2TB 3 partition bootable MBR to 3 partition bootable GPT 4TB drive

[Megahertz07]

Ok. Need more info

Open a CMD window as administrator and type:

diskpart
list disk (it will list all drives. Identify the 4T drive number (should be 1)
select disk n (replace n by the 4T drive number obtained with list disk)
list part
Exit

 

[videobruce]

Exactly what info are you looking for?
Is the above process going to change anything to the drive, or is it just to provide certain info? I'm not booting to that drive when I'm using any basic programs (i.e. Browser), I use the Main SSD drive partition.

 

[Megahertz07]

Doesn't change anything. It just to provide certain info

 

[videobruce]

There are 2 4TB drives one lists 0 free space, the other shows 3072kb free space

Disk 1 is now the selected disk.
DISKPART> list part
Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 Primary 30 GB 1024 KB
Partition 2 System 101 MB 30 GB
Partition 3 Primary 525 GB 30 GB
Partition 4 Primary 3169 GB 556 GB


Disk 2 is now the selected disk.
DISKPART> list part
Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 Primary 2504 GB 17 KB
Partition 2 Primary 1221 GB 2504 GB

 

[Megahertz07]

The commands your friend should look
Booting from disk 0 (SSD)
On a CMD window as administrator type:

diskpart
select disk 1
select part 2
del part override
create part EFI
format fs=FAT32 quick
assign letter=s
exit
bcdboot D:\Windows /s S:
exit

 

[videobruce]

I will pass that along, I haven't heard from him in a couple of days, so I'll see what he says.
To expand my knowledge what are or what do these terms do;
override
"=s"
"/s S:"

 

[SIW2]

override is to delete a special partition
delete partition | Microsoft Learn


assign letter=s
assign | Microsoft Learn


tells it to assign letter s to the partition. Without letter=s it would just assign the next available letter

/s S:

BCDBoot Command-Line Options | Microsoft Learn

is to specify the destination for the bcdboot command. Without the /s switch it would use the current system partition as the destination.



windows 11 bcdboot has additional switches

 

[videobruce]

Way over and past my pay grade (I know my limitations).
Out of curiosity, if I were to assign 'S' to a drive, would it 'take' or get rejected right off the bat.

 

[videobruce]

diskpart
select disk 1
select part 2
del part override
create part EFI
format fs=FAT32 quick
assign letter=s
exit
bcdboot D:\Windows /s S:
exit

Ok, we ran the commands and it fixed Win Boot Mgr box popping up. The Main SSD drive boots into W7 ok again, no pressing Esc.

BUT,

The new 4TB EFI drive wont boot. If I choose it at Boot time, the MB still goes to the SSD. WE thought it might be a MB issue inspite of the boards "Duo Boot" across (the top of the screen in the Bios).

Then,
I removed every drive but the new EFI TB and that drive doesn't boot at all. The script fixed the one problem but this one took it's place.

 

[Megahertz07]

Ok, we ran the commands and it fixed Win Boot Mgr box popping up. The Main SSD drive boots into W7 ok again, no pressing Esc.

BUT,

The new 4TB EFI drive wont boot. If I choose it at Boot time, the MB still goes to the SSD. WE thought it might be a MB issue inspite of the boards "Duo Boot" across (the top of the screen in the Bios).

Then,
I removed every drive but the new EFI TB and that drive doesn't boot at all. The script fixed the one problem but this one took it's place.

The commands are different if you boot from the SSD or the 4T HDD

If you Booted from disk 0 (SSD), you probably run the command
bcdboot C:\Windows /s S: instead of bcdboot D:\Windows /s S:

or
You booted from the 4T HDD and not from the SSD


Do it again

Boot from disk 0 (SSD)
On a CMD window as administrator type:

diskpart
select disk 1
select part 2
del part override
create part EFI
format fs=FAT32 quick
assign letter=s
exit
bcdboot D:\Windows /s S:
exit

 

[videobruce]

We ran from the SSD as you instructed. I'm almost sure it was D, not C, but I will try it again.

Could this be a MB issue??

- - - Updated - - -

I repeated the script taking note that D was specified. SAME THING, the EFI drive will not boot.

 

[Megahertz07]

How do you select the 4 T to boot from it?
The 4T drive is UEFI-GPT.
The SSD drive is Legacy- MBR
Is BIOS set to boot as Legacy and UEFI ?

On a CMD window as administrator type:

diskpart
list disk
select disk 0
list part
select disk 1
list part
exit

Post the results here

 

[videobruce]

Answers;
Boot menu (when it was working)
Correct
Correct
Yes

DISKPART> list disk

Disk ### Status Size Free Dyn Gpt
-------- ------------- ------- ------- --- ---
Disk 0 Online 232 GB 1024 KB
Disk 1 Online 3726 GB 1024 KB *
Disk 2 Online 3726 GB 0 B *
Disk 3 No Media 0 B 0 B
Disk 4 No Media 0 B 0 B
Disk 5 No Media 0 B 0 B
Disk 6 No Media 0 B 0 B

DISKPART> select disk 0

Disk 0 is now the selected disk.

DISKPART> list part

Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 Primary 31 GB 1024 KB
Partition 0 Extended 201 GB 31 GB
Partition 2 Logical 201 GB 31 GB

DISKPART>

 

[Megahertz07]

You didn't do the last two lines of diskpart

diskpart
list disk
select disk 0
list part
select disk 1
list part
exit

 

[videobruce]

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\System32>diskpart

Microsoft DiskPart version 6.1.7601
Copyright (C) 1999-2008 Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: VB1

DISKPART> list disk

Disk ### Status Size Free Dyn Gpt
-------- ------------- ------- ------- --- ---
Disk 0 Online 232 GB 1024 KB
Disk 1 Online 3726 GB 1024 KB *
Disk 2 Online 3726 GB 0 B *
Disk 3 No Media 0 B 0 B
Disk 4 No Media 0 B 0 B
Disk 5 No Media 0 B 0 B
Disk 6 No Media 0 B 0 B

DISKPART> select disk 0

Disk 0 is now the selected disk.

DISKPART> list part

Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 Primary 31 GB 1024 KB
Partition 0 Extended 201 GB 31 GB
Partition 2 Logical 201 GB 31 GB

DISKPART> select disk 1

Disk 1 is now the selected disk.

DISKPART> list part

Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 Primary 30 GB 1024 KB
Partition 2 System 104 MB 30 GB
Partition 3 Primary 525 GB 30 GB
Partition 4 Primary 3169 GB 556 GB

DISKPART>

 

[Volume Z]

Is there really Windows installed on those 7.12 GB and is it Windows 64-bit?

 

[videobruce]

What on earth are you talking about??? What hat did you pull the 7.12GB from?
W7 is in the 1st partition of both drives which are 32 & 30GB and they are 64bit.

 

[Volume Z]

What hat did you pull the 7.12GB from?

 

[videobruce]

Way back from post #38, no wonder why I didn't know what you were talking about.
Yes to both of your questions. There are very few 'installed' programs in that one vs the Main drive. I normally use 'Portable' programs stored in the 2nd partition of the SSD drive so either O/S can assess them via shortcuts.

 

[Megahertz07]

The only explanation I can find for the 4T HDD not booting is that BIOS isn't configured to boot as EUFI