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Windows 7 installed on SSD needs to be booted up from HDD?!?!?!

PlayerX
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Go to solution Solved by Louis54000,

unplug your hdd, insert your windows installation dvd and click repair, that should do it.

 

And searching bootmgr wont work, its a file only named bootmgr and at the root of your drive and hidden so not indexed.

Anyway the problem is that the system partition should be on your SSD! 

Posted

Hello,

I have built my own computer and have installed Windows 7 64-bit Home Premium on the 840 EVO 120GB SSD. However since the beginning something went wrong, because everytime I boot it up, it shows me a menu, where I have to select wich operating system to boot (Windows 7 or Windows 7) and both options boot the same windows/desktop.

At this point I have to say, that I have a HDD (1TB, WD green, SATA II) where the OS (Windows 7 Home Premium) of the old computer (at the moment unused) is installed. Recently I bought a Seagate Barracuda (2TB).

Sometime later (I don't remember exactly when) I booted the PC without the 1TB drive plugged in (only the SSD was plugged in) and it showed me a "Errore lettura da Disco" ("Disk read Error" or something like that). It turned out that the solution was to boot it from the 1TB HDD. Afterwards I set the boot-priority of the HDD in order to boot automatically from the HDD. That worked fine, the "OS-selection-menu" persisted.

Recently (last week) I had to fix my phone and had to put a file on the micro-sd-card. On the new pc I didn't have one so I had to start the old one. Since it was late and I didn't wanted to demount the HDD I plugged the SATA cable from the old one into the 1TB HDD and since the HDD needed Power, I started the new pc and went into the bios (The HDD stayed in the new PC and was powered by that; the old PC was plugged into this drive in order to boot). I booted it up and moved that file on the micro-sd. The next day I plugged the drive into the new PC and tried to boot it up: "Errore lettura da disco". I tried to change the boot priority, same message. But if I go into the boot-menu and select the 1TB drive, windows starts regularly.

I can tell that it's surely not booting from that SATA II drive, because Windows starts within 15 seconds (I know the difference between ssd or hdd when booting the same os on the same system, because I worked nearly a year with the old pc, where I was able to do that)

 

However my problem now is that I have to put this HDD back into the old PC and I wanted to know if there is any possibility to fix this, without reinstalling win7 on my new PC.

 

If anything from the text above isn't clear, I'll try to explain it as accurate and comprehensible as possible ;)

 

 

post-173266-0-34465300-1424625116_thumb.post-173266-0-41188900-1424625017.png 

 

I'm looking forwards for some replies :)

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Your hard drive is likely tied to the OS. Did you install the OS with the hard drive plugged in?

"It pays to keep an open mind, but not so open your brain falls out." - Carl Sagan.

"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you" - Edward I. Koch

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Your hard drive is likely tied to the OS. Did you install the OS with the hard drive plugged in?

Yes

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Hey,

 

Had a quick read...

 

If the old HDD has an install of Windows on and you have just installed a fresh copy of Windows on the SSD when you boot windows has a thing called a Boot Configuration Data file.

In essence it it says boot up Windows from X, if you open msconfig (start menu, type msconfig then hit enter when it appears) go to the boot tab and see what it says there.

 

I would hazard it will have two entries for Windows and each time you boot it it really just asking, what would you like me to do now or I default to this selection.

 

Hope that makes sense and helps

 

Ed

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post-173266-0-45982500-1424637566.png

"Windows 7 (C:\Windows): current operating system; predefined SO(?)"

"Windows 7 (D:\Windows)"

 

If I choose the second one (I tried today) it begins to boot, gets stuck and restarts everything.

However in order to get to this menu I have to boot from the HDD and thats the problem because I have to move it out as soon as possible and I don't wan't to reinstall win7 on the SSD

post-173266-0-45982500-1424637566.png

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everytime I switch it on I have to manually select the HDD as boot-device

Every other option brings me to the same error screen

post-173266-0-72008100-1424638908_thumb.post-173266-0-10537400-1424638950_thumb.

post-173266-0-72008100-1424638908_thumb.

post-173266-0-10537400-1424638950_thumb.

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It already happened to me when I installed Windows 7 with a USB HDD. It couldn't boot without the HDD because bootmgr was there. Look if yours is on your HDD or on your SSD. To do that go in folder options and unckeck hide operating system protected files. It will allow you to see your bootmgr file. You can use EasyBCD to try to repair it.

