PC shows 2 "system" partitions/drives to install Windows 7. Help

Dear all,

When installing the windows 7 yeasterday I came across an interesting thing, i'll try to be brief:

At a step where you choose the drive to install the Windows to, and format it when needed, I saw 2 "system", as they were called there, partitions/drives:

One is my SSD, which is where I would install win7,
The second one is just a regular HDD, which by no means could appear as "system" drive.

Well I thought Ok, nvm, let me install just like I wanted - on my SSD and forget about this thing. So i did after formatting the SSD.

Everything went totally fine with the system install, drivers etc., EXCEPT:

It doesn't boot from SSD, ALTHOUGH I did go to BIOS and changed the priority.
And even after that he kind a misses ssd.

I really can feel the difference in the speed of system loading.

And in Disk utility it shows 2 primary disks. One of them as said above is my HDD.

I didnt do anything to the HDD...

What is wrong?? I really would appreciate the help!!!

What is wrong is that you had 2 hard drives connected when you installed Windows.

Bad idea.

Windows put your boot files on the HDD, not on the SSD.

How do you solve it?

Disconnect the HDD and do it over.

There are other ways to correct the problem, but that's what I'd do unless I had already spent a lot of time configuring and installing applications.

ignatzatsonic said:

What is wrong is that you had 2 hard drives connected when you installed Windows.

Bad idea.

Windows put your boot files on the HDD, not on the SSD.

How do you solve it?

Disconnect the HDD and do it over.

There are other ways to correct the problem, but that's what I'd do unless I had already spent a lot of time configuring and installing applications.

Firstly thank you for a reply, since I was planning to get this problem solved today asap.

Secondly, thank you for convincing that's not a big deal

Thirdly, "noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo really? install all again?( all those drivers???"
Might startup repair 3 times-thing work?)

Pauly said:

a screen shot of your disk management window may be helpful, if windows was originally installed on your HDD then you probably have an partition marked as active there which shouldn't be

Ill get the screenshot asap i get home( im sorry to post my issue here unprepaired)

Yeah, go ahead and post that screen shot.

If it confirms my suspicions, you may be able to use "EasyBCD" to copy your boot files from wherever they are to C--which would make your SSD bootable.

Drivers?? Aren't you using the drivers supplied by the Windows 7 installation disc?

Or are you talking about having gone through Windows Update? I can understand why you wouldn't want to spend those hours again.

ignatzatsonic said:

Yeah, go ahead and post that screen shot.

If it confirms my suspicions, you may be able to use "EasyBCD" to copy your boot files from wherever they are to C--which would make your SSD bootable.

Drivers?? Aren't you using the drivers supplied by the Windows 7 installation disc?

Or are you talking about having gone through Windows Update? I can understand why you wouldn't want to spend those hours again.

Well, i was talking about specific drivers for my intel, nvidia, printer, office, windows update, small progs like skype, google chrome, java, finereader, other adobe stuff, - it's all fine, just requiring reboots, downloading, and again and again.

I prefer using original driver updates from websites - And indeed I have those separate updates, other things i need on a flash usb, some are portable, but the time to tweak + windows update = annoying)

Pauly said:

If you have already spent time setting up your system then a full reinstall is not mandatory

It is advisable to have your boot drive connected to the lowest numbered sata port on the motherboard as this is where the machine will start looking for drives also if your hdd was previously running windows it will have an active partition on it so the windows installer will have seen an active partition on port Sata_0 (or Sata_1) and installed boot files there.
You do have the option to use startup repair (or other methods) to move your boot files to your SSD
Option 1 - Unplug all drives except SSD then run startup repair upto three times to recreate boot files on SSD
Option 2 - Bootmgr - Move to C:\ with EasyBCD

Be aware that if you unplug your HDD your system will be unbootable until boot files are repaired/reinstated or the HDD is plugged back in

After you have sorted your boot files problems be sure to check if you have an active partition on your HDD and if necessary mark as inactive

Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image

Thank you indeed. I know what to do now with your help. Ill be home in apprx 6-7 hours and shall go thru these steps) have a nice day!)

To use Option One above you'd first Mark SSD Win7 Partition Active,
then unplug all other drives to run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times.

Option Two will mark Active for you, move the boot files without having to run the repairs. Just make sure you keep the SSD set first to boot in BIOS when you reconnect the hard drive and if necessary mark the HD Inactive so it is not bootable: Partition - Mark as Inactive - Windows 7 Forums

There may be other unknowns so please do post the screenshot of Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image