Boot partition only installs on 2nd drive

[TacticalTimbo]

Hi,

I've read all about, and understand what the 100mb boot partition is, why windows 7 creates it etc. However my issue is that Windows only wants to create it on Disk1 i.e. the second drive, and not on Disk0 along with the OS. I don't want Windows on Disk1 because my motherboard see it as the second drive and won't direct the bios to look for the OS unless you change it to the boot drive, under the bios settings. the attached screen shot below illustrates the issue.


Someone please explain

 

[Jonathan_King]

Welcome to SF!

Try unplugging the second drive during installation.

 

[gregrocker]

If you don't want to reinstall, you can mark Win7 active in Disk Management, unplug the second drive, set Win7 as first HD (after DVD) to boot in BIOS setup, boot into Win7 DVD Repair console, click through to Recovery Tools list to run Startup Repair up to three separate times to rewrite the MBR to Win7 partition.

Next plug the second drive back in, boot into Win7 DVD Repair console tools list, open a command line and type:

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK 1 (make sure it is 100mb SYstem Reserved HD)
CLEAN
EXIT

Now you can partition and format new data drive logical in Disk Mgmt.

 

[TacticalTimbo]

Welcome to SF!

Try unplugging the second drive during installation.

I thought about that, but why is it so stubborn as to refuse to create it for Disk0? I mean it doesn't make any sense to have it on the other disk does it?

 

[TacticalTimbo]

If you don't want to reinstall, you can mark Win7 active in Disk Management, unplug the second drive, set Win7 as first HD (after DVD) to boot in BIOS setup, boot into Win7 DVD Repair console, click through to Recovery Tools list to run Startup Repair up to three separate times to rewrite the MBR to Win7 partition.

Next plug the second drive back into DISK1 cable, boot into Win7 DVD Repair console tools list, open a command line and type:

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK 1 (make sure it is 100mb SYstem Reserved HD)
CLEAN
EXIT

Now you can partition and format new data drive logical in Disk Mgmt.

Mmm my brains a bit tired, not sure I'm getting you. I don't mind starting from scratch but it does this everytime, tried twice already! also only just clocked that its made disk1 active, wtf is it doing that?

 

[gregrocker]

You don't have to have the 100mb System Reserved partition. I showed you how to remove it above and recover the MBR boot-critical files into Win7.

Or you can pre-partition before install and you will not be offered the 100mb using these commands.

Boot DVD>Repair console>Recovery tools, open Command Line, type:

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK 1 (for 100mb System Reserved HD)
clean
select disk 0 (for Win7 HD)
clean
create partition primary
select partition 1
assign letter=c:
active
format
exit

Now reboot DVD, select Custom install, highlight DISK0 for install.

 

[TacticalTimbo]

Ok sorry, I'm happy to start again with disk1 unplugged and I'm sure it'll go fine but is this the normal procedure, I notice you've got 2 drives Jonathan, did you have to do this as well, or is something with my system just screwed?

 

[gregrocker]

If you unplug the drive with System reserved 100mb still on it, it will mess up your boot and not want to delete when you replug it. Better to delete it now using DISKPART commands given above, also pre-formatting DISK0 so no 100mb System Reserved partition will be offered - unless you want one. In that case, unplug DISK1.

 

[TacticalTimbo]

You don't have to have the 100mb System Reserved partition. I showed you how to remove it above and recover the MBR boot-critical files into Win7.

Or you can pre-partition before install and you will not be offered the 100mb using these commands.

Boot DVD>Repair console>Recovery tools, open Command Line, type:

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK 1 (for 100mb System Reserved HD)
clean
select disk 0 (for Win7 HD)
clean
create partition primary
select partition 1
assign letter=c:
active
format
exit

Now reboot DVD, select Custom install, highlight DISK0 for install.

I don't mind having the 100mb partition but why is it putting in on my second hd and also making my second drive the active one?