-> Also you can make a screenshot of your disk managment : your SSD shoud have 3 partitions : a backup partition (~300MB), a System partition (100MB) and your files.

http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/4260182476

CPU - Intel 3770k @ 4.5GHz + CM 212 EVO + Noctua NF-F12/ GPU - EVGA GTX 780 SC w/ ACX / PSU - Corsair AX860i / Motherboard - Z77A-GD55 / 16GB Corsair Vengeance RAM / HDD - 1.5TB WDC Black - 3.0TB WDC Red - 120GB Sandisk Extreme - 500GB Samsung 850 / Display - Asus PB287Q 4K and Asus VG248 + 3D Vision 2 glasses / Mouse - G500s 

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I had the same issue when I built my own RIG. I had an SSD and HDD plugged in, and even if I did chose the SSD for the installation I ended up having 100MB "system reserved" on the HDD... No way to boot without the HDD, and no way to move that partition into the SSD. So I unplugged the HDD and did a clean installation of Windows 7. And I deleted the partition of the HDD. As far as I know it's the only way to solve this issue :/.

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/8LqXcf

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No I'm quote sure you don't need to reinstall. I don't remember how to do it but you can do it with diskpart I believe.

http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/4260182476

CPU - Intel 3770k @ 4.5GHz + CM 212 EVO + Noctua NF-F12/ GPU - EVGA GTX 780 SC w/ ACX / PSU - Corsair AX860i / Motherboard - Z77A-GD55 / 16GB Corsair Vengeance RAM / HDD - 1.5TB WDC Black - 3.0TB WDC Red - 120GB Sandisk Extreme - 500GB Samsung 850 / Display - Asus PB287Q 4K and Asus VG248 + 3D Vision 2 glasses / Mouse - G500s 

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It already happened to me when I installed Windows 7 with a USB HDD. It couldn't boot without the HDD because bootmgr was there. Look if yours is on your HDD or on your SSD. To do that go in folder options and unckeck hide operating system protected files. It will allow you to see your bootmgr file. You can use EasyBCD to try to repair it.

-> Also you can make a screenshot of your disk managment : your SSD shoud have 3 partitions : a backup partition (~300MB), a System partition (100MB) and your files.

I've searched *bootmgr*.* and found 144 files on the C: drive and 146 on the D: drive (the HDD with win7)

Now wich one is the one I'm searching for?

post-173266-0-90760200-1424717667_thumb.

(Partizione = partition; primaria = primary; avvio = start up; ripristino = recovery; integro = intact(?); attivo = active; sistema = system)

Am I right if I assume that the 100MB on the 1TB HDD are the cause of this trouble?

Should I create the partitions you mentioned?

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unplug your hdd, insert your windows installation dvd and click repair, that should do it.

 

And searching bootmgr wont work, its a file only named bootmgr and at the root of your drive and hidden so not indexed.

Anyway the problem is that the system partition should be on your SSD! 

http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/4260182476

CPU - Intel 3770k @ 4.5GHz + CM 212 EVO + Noctua NF-F12/ GPU - EVGA GTX 780 SC w/ ACX / PSU - Corsair AX860i / Motherboard - Z77A-GD55 / 16GB Corsair Vengeance RAM / HDD - 1.5TB WDC Black - 3.0TB WDC Red - 120GB Sandisk Extreme - 500GB Samsung 850 / Display - Asus PB287Q 4K and Asus VG248 + 3D Vision 2 glasses / Mouse - G500s 

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unplug your hdd, insert your windows installation dvd and click repair, that should do it.

 

And searching bootmgr wont work, its a file only named bootmgr and at the root of your drive and hidden so not indexed.

Anyway the problem is that the system partition should be on your SSD! 

Ok so I'll download the win7 iso and put it on a usb drive, unplugg the HDD(should I unplugg also the 2TB HDD? I'll do it in order to be able to boot win7 only from the ssd) and click repair and then everything should work?. :)

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Do I have to use a Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit Italian bootable usb-device in order to repair the installation or can I just use any kind and language of win7 64-Bit?

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Now I have created the bootable device with the old ISO (that I've luckily found on the HDD; the link that I used didn't work anymore), and tomorrow then I'm going to repair Windows

I'll keep you updated

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EasyBCD.

Install it then use it to copy bootmgr onto your SSD.

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format that D disk it still thinks that it should be booting up on that.

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Summer Glau: Quote's The future is worth fighting for. Serenity

 

My linux setup: CPU: I7 2600K @4.5Ghz, MM: Corsair 16GB vengeance @1600Mhz, GPU: 2 Way Radeon his iceq x2 7970, MB: Asus sabertooth Z77, PSU: Corsair 750 plus Gold modular

 

My gaming setup: CPU: I7 3770K @4.7Ghz, MM: Corsair 32GB vengeance @1600Mhz, GPU: 2 Way Gigabyte RX580 8GB, MB: Asus sabertooth Z77, PSU: Corsair 860i Platinum modular

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EasyBCD.

