Solved Extended dual boot time following single BSOD

[Boozad]

I'll go with the general consensus here, I'm in your hands.

 

[gregrocker]

I concur with Anshad that C is best choice for boot partition

However we've learned here its best not to delete the extant System partition until new System partition is successfully booting the OS and in this case Win8 has been added successfully using EasyBCD

To do this mark C Active to run up to 3 separate Startup Repairs until it starts and C is System flagged. Then unless Repair adds 8,install EasyBCD to do so.

You can then Delete Recov using PW CD, resize C into its space: How to Move/Resize Partition with partitioni manager? Partition Wizard Move/Resize Partition Video Help. .

 

[SIW2]

No idea why that is so big. Not a bad idea necessarily to have a separate partition for it, I suppose.

Glad to see my recommendation of pguru spreading. The developer will be pleased.

 

[Boozad]

PG is a very handy tool, it's now on my recommended list.

 

[Layback Bear]

As everyone knows that has been on the forum for more than a week, I'm no expert.

I do have a questions for the experts.
Boozad I'm not trying to steal your thread just learn.

Exactly what is Windows using to boot?

For what reason would PC Specialist set up a computer in this fashion
I don't believe it's by accident. Seams to me they think they have a reason.

We have 3 heave hitters on this subject, Anshad, Greg, and SIW2 and I don't want to miss the opportunity to use their knowledge.

 

[Boozad]

Boozad I'm not trying to steal your thread just learn.

Don't mention it Jack. I've no problem with people using threads I've created to learn and participate, feel free by all means.

 

[gregrocker]

You can wait to hear their reasoning but the System flag should be there just like the Active flag as these are not normally also hidden, unless it some special hidden partition type I've not seen.

I see no benefit from wasting 3 gb SSD space or why WinRe is put there. Si?

Having 7 boot itself may eliminate it as possible cause of slow start of 7.

 

[Anshad Edavana]

You can wait to hear their reasoning but the System flag should be there just like the Active flag as these are not normally also hidden, unless it some special hidden partition type I've not seen.

Simple hiding will also hide the "System" flag. Here is a screenshot i taken after hiding the "System reserved" partition using "Partition Wizard". I re-sized the partition to replicate original condition.




Note that "Disk Management" treats the partition as some kind of alien volume - no identified file system, no volume label and no info about free space ( or misreported as 100% free ).

As Greg said, first set "C" as the active partition and then run "Startup Repair" to create necessary boot critical files on "C". Although it is not a bad idea to have a separate "WinRE" partition, i would recommend removing it and adding space to "C". Every MB is precious in case of solid state drives. "Startup Repair" may be needed to run one more time to fix the possible volume GUID change after a resize operation. Once "7" is up and running properly, use "EasyBCD" to add "8" to the boot menu.

Btw, make sure to disconnect the slave HDD during the operations.

 

[Boozad]

I know it's been a while but I've just got round to doing this and I've hit a problem. I marked C: as active and when I go to run Startup Repair it shows no OS to repair. Any ideas?

I've run Startup Repair several times but still can't boot into Windows, when I follow the clean install route Windows is seeing the SSD with three partitions, the recovery, Win 7 partition (marked as System) and Win8 partition (marked as Primary). If push comes to shove I'll do a clean install but if there's any way to rescue the Startup I'd prefer it as I stand to lose a fair bit of stuff which I'd prefer to keep if possible.

The only other thing I can think of is to format the whole disk, clean install Win 7 then restore one of my Macrium images if that's an option?

 

[Boozad]

I'm currently going the clean install route following formatting the three partitions, I'll see how it goes from here.

 

[essenbe]

Gav, have you tried this? http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/104341-bootmgr-missing-fix.html

 

[Boozad]

No unfortunately. I've performed a clean install now and am just trying to restore a Macrium image to see if that takes. If not it's a completely fresh start as I've formatted the SSD now. Maybe that's a good thing.

I'll update shortly.

 

[Boozad]

I've successfully restored a Macrium image over the clean Windows install and now have C: as Active boot and have deleted my W8.1 partition, I just need to get that rogue 3GB partition merged into the rest of the drive. Luckily I haven't really lost much (four months worth of emails and some less important stuff) so I got off lucky there. That'll teach me to image more often.

 

[gregrocker]

Unfortunately because the other drives were still plugged in it derailed your System (boot) partition to Games on D. This is not desirable since Disk0 cannot now boot without Disk1.

To repair it I would follow http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/209885-bootmgr-move-c-easybcd.html to move the System flag to C. Change the disk set to boot first to Disk0. Then mark D Inactive: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/197157-partition-mark-inactive.html

To recover the 3gb from M into C, first Delete M and then use Partition Wizard to Resize C Partition to the left. The Partition Wizard boot disk is safest but since it's a new install I'd get it over with now so if it gets messed up not much is lost.

I'm sorry you had to reinstall. Had I been awake I would have had you move the boot files into C manually to try the repairs again.

 

[Boozad]

Not a problem Greg. I've moved the system flag to C: and marked D: as inactive but now have no boot at all, just a black screen with a flashing cursor to the top left. I could have sworn I'd unplugged all drives before the fresh install, I must have missed that one obviously.

Now to fix thus issue.

 

[gregrocker]

Are you sure that the System flag was moved to C as it should have started if you changed the BIOS boot order to boot from Disk0? Since Disk1 was (incorrectly) booting the System it would have been the one set first to boot with D as System partition or it wouldn't have booted.

Set Disk0 to boot first in BIOS setup. This may involve changing it to be primary HD, or just changing its Boot Priority order.

Once you're sure Disk0 is set first to boot, then if it doesn't start run http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105541-startup-repair-run-3-separate-times.html

If forced to reinstall again this time unplug all other drives, delete M and C during install using the Drive Options.

 

[Boozad]

Strangely my Disk 0 isn't even showing in my BIOS anymore, I can pick it using Fast Boot but it doesn't appear in my list of bootable disks to set as default. I'll keep messing about with that to see if I can solve it, it's obviously booting as it just did after sorting out the issues with drive D:

 

[gregrocker]

The flags are set correctly now.

If BIOS settings won't cooperate you can unplug the other drives to see if it forces default to DISK0, then hopefully it will hold when you plug the others back in. Steve may have better ideas.

All you need to do to resize C is boot or run Partition Wizard, rightclick on C to Resize, drag left border all the way to the left, click OK, then Apply. It will never fail if you use the boot disk.

 

[Boozad]

Thanks Greg. I'll sort that out later, I'm just trying to get my head around why my SSD isn't being listed as a bootable device yet my system is booting. I'll update as I go along, every day's a school day.

 

[Boozad]

OK, after a lot of messing around I've finally managed to get the SSD set as priority in the boot order so that's another issues out of the way. Now just extend C: to take up that last 3GB of space and I'm all done.

EDIT: And job done.