Solved Cannot get into BIOS after mini tool partition resize

[Mexman]

Resized a non-boot partition on my HDD which completed outside of windows and now the BIOS screen hangs right after detecting THAT HDD. If I disconnect the IDE cable, the BIOS comes up ok. I connected the same HDD to another PC and it boots up into win7 no problem and all the files are there. I ran a chkdsk on it and it found some index erros which it repaired but still hangs up the BIOS in the 1st PC.

Any ideas?

 

[dsperber]

Can you post a screenshot from DISKMGMT.MSC on the other machine where this disk doesn't prevent that BIOS from booting to Windows? We need to see what the disk currently looks like. Full-screen from DISKMGMT please, and spread the columns so that all the text in the cells is visible in the screenshot and we can read it.

You say all you did was resize a partition, and it wasn't even the Windows C-partition. So it's odd that you say the resize operation was completed outside of windows (i.e. a reboot was requested in order to complete). This would not be the way the program works when working with a non-C partition where you can perform any operation fully without needing to be outside of Windows. Only if the boot partitions are affected would a non-Windows environment be needed.

In other words, I have a hunch you actually did something which DID affect the Windows partition (or "system reserved" where Boot Manager would normally be living), and thus somehow might have affected the use of the drive to actually boot from on its primary "home" machine.

The screenshot or this drive from DISKMGMT.MSC (or Partition Wizard, actually) on the other machine to show us all its partitions, which one is "active", and whether it's MBR or GPT, is critical to providing further guidance.

 

[AddRAM]

And even if you did mess up when re sizing, it should have not affected the bios at all.

How did you re size the partition, which partition, what program did you use ?

Post the shot of DM, as suggested.

 

[TVeblen]

And even if you did mess up when re sizing, it should have not affected the bios at all.

There is nothing wrong with the BIOS. The BIOS boots fine, just confused wording.
It just can't hand off to an OS so it stops there.

I suspect a missing ACTIVE flag, as do you all. We could see that right away with a screenshot.

 

[AddRAM]

Mexman, we can`t help you if you don`t reply.

 

[Mexman]

Hey,I just woke up!

Here's the print screen (both diskmgmt and minitool):

I agree, it was strange that mini tool requested a reboot to resize that partition. After 10-20 secs it said the drive was 'in use', but I could not find any process using it, so I opted the resize after a reboot. It was a resize of the non-root partition to use the remaining space on the HDD.

 

[TVeblen]

This is the problem hard drive installed on another computer - correct?

And that other computer has it's own operating system on it's own hard drive - correct?

If so, the problem hard drive is DISK 1 in Disk Management, and Disk 2 in Partition Wizard?

 

[Mexman]

This is the problem hard drive installed on another computer - correct? YES


And that other computer has it's own operating system on it's own hard drive - correct? YES

If so, the problem hard drive is DISK 1 in Disk Management, and Disk 2 in Partition Wizard?

YES



I also setup the problem HDD as the boot drive in the OTHER PC and it boots ok.

Also ran WD's Data lifegaurd quick test with no errors.

 

[TVeblen]

Disk 1 in the screenshot shows:

• A System Reserved partition (100MB), marked System and Active
• Dive G: - (19.53GB), data
• Drive H: - (57.06GB), data

I don't see a C: drive or and operating system on that disk.

I think your other computers are just starting their own windows installations.

 

[dsperber]

Disk 1 in the screenshot shows:

• A System Reserved partition (100MB), marked System and Active
• Dive G: - (19.53GB), data
• Drive H: - (57.06GB), data

I don't see a C: drive or and operating system on that disk.

I think your other computers are just starting their own windows installations.

When the problem drive is a second drive in the other machine its partitions would not show up with the same letters as you might expect if it were the primary drive in the original machine.

Obviously the C in this other machine setup is on its own primary drive (DISK0 in DISKMGMT). The partitions on what is now seen as the second disk simply get assigned next available letters on the other machine. That's even why "system reserved" is given a letter in this 2nd-drive setup, when in a true setup it would not get any letter.

==> No problem that I see. Everything looks perfectly fine. MBR, "active" partition is "system reserved", and nothing strange is apparent.

Also, configuring the BIOS in the other machine to boot from this "problem drive" and having no problem whatsoever simply adds to the confusion. If Windows on the drive can be booted to successfully in this other machine, why it is a problem to the original machine... well, quite the mystery I agree.

NOTE to Mexman: you didn't spread the columns in the upper part of the DISKMGMT screenshot, so the important text was not visible. Fortunately it is visible in the PW screenshot, so no harm.

I will say that if G (as shown) is the Windows partition on what is currently the second drive on this other machine, it's really very very small for a Windows 7. Only a 20GB partition, with only 10GB used? That's unbelievably tiny. But I guess if it "works" as the system partition when booting to it on this other machine, then it must work. But it really does look very very tiny for "used". Never saw a Win7 with only 10GB used.