 

[gregrocker]

Cannot say why it is doing this, unless you are highlighting second drive when you first attempt to format, then changing to first drive to install.

I would delete the 100mb Sys Reserved before plugging it back in. Use the Diskpart commands given from DVD.

 

[TacticalTimbo]

If you unplug the drive with System reserved 100mb still on it, it will mess up your boot and not want to delete when you replug it. Better to delete it now using DISKPART commands given above, also pre-formatting DISK0 so no 100mb System Reserved partition will be offered - unless you want one. In that case, unplug DISK1.

Surley it dosen't matter if I'm gonna do a re-build from the DVD?

 

[gregrocker]

You said you plan to reinstall with DISK1 unplugged. Until it is deleted, it will have the 100mb System Reserved partition on it which has the MBR. Best to delete it using the DISKPART clean command since you will be booting the DVD anyway.

 

[TacticalTimbo]

Cannot say why it is doing this, unless you are highlighting second drive when you first attempt to format, then changing to first drive to install.

I would delete the 100mb Sys Reserved before plugging it back in. Use the Diskpart commands given from DVD.

I had two unformatted disks, formatted disk0 only and choose it for installation of the OS, it happened. Went back ran installation for the second time tried to format both disks (in both orders) and noticed that it only warns me and creates it when I format Disk1?

That's the best I can explain what I'm doing.

 

[gregrocker]

You can use a partition manager to delete the 100mb partition on DISK1 before unplugging it for reinstall.

Win7 will not start, so do it as last step before booting DVD to reinstall 7.

Or use the DISKPART commands to clean DISK1 given earlier from the booted Win7 DVD, then shutdown, unplug it, reboot to Install to DISK0.

 

[TacticalTimbo]

You said you plan to reinstall with DISK1 unplugged. Until it is deleted, it will have the 100mb System Reserved partition on it which has the MBR. Best to delete it using the DISKPART clean command since you will be booting the DVD anyway.

You can use a partition manager to delete the 100mb partition on DISK1 before unplugging it for reinstall.

Win7 will not start, so do it as last step before booting DVD to reinstall 7.

Or use the DISKPART commands to clean DISK1 given earlier from the booted Win7 DVD, then shutdown, unplug it, reboot to Install to DISK0.

Got you, though could I use this http://www.killdisk.com/ from within windows. It was quicker last time, when I had bad sectors and couldn't change the second disk from being active under the RC and should be ok again you reckon?

In fact if I remember (was a while ago), I think because I made disk0 active also, I could boot back into Windows, might be wrong though.

 

[gregrocker]

No, your MBR is placed on 100mb System Reserved partition so Win7 cannot start on its own until MBR is recovered using method I gave in my first post.

What's important is to delete the 100mb off of DISK1 before plugging it back in after reinstall to DISK0. Use 3rd party disk manager/cleaner in 7 or DISKPART commands given from booted Win7 DVD.

 

[TacticalTimbo]

No, your MBR is placed on 100mb System Reserved partition so Win7 cannot start on its own until MBR is recovered using method I gave in my first post.

What's important is to delete the 100mb off of DISK1 before plugging it back in after reinstall to DISK0. Use 3rd party disk manager/cleaner in 7 or DISKPART commands given from booted Win7 DVD.

If I wipe the disk before I shut down then unplug the drive, I won't need to get back into windows right?

Thats right I remember now last time when I wiped disk1 it wouldn't boot and somthing prompted me to repair the MBR from the disk.

 

[gregrocker]

Yes, make it the last step in Windows since it won't restart. Or use the DVD to run Diskpart commands given.

 

[TacticalTimbo]

Yes, make it the last step in Windows since it won't restart. Or use the DVD to run Diskpart commands given.

Thanks greatly for you're help and tolerance of my slow, tired brain, though I'm still very much in search of an answer as to why I'm suffering the route cause.

 

[TacticalTimbo]

@gregrocker

Does this look right to you now?

(Disk1 is now Disk5)