Missing operating system message, cannot re-install windows 7

[rjs1974]

Hi All,

Shut down PC last night, all working perfectly. Today it won't boot with the "missing operating system" message. Have booted from Windows 7 installation disc, tried startup recovery - took 2 hours before reporting no automatic fix possible. It cannot find an installed Windows OS to do a system restore, so I attempted a "custom" clean re-install. However, I then get a "canot create system partition or find existing one" error message. I have tried to create a "New" one but nothing doing. I don't seem to have any HDD drivers to point to either.

I have two 500GB Western Digital WD5000 drives but that's all I know.

Can anyone help? Do I need fo reformat the C: drive?

Many thanks.

 

[DocBrown]

Hi All,

Shut down PC last night, all working perfectly. Today it won't boot with the "missing operating system" message. Have booted from Windows 7 installation disc, tried startup recovery - took 2 hours before reporting no automatic fix possible. It cannot find an installed Windows OS to do a system restore, so I attempted a "custom" clean re-install. However, I then get a "canot create system partition or find existing one" error message. I have tried to create a "New" one but nothing doing. I don't seem to have any HDD drivers to point to either.

I have two 500GB Western Digital WD5000 drives but that's all I know.

Can anyone help? Do I need fo reformat the C: drive?

Many thanks.

Are both hD's seen in the bios setup ?

 

[profdlp]

See if TestDisk can find your old Windows partition. If it does, and the reinstall attempt hasn't overwritten anything, you might be home free.

I'd also recommend running the hard drive test from WD:

WD Support > Downloads > Select Product

Edit: Doc beat me by a minute. Good advice!

 

[rjs1974]

Yes, I can see both drives in the BIOS setup - what does that mean?

 

[gregrocker]

Look in BIOS setup to make sure your DVD drive is set to boot first, then Win7 HD. Unplug all other HD's.

Boot the Win7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD, at first screen press Shift F10 to open a Command Line, type:

Diskpart
List Disk
Select Disk 0 (confirm this is Win7 HD #)
List partiiton
Select partition 1 (confirm this is Win7 partition #)
Active
exit

Now boot back into Win7 DVD Repair console, click through to Recovery Tools list to run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots no matter whether it finds an installation or not. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105541-startup-repair-run-3-separate-times.html?ltr=S

If Win7 won't start, return to the Command Line to type:

bootrec.exe /fixboot
bootrec.exe /fixmbr

Now boot back into Repair console to see if it finds an installation to repair, then run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots.

If not, copy your files out using the DVD, then wipe the HD to try reinstall: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93347-copy-paste-windows-recovery-console.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

If you have a Recovery Partition you can also try running it by tapping the key given on first boot screen to Run Factory Recovery.

 

[rjs1974]

Gregrocker:

When you say:

Diskpart
List Disk
Select Disk 0 (confirm this is Windows 7 HD #)
List partiiton
Select partition 1 (confirm this is Windows 7 partition #)
Active
exit

How do I know what HD number my Windows 7 HD is, and is the partition always #1?

Many thanks.

 

[rjs1974]

UPDATE:

When I run Diskpart I can select the disk ok, but when I do List Partition and then try to Select Partition 1, it says "There is no partition selected".

Any ideas?

 

[rjs1974]

Another update.

Ran Startup repair again. As yesterday, took 2 hours with no reboots occurring. At the end it said "Partition table is corrupt on disk \Device\Harddisk 0. Repair action: partition table repair. Error Code = 0x490.

What to do next please?

Many thanks.

 

[rjs1974]

Another update.

I tried the bootrec.exe and only the fixmbr worked, the other saying "element not found".

I also ran Testdisk and it found NO PARTITIONS at all, even after a "deeper search".

Does this mean HD failure or just severe corruption?

Please help someone, I have no idea what to try next.

Many thanks

 

[neo101]

Like you were told several posts ago

- Go to WD site & download the diagnostics/format program/s to read the 'Smart' off your hard drive!

 

[rjs1974]

Indeed, I missed that bit. Doing this now. Will report back.

Thanks for the reminder!

 

[rjs1974]

Ok another problem:-( Downloaded the WD diag file and burned ISO to CD. But when it finally boots it says something about a missing licence agreement file and just gives me an A: prompt.

DLGlice.txt is missing???

 

[rjs1974]

The version of DLDIAG on the ultimate boot disk I burned does work. WD's own ISO problem is known apparently.

Quick test came back with no errors, am running extended test now.

Thanks.

 

[gregrocker]

Gregrocker:

When you say:

Diskpart
List Disk
Select Disk 0 (confirm this is Windows 7 HD #)
List partiiton
Select partition 1 (confirm this is Windows 7 partition #)
Active
exit

How do I know what HD number my Windows 7 HD is, and is the partition always #1?

Many thanks.

Choose the Win7 disk and partition number from the lists you call up, judging by position and size.

I would mark Win7 partition Active to make sure it is being repaired correctly with Startup Repair. If Diskpart won't work for you, use free Partition Wizard bootable CD. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93322-partition-wizard-use-bootable-cd.html

But first I would test the HD using WD Lifeguard. The version I use which works very well with all models is GWSCAN. Download it, run .exe it will unzip to C:cabs where you can browse from ImgBurn to pick up the ISO to burn the CD at 4x speed.
http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download
http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers/search.asp?param=gwscan

I would also run chkdsk /r from the Win7 DVD/CD Command Line to complete the full testing of your HD. Either/both tests may repair errors that can return your HD to full life of service, or give you enough warning of imminent failure to copy out your files and replace it: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93347-copy-paste-windows-recovery-console.html

 

[rjs1974]

But it seems I have no partition. Diskpart cannot select one, Testdisk cannot find one either. It seems any partition has been deleted/corrupted.

 

[gregrocker]

Do both HD's register in BIOS setup? Enter BIOS setup by tapping the key given for it on first boot screen as computer boots. What is the SATA controller setting?

Were your two HD's configured in a RAID array? Look at your setup literature or read your Manual to know for sure. Your Manual is on the Support Downloads webpage for your computer model.

Test your HD's one at a time with each plugged in individually, using GWScan full test and chkdsk /r from Win7 DVD/Repair CD Command Line.

Then wipe one HD to try install with it plugged in alone: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

 

[rjs1974]

Greg,

Yes both HDs are shown in the BIOS, and no, no RAID array. It seems the Win 7 partition has been corrupted - Startup repair said the table was corrupted, but Testdisk could not find any partition to fix....

 

[gregrocker]

You need to run the full HD scan and then chkdsk on the HD to clear it for use.

Then wipe it of all code using tutorial linked to overcome partition table problems.

Then try clean reinstall from booted DVD.

 

[rjs1974]

The extended test using WD diagnostics (took 2 hours) came back with no errors. Will try chkdsk again - did not work yesterday though - something about RAW volumes?

EDIT - trying chkdsk /r from command prompt gave me this message:

The type of the file system is NTFS. Cannot lock current drive. Windows cannot run disk checking on this volume because it is write protected.

What now Greg?
Thanks!!

 

[karlsnooks]

You have two hard drives.

Disconnect the one that is NOT your Win 7 disk.

Now use the procedure given in this tutorial so that you can make a successful install of WiN 7. Please follow the procedure to the letter with no deviations.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html