re-installs, bootmgr on wrong drive

[skyfly]

Phenom 940BE, 4gb Corsair XMS 800, Gigabyte MA790X-UD3P
Windows 7 x64 - 32GB Corsair SSD
internal storage drives
Samsung spinpoint 1TB (2 partitions)
Samsung Spinpoint 2TB (2 partitions)

im having problems with the bootmgr installing on different partitons.
at first i didnt know what was going on with BSOD on restarts and windows install disk could never find a restore point or help restart.
I had reinstalled lots of times then I unhid system files and found bootmgr on all partitions so i deleted all the bootmgr and boot folders , unhooked all other drives except my 32GB SSD and then re-installed.
Also i used Acronis to turn my 4 storage partitions to logical.
This morning my PC would not boot again
BSOD on restart said Bad system config.
Windows disk checked for problems reported
the partion does not have a valid system partiton - then repair successful
but it was not , my PC still would not boot
system restore from windows disk said you must specify which windows installation to restore?
i found out the 100mb part of the 32GB SSD which was meant to be unallocated space was now system and one of my partitons was Active-Logical.

when i installed the Samsung 2TB drive a few weeks ago,
on installed one of its partitions would never be assigned a letter or show in my computer .
i would have to go to Computer Management and name and number the partition to show up.
This is the same partiton Installs like to install system files on.

On the last install i deleted all the SSD and wiped it clean before install.

Somehow even after naming partitions logical and deleting system files from them it still happens
Please can anyone help with any ideas how to cure this?

thanks

 

[gregrocker]

The installer will place the System boot files on the first Active partition.

If your SSD is DISK0 and you wipe or delete/repartition it, the installer will assign to it the 100mb System Reserved partition to containt the System Active boot files.

The 100mb System Reserved partiiton must remain Active during all repairs and be the first Active partition to repair correctly.

Best to keep your data and storage drives Logical so they cannot be inadvertantly marked Active to derail System files during repairs/reinstalls.

If you'd like to post back a screenshot of your full maximized Disk Mgmt drive map and listings, using Snipping Tool in Start Menu, we can look it over for you.

 

[skyfly]

i had to reinstall win 7 again, ive tried 3 different install disks

i reinstalled on the 32GB with no other drives hooked up

this time i deleted the Software partition where it kept installing bootmgr

once inside windows i installed Acronis Disk Director to make the partition
i got options of a basic partition or a Simple/Spanned partition ?
i chose Simple /Spanned.
I noticed it made the the partiton on that same disk Simple/Spanned
Afterwards i tried to make it logical but couldnt get that option.

it now looks fine, ive rebooted a few times
i got one error on reboot shutdown saying something about bad image
system32/AxInstUI but it did restart still no problem

sorry can not find the image wrap to post this snip but you could click it or post it in browser to view my computer management

http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/4604/captureoiw.png

also when i try to start Acronis Disk Director im getting

Cannot connect to localhost?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Error
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Cannot connect to 'localhost'.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Details
Code: 5,242,881(0x500001)
Module: C:\Program Files (x86)\Acronis\DiskDirector\mmsBundle.dll
Message: Failed to retrieve parameter 'Windows name'.

Code: 1,311,724(0x1403EC)
Message: WMI 'ConnectServer' failed.

Code: 65,520(0xFFF0)
Message: %1 is not a valid Win32 application

---------------------------------------------------------------------

i may just try reinstalling Acronis.

ALl is looking good , im hoping i get no other shutdown prompts about AxInstUI

thanks for the help mate

 

[whs]

Why do you mess around with Acronis and why do you need spanned drives?

 

[skyfly]

Why do you mess around with Acronis and why do you need spanned drives?

i 'mess' with Acronis to make the drive logical to try to prevent it from happening not that it stopped it the last time.

if Acronis gave a good explanation what the hell a spanned drive was id know?

i know this sounds a dead easy fix, i would not consider myself a noob with a PC ive built many and upgraded them over the years myself.
Saying that if i thought myself a advanced PC bloke i would not be asking for help.
Its got to be something dead easy in the way i have my drives set up

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello skyfly.



If you're pleased with the way the HDD/partitions are setup you should have no more issues with boot problems, none of the other HDD/partitions will support the boot files, only a Primary partition can be booted from, IOW be the "System" partition or be marked as active.

 

[whs]

if Acronis gave a good explanation what the hell a spanned drive was id know?

One logical drive spans several physical drives. Normally I do not think you would need that. Spanned volume - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[mjf]

Are your disks "dynamic"?
One of the purposes of dynamic disks (generally bad for the average user) over basic disks is that volumes can span physical disks.

 

[gregrocker]

Your OS is configured accurately and there are no other partitions marked Active which could derail the Win7 boot files during a repair or reinstall.

 

[mjf]

Are your disks "dynamic"?
One of the purposes of dynamic disks (generally bad for the average user) over basic disks is that volumes can span physical disks.

Your booting issues aside -
I must have overlooked your earlier screenshot. Your disk 2 is dynamic and it looks like it's going to be your main backup disk. I would suggest you make it a Basic disk.