Install it then use it to copy bootmgr onto your SSD.

 

I mentionned it before but bootmgr is not the only problem. The system partition needs to be created and I not sure easybcd can do that. 

Using the repair function of Windows installer shoud do the trick. 

Ok so I'll download the win7 iso and put it on a usb drive, unplugg the HDD(should I unplugg also the 2TB HDD? I'll do it in order to be able to boot win7 only from the ssd) and click repair and then everything should work?. :)

Yes leave only your SSD plugged in it's safer. The repair tool should take care of booting problems (create the partition, create bootmgr...).

If not then I guess you'll have to manually create it by booting on the installer in order to launch CMD and use diskpart. (you can't do that in windows, the drive needs not be unmounted). 

http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/4260182476

CPU - Intel 3770k @ 4.5GHz + CM 212 EVO + Noctua NF-F12/ GPU - EVGA GTX 780 SC w/ ACX / PSU - Corsair AX860i / Motherboard - Z77A-GD55 / 16GB Corsair Vengeance RAM / HDD - 1.5TB WDC Black - 3.0TB WDC Red - 120GB Sandisk Extreme - 500GB Samsung 850 / Display - Asus PB287Q 4K and Asus VG248 + 3D Vision 2 glasses / Mouse - G500s 

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format that D disk it still thinks that it should be booting up on that.

I can't format it because I need it for my old computer

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I can't format it because I need it for my old computer

 

unplug the disk!

EOC folding stats - Folding stats - My web folding page stats

 

Summer Glau: Quote's The future is worth fighting for. Serenity

 

My linux setup: CPU: I7 2600K @4.5Ghz, MM: Corsair 16GB vengeance @1600Mhz, GPU: 2 Way Radeon his iceq x2 7970, MB: Asus sabertooth Z77, PSU: Corsair 750 plus Gold modular

 

My gaming setup: CPU: I7 3770K @4.7Ghz, MM: Corsair 32GB vengeance @1600Mhz, GPU: 2 Way Gigabyte RX580 8GB, MB: Asus sabertooth Z77, PSU: Corsair 860i Platinum modular

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unplug the disk!

If I do that I can't boot windows (disk read error)

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I messed around a little bit with easyBCD and Windows installation and I was able to finnaly be able to boot from the SSD or nearly... I get to the boot manager and than...

post-173266-0-60452500-1424810515_thumb.

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I got into the setup and klicked repair. The software was able to detect the Error, but unable to fix it...

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ok that means you have to restore the MBR master boot record!

 

Keep the D drive unpluged

 

The instructions are:

  1. Boot from the Windows 7 installation DVD
  2. At the “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD…”, press any key to boot from the DVD
  3. Select a language
  4. Select a keyboard layout
  5. Click Next
  6. Select the operating system and click Next. The “Use recovery tools that can help fix problems starting Windows” must be checked when you select the operating system.
  7. At the System Recovery Options screen, click on Command Prompt
    windows-7-system-recovery-options-screen

    Windows 7 System Recovery Options Screen

  8. When Command Prompt successfully loads, type this command: 
    bootrec /rebuildbcd
  9. Press Enter
  10. Type the next command: 
    bootrec /fixmbr
  11. Press Enter
  12. Type the next command: 
    bootrec /fixboot

Then reboot!

EOC folding stats - Folding stats - My web folding page stats

 

Summer Glau: Quote's The future is worth fighting for. Serenity

 

My linux setup: CPU: I7 2600K @4.5Ghz, MM: Corsair 16GB vengeance @1600Mhz, GPU: 2 Way Radeon his iceq x2 7970, MB: Asus sabertooth Z77, PSU: Corsair 750 plus Gold modular

 

My gaming setup: CPU: I7 3770K @4.7Ghz, MM: Corsair 32GB vengeance @1600Mhz, GPU: 2 Way Gigabyte RX580 8GB, MB: Asus sabertooth Z77, PSU: Corsair 860i Platinum modular

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I tried this method and I noticed in the menu, where you have to select the cmd, there's written: "Operating System: Unknown on (unknown) local disc". (I've got only the ssd plugged in).

when I type the first command it tells me that it has found one entry (D:\Windows) and it asks me if I want to add that entry to the boot manager menu. Then if I have chosen a error shows up "Unable to find the system required device" or "Can not find the device system required"(This one is copied directly from google translator... Original:"Impossibile trovare il dispositivo di sistema richiesto")

the other commands work

post-173266-0-58508100-1424896720_thumb.post-173266-0-27255900-1424896764_thumb.post-173266-0-80136500-1424896800_thumb.

probably it doesn't work due to the problem that caused the before mentioned error :(

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