PC boots from secondary HDD; no BIOS option to automatically boot from C:

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DAVE1001

Honorable
Aug 10, 2013
7
0
10,510
Setup:
Running windows 8 on an HP Envy laptop.

C:\ newly installed SSD for OS and apps
D:\ original HDD
F:\ recovery partition on old HDD

Issue:
If the old HDD is connected, the system will always try to boot anything on that first. I formatted D: but now it boots recovery F: on startup.

What I've Tried:
I can manually boot the right disk each time from "boot options." However under "boot order" it will let me pick Hard Disk first ("OS boot manager" I think), but it will not let me pick which one.
Screenshot of BIOS
Screenshot of MSConfig

I swapped the physical locations of the drives on the mobo (so SSD plugged in to "HDD 2"), and it booted normally just once.

Is there anything else I can try to get my PC to boot this drive automatically?
 
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Chicano

Chicano

Judicious
Aug 29, 2011
5,071
29
35,490
1. The BIOS should have another option where you can move the SSD up to set it as the main hard drive.
2. Or try resetting the BIOS to defaults.
3. A third option that should work is repairing the boot loader with the installation disc. Click the link for instructions.

How to Manually Repair Windows 7 Boot Loader Problems
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/32523/how-to-manually-repair-windows-7-boot-loader-problems/
 
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DAVE1001

Honorable
Aug 10, 2013
7
0
10,510

1) Did you not look at my BIOS screenshot? I don't see another option.
2) Tried, nothing changed.
3) Tried, now I don't even get the recovery option. This is what I get on Power On: Boot Error
 
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DAVE1001

Honorable
Aug 10, 2013
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0
10,510


I do not have bootable media, only the recovery partition. If I unplug any HDD, what exactly would I be repairing?
 
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DAVE1001

Honorable
Aug 10, 2013
7
0
10,510
Borrowing a windows 8 disc isn't realistic right now. In any case, what exactly should I be doing when I "try to repair"? I still have access to the windows recovery options on the HDD partition, and there are many options. Do you mean to try system restore? I've disabled saving restore points as is recommended with SSDs. Or fresh installation? Automatic repair is of no help unfortunately. Would this be any different if I used a win 8 disc as you recommend?

The only issue I came here with was getting the right disk to boot first, and to be clear now I can't boot anything after using Chicano's advice. At this point I don't know any other solution than starting from scratch, which would would take many hours of work just to get back to square one of this thread.

P.S. I can enable Legacy, but I can't disable UEFI. Isn't that what's used to boot Win 8? Thanks for all your help so far, I apologize if any of this came off as rude. This is really frustrating for me.
 
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lonewolf7

lonewolf7

Splendid
May 6, 2013
5,113
2
24,965
Look as far as I understand that you cant boot up to windows right ? And you do not have any bootable media on hand right now. Windows recovery partition will not help you with anything right now. So either you have to do a fresh install of OS or try to make a rescue disk from borrowing some win 8 bootable dvd/usb and try to repair the installation. Now its upto you what seems realistic to you.
 
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DAVE1001

Honorable
Aug 10, 2013
7
0
10,510

I re-installed the OS on the HDD, created a WIN 8 repair disc (the tutorial you linked wasn't useful for Windows 8), used auto repair with the HDD unplugged, and now I can boot the SSD again. So I'm back to square one...
 
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