Windows 7 installation relying on 2 disks

Freeman

Freeman

Freeman

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24 Jul 2004
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I installed Windows 7 on to my second 1.5TB hard drive, this left my original Vista installation in tact so I could transfer everything across from that drive & then format it when done.

However, today I realised that Windows 7 is relying on the second disk to boot. If I take the second disk out it won't boot at all.

So, basically I need to install the MBR and boot info onto the drive that has Windows 7 so it doesn't require the second drive to boot anymore.

Is there any easy way to do this, maybe with EasyBCD? I've looked through EasyBCD but am unsure which option will install the MBR/boot information onto my main drive.

Thanks.
 
Boot from the Win7 disk with only the second disk in, and run the system repair whatsit.
Should fix things up :)

-Leezer-
 
leezer3 said:
Boot from the Win7 disk with only the second disk in, and run the system repair whatsit.
Should fix things up :)

-Leezer-
Click to expand...

I've tried that, but unfortunately when I boot from the Win 7 CD with only the Windows 7 hard drive plugged in the setup doesn't pick up my installation.

The installation is only picked up when I have both the Vista and Windows 7 hard drives plugged in.
 
i had the same problem this weekend. in the end i just ripped all my HD out except the one i was installing on and did the install that way. Then i just plugged the rest of the HD's in after the install was complete. caused me some right headaches. This was all done from fresh installs as well not repairs.

not sure if there is a cleaner way of doing it?
 
^^
Edit beaten to the response.

If you don't want Dualboot you should always remove additional drives when installing.

You can then add dualboot later using boot software

If you have just installed it it would probably be quicker just to remove the vista HDD and reinstall Win 7
 
I think you have to mark the other hard disk as active. At worst all you'd need to do is run the repair option.
 
I installed windows 7 on a new HDD, keeping my vista installation on my old HDD and had the same situation. If you go into Computer Management and see the Disk Management options you will probably see that the partition with the vista installation has the 'system' flag (as well as Active, Primary etc), this is what I had, and this is how I sorted it (making the HDD with windows 7 as the system partition):

boot into windows 7
In Disk Management set the windows 7 partition to Active (right click it for menu, choose Mark partition as active, the vista partition on the other drive will also remain as Active too)
Open windows explorer, and make sure that Hide protected operating system files is unticked (Organize -> Folder Options -> view tab)
in windows explorer go to the drive where vista is installed
copy the Boot folder and bootmgr file to the root of your windows 7 drive
reboot and go into the BIOS
change your HDD boot drive to your windows 7 hard drive
save and exit
if windows 7 boots up fine then great! go to Disk Management again and make sure the windows 7 partition is now has the 'system' flag

if you still cant boot (I couldn't), then boot from your windows 7 disk
after a long time of loading (grrr) the windows 7 setup screen will appear
choose your language options
select the REPAIR option
installed operating systems should now be found (windows 7 and vista)
select windows 7
I forget the name of the option to select, pretty sure it is the top option, something like repair start up, or repair boot
let it do its thing, then you will be prompted to restart
if windows boots up then great
if not you may have to run the repair boot facility again

if you end up in a situation where you cant boot (i.e. this hasnt worked), go into your bios and change the HDD boot drive back to the vista drive and you should at least be back where you started.
 
davethe11 said:
don't worry, i've got a good helping of the lazy gene! just had some time today and my windows 7 install is still fresh in my head :)
Click to expand...

I wish I could give you some points or something like experts exchange do, you have solved my problem! I let windows do it's repair and everything is sorted now. Thank you! I can finally backup again on to my other HD :)
 
davethe11 said:
I installed windows 7 on a new HDD, keeping my vista installation on my old HDD and had the same situation. If you go into Computer Management and see the Disk Management options you will probably see that the partition with the vista installation has the 'system' flag (as well as Active, Primary etc), this is what I had, and this is how I sorted it (making the HDD with windows 7 as the system partition):

boot into windows 7
In Disk Management set the windows 7 partition to Active (right click it for menu, choose Mark partition as active, the vista partition on the other drive will also remain as Active too)
Open windows explorer, and make sure that Hide protected operating system files is unticked (Organize -> Folder Options -> view tab)
in windows explorer go to the drive where vista is installed
copy the Boot folder and bootmgr file to the root of your windows 7 drive
reboot and go into the BIOS
change your HDD boot drive to your windows 7 hard drive
save and exit
if windows 7 boots up fine then great! go to Disk Management again and make sure the windows 7 partition is now has the 'system' flag

if you still cant boot (I couldn't), then boot from your windows 7 disk
after a long time of loading (grrr) the windows 7 setup screen will appear
choose your language options
select the REPAIR option
installed operating systems should now be found (windows 7 and vista)
select windows 7
I forget the name of the option to select, pretty sure it is the top option, something like repair start up, or repair boot
let it do its thing, then you will be prompted to restart
if windows boots up then great
if not you may have to run the repair boot facility again

if you end up in a situation where you cant boot (i.e. this hasnt worked), go into your bios and change the HDD boot drive back to the vista drive and you should at least be back where you started.
Click to expand...

Hey im stuck on finding the boot folder in my windows xp drive where should i be looking?
 
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