win7 installation time, I would have. I am fairly sure that my "OS drive" was Disk0 under WinXP, then ended up being Disk1 eventually, but I could be wrong.
Is there any limitation that would justify having bootmgr ending up on Disk0 whatever you do? I don't understand why it doesn't write it to the drive I'm installing the OS to, or at least give the user a choice somewhere. |
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29 Nov 2011 | #9 |
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Boot files are install to the first HD drive.
Which is also the first HD Drive, pluged in the first SATA port on the MOBO. Showing in Windows as Disk0. |
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29 Nov 2011 | #10 |
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My current Disk0 is actually an IDE HDD (my MOBO is an ASUSP5E and there is some sort of mini-IDE driver starting after POST which detect my IDE drive accordingly). Disk1 is my only SATA HDD.
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