Solved Windows not able to boot, cannot identify Windows

[Sanfasteryler]

Hi. I am new to this forum and pretty new to CLI.
So I was helping my sister to upgrade old hard disk to another because of hard drive failure, bad sectors.
So I upgraded the hard disk to the western digital blue 1TB drive.
I used clonezilla to clone everything from the old hard drive to the new one.
Old hard drive is able to boot but becusse of the bad sectors, the computer shutdown after few minutes of use. So I can be sure that the Windows folder is fine and can be booted.
So, when I switched to the new hard drive and it failed to boot.
It happens either

Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem:

1. Insert your Windows installation disc and restart your computer.
2. Choose your language settings, and then click "Next."
3. Click "Repair your computer."

If you do not have this disc, contact your system administrator or computer manufacturer for assistance.

File: \Windows\system32\winload.exe

Status: 0xc000000f

Info: The selected entry could not be loaded because the application is missing or corrupt.
Or
Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem:

1. Insert your Windows installation disc and restart your computer.
2. Choose your language settings, and then click "Next."
3. Click "Repair your computer."

If you do not have this disc, contact your system administrator or computer manufacturer for assistance.

File: \Windows\system32\winload.exe

Status: 0xc0000098

Info: The selected entry could not be loaded because the application is missing or corrupt.


After digging a while, I assume that is is due to the hard drive is not active or something (I searched https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3103656)
Entered those command, it did identify a Windows 7 installation. But after a restart, error code 0xc0000098 reappears.
I tried to redo the same commands, and in the second, third attempt, 0 windows 7 installation was identified and it was not able to repair bcd anything like that.
I tried to manually rebuild bcd, no luck. Same error message.
I don't think the bcd is either missing or corrupt. I was able to boot successfully using the old hard drive, with exactly the same bcd.
I suspect that Windows is not booting from the correct location. As there is no single partition have labeled as system. And I think that's the issue.
Side note: I only have one drive, C:. And there is D: for recovery

 

[Megahertz07]

The problem is that you cloned a bad drive to a new one.
In my opinion, you must do a clean install on the new drive.

- Boot from a Linux USB drive.
- Make a new partition on the new western digital blue 1TB HDD.
- Copy all personal data from fist partition to the second.
- Boot from win 7 installation disk, go to install - Advanced - format fist ntfs partition - install on it.

This is a good opportunity to install a 128G SSD (a good one only cost US$40) for Windows and programs and use the HDD for data. You have no idea what a SSD can do for a computer. If you decide to add the SSD I can suggest one and how to install.

Remember: ALWAYS detach ALL other disks when installing Windows.

 

[samuria]

As you cloned a faulty drive the clone will copy bad sectors and mark them on the new drive you need to remove all partitions and use disk part clean to clean the drive leave it blank and let windows create what it need with a clean install

 

[Eric3742]

The recovery partition on D:\ drive should not be an issue.

Then clone the D:\ which is at the end to the new HDD.
Clone and move to the end of the new HDD.
If there is a partition in front, small size, then also clone it to the front of the HDD.

There is a need to certain keys to activate to install the Windows system, that is from recovery partition.
It is may ask you to on whether you want to do recovery, meaning re-install to factory setting.

After install is done, you need to post here for assistance to do the windows update.

There is some missing procedure here, as may someone to assist you if you are not sure.



Eric.

 

[Sanfasteryler]

The problem is that you cloned a bad drive to a new one.
In my opinion, you must do a clean install on the new drive.

- Boot from a Linux USB drive.
- Make a new partition on the new western digital blue 1TB HDD.
- Copy all personal data from fist partition to the second.
- Boot from win 7 installation disk, go to install - Advanced - format fist ntfs partition - install on it.

This is a good opportunity to install a 128G SSD (a good one only cost US$40) for Windows and programs and use the HDD for data. You have no idea what a SSD can do for a computer. If you decide to add the SSD I can suggest one and how to install.

Remember: ALWAYS detach ALL other disks when installing Windows.

I bought this computer straight from factory oem. So no installation disk.
Do you think downloading the windows 7 iso can help with this one?

 

[Megahertz07]

- Boot from a Linux USB drive.
- Make a new partition on the new western digital blue 1TB HDD.
- Copy all personal data from fist partition to the second.

Download the Microsoft Windows and Office ISO Download Tool - https://www.heidoc.net/php/Windows ISO Downloader.exe

Under Win 7 download Win 7 HP OEM and burn the iso on a DVD or use Rufus to install it on a USB flash disk.
Boot from win 7 installation disk, go to install - Advanced - format fist NTFS partition - install on it.

Use your COA key to activate.
You'll need to provide some drivers. Download them from the OEM site

For the updates MS releases SP2 for Windows 7

 

[Sanfasteryler]

- Boot from a Linux USB drive.
- Make a new partition on the new western digital blue 1TB HDD.
- Copy all personal data from fist partition to the second.

Download the Microsoft Windows and Office ISO Download Tool - https://www.heidoc.net/php/Windows ISO Downloader.exe

Under Win 7 download Win 7 HP OEM and burn the iso on a DVD or use Rufus to install it on a USB flash disk.
Boot from win 7 installation disk, go to install - Advanced - format fist NTFS partition - install on it.

Use your COA key to activate.
You'll need to provide some drivers. Download them from the OEM site

For the updates MS releases SP2 for Windows 7

Can you show me how to create the partition though.
I am still pretty new to the thing
From some website, I heard that Windows 7 partition is 200MB,so should I create the partition of a size of that.
Also, I did find the product key of Windows 7 on that machine. But it is a oem computer, can I still create a Windows 7 installation disk can use that product key to activate Windows 7?
I have Dell oem, so does that means I download the Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 COEM version or the GGK version?
I will just give it a clean install. Let see if that's working
After some research and asking, I think I am getting there.

 

[Eric3742]

From some website, I heard that Windows 7 partition is 200MB,so should I create the partition of a size of that.

For your info.

Don't worry about the size, it do not matter.

My laptop show 1.4 GB and another a different size, not 200 MB.

So long as it is in the 1st partition that have the booting files: Boot, bootmgr, Recovery folder.



Eric.

 

[Sanfasteryler]

Get everything back to normal.
I think I am just over complicated the things.
I just give the windows a clean install and it worked. After installing all the drivers, the computer went back to normal.
Thanks for the help.