I may have found myself a workaround.
Pulled an old SSD with 20GB on it and hotplugged it in. Installed windows to it so I could get to the desktop, then did an "Upgrade Installation" to my 2TB HDD. Currently still completing installation, but hopefully this works. It said it was moving all files to Windows.old, so hopefully I still have everything. If not, luckily I just backed up my files on an external last week.
Ok, so I did get this figured out. Using the method I said before, I am back in the process of becoming up and running.
My main goal was to save all of my old data, because 1.2 TB of stuff is a lot to lose, and I know there are a few things that are highly important that are not on my external yet.
Basically, a 32GB SSD was sufficient to install windows onto, then a booted from it to access my HDD. Since I was "locked out" of it though, I had to do a "Windows Upgrade" on the HDD. This created the Windows.old file with all of my files that I really need. Now I'm just copying all of my files to my external, then I'll format both the HDD and SSD and reinstall windows onto the HDD. Oh happy days.
Thanks for all of the assistance!
No probs mate and just for the record why I do not like to use more than 500GB drives personally as 1TB is an awful lot of data to go in one hit.
If you are interested in dumping the old files try this Windows.old Folder - Delete
I would be using that, but I am just copying over all the data I need from it, and then formatting the HDD/SSD and reinstalling windows once again. Right now I have to choose between 3 different Windows 7 installs on boot, so I'm just going to clear it all.
I have been planning to get another large HDD for the storage of files, and the 2TB would be purely for programs/etc. The SSD is used as a cache since it is only a 32GB (29.7GB usable), and doesn't really support anything besides an OS itself.
I have bookmarked the solutions you guys provided in here onto this laptop, since I feel I may need to do all of this again in the future. It seems that every 1.5-2 years I have this issue. Haha
Interesting trick, how did you get it to perform an upgrade on an os you weren't booted into?I had to do a "Windows Upgrade" on the HDD
I installed windows onto the SSD, which was blank, then was able to boot into the OS. If only I had said that before.
Pulled an old SSD with 20GB on it and hotplugged it in. Installed windows to it so I could get to the desktop, then did an "Upgrade Installation" to my 2TB HDD.
It's not possible to do an Upgrade installation to another OS other than the one you're booted into.
Sorry it wasn' t mentioned but we have a tutorial which compiles everything possible that can be done for Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start
It is possible, considering I did it.
I was booted into Windows 7 Home Premium (64) on an SSD, and "upgraded" my Windows 7 Home Premium (64) on my HDD to... Windows 7 Home Premium (64). So I don't know why you are saying it can't be done, when I did it. I wasn't booted into the one I upgraded, but I succeeded. Now my SSD is a Speedboost drive, and my HDD is redone and running perfectly.
Please close this thread mods, I don't need anymore updates on how to solve a problem that I solved in a way I'm being told can't be done.
Ok Tru if the problem is solved then mark as solved mate - at the top of the page.
Please do not take it personally because however you did it worked it was just very unusual.
I am not expert mate and not as cluey as the other fellows so I cannot comment on how it is done.
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