Solved Unable to boot to Win7 after removing HD

[SebaCueto]

Hi everyone,
My problem is as follows.
I installed Win7 Prof. 32 bits on my 1TB HD.
After that I decided to remove my 250GB HD.
Now I cannot boot to Win7 anymore, it keeps asking to insert a boot drive. For some reason, the BCD was saved on my 250GB disk, but I don´t want to use it anymore, I need that 1TB disk to be independant.

I´ve already tried booting from the Win7 DVD and using the bootsect command wth different parameters, but that did not solve my issue.
I tried the automatic boot repair contained in the DVD as well, with the same outcome.

Is there a way I can make my Win7 boot with that 250GB disk unplugged?

Thank you for your help.

 

[Golden]

Hi,

It sounds as if the System files (boot manager) were installed to the 250GB HDD. Lets confirm this - please follow the instructions here after reinserting the 250GB HDD.

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

Regards,
Golden

 

[SebaCueto]

I believe that´s the problem too.
I´ll have that image ready for you as soon as I get home.
Thank you!

 

[SebaCueto]

Golden, I digged a little further and found this post, do you believe this could be the same case?

http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...indows-trying-remove-windows-off-old-hdd.html

 

[Golden]

Yes, it sounds similar.....but its better to look at your Disk Management screen before you attempt anything, to be 100% sure.

 

[Kaktussoft]

How many partitions are on 1TB drive?
Did you do "startup repair" (only 1TB drive attached) from DVD already?

 

[SebaCueto]

Hi Kaktussoft!
2 partitions on that 1TB HD (100GB for OS, and the rest for data).
And yes, I have tried "startup repair" (only 1TB drive attached) from DVD already and what I found funny is that when I attempt to do that, it doesn´t "find" my OS on that HD to recover... I don´t know if I´m making myself clear, but on this screen (SEE ATTACHED) My OS doesn´t show on the list.
One final observation: My HD is not connected on the first SATA port of the Motherboard.

Thank you!

 

[Kaktussoft]

1TB HD (100GB for OS) is a primary partition? Is it marked active?

 

[SebaCueto]

I believe so, it was working fine. Then I removed my 250GB disk and it doesn´t boot anymore.
I believe the info for my Win7 boot was saved on the 250GB MBR, since it was on the SATA0 port. As I removed it, I was unable to boot to Win7 anymore.
But I can confirm that information you requested as soon as I get home tonight.

Thanks;

 

[Kaktussoft]

Post screenshot later please (as asked in #2 )

 

[gregrocker]

Can you plug back in the other HD to boot Win7 so you can post back the screenshot of Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image which will tell us what we need to know? Make sure the 250gb HD is set first to boot in BIOS setup when you do this.

If not unplug all other HD's, boot into System Recovery Options on the Win7 DVD or System Repair Disk to confirm that the Win7 partition or it's 100mb SYstem Reserved partition (preferred if you have it) is Partition Marked Active.

Then close the Command Box, return to Recovery Options to run Startup Repair - Run up to 3 Separate Times until Win7 starts.

The Win7 installer is available in Step 5 of Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start which also links to the Partition Wizard boot disk which can provide a disk map so you can see what you're doing to Mark Partition Active, post back a camera snap of the full drive map and listings for us to help better.

 

[SebaCueto]

Hi everybody, sorry for the late response...
So, I booted from my 250HD again, and here is my Disk Mgmnt screenshot.
Thank you!

Edit: The 74,56GB partition is for Ubuntu, and the 953MB partition is for SWAP for Linux as well.
Both on Disk1.

 

[gregrocker]

F holds the System flag which signifies which partition is booting Win7, and is marked Active which points to the partition intended to boot Win7.

To repair this, Mark C Partition Active in Disk Mgmt, power down to remove the 250gb HD, then boot into Win7 installer or Repair CD to run Startup Repair - Run up to 3 Separate Times until Win7 starts and the System flag is on C.

You can then plug back in the other HD, back up its data and wipe it using Diskpart Clean Command to get it cleanest to repartition in Disk Mgmt. Partition or Volume - Create New

 

[Golden]

I guess I'll bow out of this thread.

Seba follow the advice and and you'll be OK. Post back if you need more help.

 

[SebaCueto]

Thank you for your help Golden, I'll try that Greg.
Thanks

 

[SebaCueto]

It worked!, and I had to run the recovery tool only twice.
Thanks a lot Kaktussoft, Greg and Golden, I gotta say your work is flawless!

 

[Golden]