 

[TVeblen]

Shouldn't there be a partition, regardless of the drive letter, that is listed in Disk Management as "Boot, Page File, Crash Dump" also?

 

[TVeblen]

You can't fit a Windows operating system on a 100MB partition!

 

[Mexman]

I will say that if G (as shown) is the Windows partition on what is currently the second drive on this other machine, it's really very very small for a Windows 7. Only a 20GB partition, with only 10GB used? That's unbelievably tiny. But I guess if it "works" as the system partition when booting to it on this other machine, then it must work. But it really does look very very tiny for "used". Never saw a Win7 with only 10GB used.

Yes, it is a little tight, I usually make them 30GB for simple installs. I try to keep the C partition for Windows only, and all other data on other partitions. With hibernation disabled and the pagefile on a diff partition , you can keep the root drive quite small. Biggest issue is the Winsxs folder keeps growing.

 

[dsperber]

You can't fit a Windows operating system on a 100MB partition!

That's not a Windows system partition!! That's simply "system reserved" for Boot Manager. Standard 100MB size for that.

Windows on that drive is located (apparently) on what shows as G in the current screenshots. That's 20GB.

The third partition on that drive (H) is apparently a "data" partition.

OP didn't spread the columns for DISKMGMT, so we can't see the text in the crucial cells. But C (on DISK0) is where the true Windows lives in this other special setup where the problem drive has simply been temporarily connected as DISK1. Hence why its partitions appear to be "normal" partitions on a second drive, although we really know what they really are when the drive is used as a true primary boot drive.

 

[dsperber]

Mexman,

Your specs show an SSD in the primary machine, along with two WD black spinners. Is this correct?

You also say this problem drive (80GB?) is connected with IDE cable?? Not SATA? Which drive would this be in your specs story?

Have you tried using PW's "align all partitions" operation on DISK1 (with the current setup where the problem drive is connected as a second drive in the other machine)?

It's certainly unheard of in my own experience for the BIOS to be in any way impacted by a disk drive format, so that it doesn't "post" and complete. Sure, it might not actually be able to boot (if say the boot sequence is wrong, or if there is no "active" partition found, etc.), but the BIOS itself should certainly complete and shouldn't hang in the middle.

 

[TVeblen]

Well, I gots to be stubborn.
I have never seen a screenshot of Disk Management that had a partition that contained Windows on it that simply said "Healthy, Primary Partition".

 

[Mexman]

Mexman,

Your specs show an SSD in the primary machine, along with two WD black spinners. Is this correct?

"My specs"? I just connected the 80gb probem drive to another PC to get the screenshot. It has a 1200GB boot drive, no SSD

You also say this problem drive (80GB?) is connected with IDE cable?? Not SATA? Which drive would this be in your specs story?

Yes, IDE cable and I have tried another cable. The 80GB problem drive is a Deskstar

Have you tried using PW's "align all partitions" operation on DISK1 (with the current setup where the problem drive is connected as a second drive in the other machine)? No, not sure why that would make any difference to the BIOS, but may be worth a try.

It's certainly unheard of in my own experience for the BIOS to be in any way impacted by a disk drive format, so that it doesn't "post" and complete. Sure, it might not actually be able to boot (if say the boot sequence is wrong, or if there is no "active" partition found, etc.), but the BIOS itself should certainly complete and shouldn't hang in the middle.

I agree, the K8S-mx bios must be looking a little deeper and getting confused.

....

 

[Layback Bear]

Mexman so these folks can have a proper look please complete this tutorial by Golden. I think it just might reveal some things if done properly.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html

 

[dsperber]

Well, I gots to be stubborn.
I have never seen a screenshot of Disk Management that had a partition that contained Windows on it that simply said "Healthy, Primary Partition".

On the boot drive, sure.

But on a second drive that contains a "residual" partition that actually is what once was a Windows partition? Why wouldn't it just be a "healthy" partition that is non-empty? It's just "residual" data on it, which happens to have been a usable Windows system partition at one time.

At this very moment it's not even in the Boot Manager menu on the current machine primary drive, so it's not even seen in any way as an available second bootable OS (which might be what possibly makes it show up as a second "system" partition in your comment, in addition to the currently booted Windows C partition which for sure shows as "system").

 

[dsperber]

"My specs"? I just connected the 80gb probem drive to another PC to get the screenshot. It has a 1200GB boot drive, no SSD

Now I'm a bit more confused. Is this a THIRD machine you're now talking about?

Your screenshot as posted shows two drives, one of which could be a 160GB drive as DISK0, with the problem 80GB drive as DISK1. I see no 1200GB boot drive?? Did you mean 120GB instead? And I still don't see that either.

Anyway, your forum "specs" show some machine with Kingston 64GB SSD and two WD Black spinners. Is that true or not? Is it either of the machines we're currently discussing, or yet some other machine?