no boot option screen

gregrocker · 26 Jan 2010

I've never heard of the booted DVD connecting to MS to complete any kind of repairs in the Repair console.

Are you sure you are booting the Win7 DVD, choosing Repair My computer on second screen, then clicking through to Recovery Tools list to choose Startup Repair at least three separate times with reboots? https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html?ltr=S

If Partition Wizard shows Win7 is marked active when it wasn't before it may mean Startup Repair was on path to fixing the MBR but you didn't go back for enough repeat fixes so that it could finish the job.

graveller39 · 26 Jan 2010

gregrocker said:

I've never heard of the booted DVD connecting to MS to complete any kind of repairs in the Repair console.

All I know is it's done this to me twice now -- I suppose I should say, the repair console gave me the option to connect.

gregrocker said:

Are you sure you are booting the Win7 DVD, choosing Repair My computer on second screen, then clicking through to Recovery Tools list to choose Startup Repair at least three separate times with reboots? https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html?ltr=S

yes, that's exactly what I did.

gregrocker said:

If Partition Wizard shows Win7 is marked active when it wasn't before it may mean Startup Repair was on path to fixing the MBR but you didn't go back for enough repeat fixes so that it could finish the job.

No, it was the XP partition I had set to Inactive (before the Startup Repair) and now it's Active again.
The Win7 partition I previously set to Active, as you suggested, and it's still Active.
At this point, I don't know where the MBR is, as I'm unable to boot into Win7.

Saltgrass · 26 Jan 2010

Anytime changes are made, perhaps you could just go ahead an post another Disk Management picture. That is the only way I can see what is going on. You have made so many changes, gregrocker might be able to follow, but the original picture is completely out of date.

Also, indicate which drive you show first priority in the bios and please put OS labels on the partitions. You might also use the view options to show hidden and system files. Then look at the partitions to see where bootmgr and ntldr files are located (probably 2 or even 3 different partitions).

The Maxtor partition does not have a drive letter, just like the Win 7 system reserved partition doesn't. If you look at if from XP, it will.

Could the connection mentioned be the install trying to access the net to activate?

Please remember, if you disconnect a drive and then reboot, you have possibly changed the drive order.

gregrocker · 26 Jan 2010

There has to be something else wrong, so agree we need to see the full Disk Mgmt or Partition Wizard drive map screenshot.

https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...en-forums.html

graveller39 · 26 Jan 2010

Here's the latest screenshot from PartitionWizard.
The Maxtor drive is disconnected as it appears it was likely part of the original problem.

The HDD with Windows 7 is selected as first boot in the BIOS.

I could not find any ntldr files, but I found these:

I found this file in C:\boot -

;
;Warning: Boot.ini is used on Windows XP and earlier operating systems.
;Warning: Use BCDEDIT.exe to modify Windows Vista boot options.
;
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN /FASTDETECT /USEPMTIMER

I found bootmgr here –
E:\Windows\Boot\PCAT\bootmgr

I'm not sure what else to look for.

Saltgrass said:

Could the connection mentioned be the install trying to access the net to activate?

I don't think so, the Repair console specifically said it was connecting to microsoft to automatically fix.

gregrocker · 26 Jan 2010

Download and install EasyBCD 2.0 beta to XP, after doing the quick registration to use the beta.

You'll also need to install Net Framework 2.0 to use EasyBCD in XP.

On the Add/Remove tab, add Win7 by Name, type and correct drive letter. Then highlight new Win7 listing above and Save.

graveller39 · 26 Jan 2010

thanks gregrocker,
I ran EasyBCD and this what it shows -- do I still need to add Windows 7?
It looks like its already there...

Saltgrass · 26 Jan 2010

graveller39 do not worry about this post, these are observations for gregrocker only.

If the E: partition is active and primary drive, why is there no boot error? I could understand the C: partition being the system partition if there were no active partitions prior to it, but if the Win 7 drive is the primary drive, it should have hit that and caused an error if no boot system was encountered.

I don't think he was checking hidden system files since he did not see bootmgr or ntldr in the root directories.

Just an observation, no response expected.

graveller39 · 26 Jan 2010

you're right Saltgrass - I didn't have the "hide protected operating system files" box unchecked.
I do have ntldr and bootmgr in the C:\ drive.
sorry about that...

gregrocker · 26 Jan 2010

is boot.ini in C: root also?

Try removing Win7 in Easy Add/Remove tab, then Add it again.

See if you can boot into Win7 then.

We may need SIW2 to look at this.