Installed Win 7 Ult x64 on mSata SSD, EFI System Part on other drive?

I will try to make a long story short.

Got my computer 1 month ago, and it had Windows 8 pre-installed on the 750gb HDD. I had heard it might have an mSata port on the motherboard, so I ordered a 256gb Crucial mSata SSD. Well, turns out my computer did not have the mSata port. Instead, I purchased an mSata -> Sata 2.5" HD caddy. I moved my 750gb HDD into an optical -> sata caddy, and put my 256gb SSD into the old HDD spot.

I loaded up Windows 7 Ultimate x64 on the SSD, wiped the partions on the 750gb HDD (but not the 500MB EFI System Partition or the 40mb OEM Partition), and all was well. I had an awesome SSD for my os / programs, and a solid storage drive.

Well my storage drive starting getting a random click...and it bothered me so Dell just sent me a replacement. I loaded up the replacement tonight and on reboot my computer couldn't find a bootable device.

I honestly thought Windows 7 installed on the SSD would have created a boot record.

I tried loading my Windows 7 DVD at boot to repair, and it gave me some incompatibility error.

I created a 500mb partition on my SSD, but haven't done anything yet. I thought about copying the EFI System partition over, but I also don't want to screw anything up.

Can anyone give me some advice. I have spent 3 weeks setting up all the programs, my preferences, etc.. I really don't want to reinstall Windows. I have done nightly backups using Acronis True Image.

The 750GB drive I believe is a GPT though it is formatted for NTFS.

I am at a loss.

I guess one possible option is to make an exact clone of the current D drive, using an SATA - USB adaptor with the new drive attached, or something.

Though I will "always" be locked to that drive being important for Windows to start.

Ok I was able to access the System recovery options per this Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times

I tried setting the C drive as my active partition, but I got the "this isn't a fixed MBR partition" error, because I guess its GPT. And if I convert it, it will likely wipe everything won't it?

When I attempt to run the solutions here: CREATE MBR

I first ran them just fine when my 750GB hdd was still in the laptop. Files copied, the boot..commands worked, even the windows 7 installation was found.

Once I removed the drive from the equation and was going off of my SSD alone...it can't find Windows 7, the bcdboot c:\windows fails, etc...

bah

When I try bcdboot c:\windows (without my 750gb drive in) it tells me "failure when attempting to copy boot files"

VistaKing said:

Unplug the 750GB drive and run the startup repair

Tutorial link below

Startup Repair

   Note

Turn off PC before doing working inside the PC

Yea I have run it multiple times, each time saying there are no issues, yet when I reboot the computer I am immediately told there is no boot device.

What is interesting...is if I startup the Recovery DVD under UEFI dvd mode, then it finds a Windows 7 Ultimate N (recovered) on (unknown) local disk.

So when I run startup repair on that...it just ends up telling me all things good.

No.

In fact, I am now at a point where I tried some of those bootrec options suggested in other threads, and now I am offered a Windows 7 and Windows 8 boot option at startup..and selecting Windows 7 causes me to see the Windows boot logo forever, it never goes forward.

So I have basically screwed myself up now..and I am at a loss as to the next steps.