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Removed laptop HDD to transfer files to new PC now Laptop wont boot with that drive connected

Tags:
  • Laptops
  • Desktops
  • Storage
  • Hard Drives
Last response: in Storage
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February 9, 2014 3:05:10 PM

I just built a new desktop computer with windows 8.1 and I wanted to transfer a rather large amount of files to the desktop HDD. I removed the HDD from my laptop, and plugged it into the SATA power and data on my MOBO. After I transferred all of the files I plugged it back into my laptop, but it would not boot windows. All of the fans come on and it posts fine, but I can not even get into the BIOS. The operating system is on an SSD in the laptop, so I removed the HDD and the laptop boots up as normal. If I plug the drive back into the desktop it works fine.

Note that my laptop is running windows 7, is this some type of security that was added to the drive by windows 8? How can I fix this problem? Thanks in advance

More about : removed laptop hdd transfer files laptop wont boot drive connected

a b D Laptop
a b G Storage
February 9, 2014 3:15:33 PM

You say that you can't get into BIOS after the laptop POSTs. What exactly happens after POST?
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February 9, 2014 3:31:22 PM

The screen goes black. Pressing f2 does not go to BIOS like normal. If I remove the HDD I can get into bios and windows starts up as usual.
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a b D Laptop
a c 106 G Storage
February 9, 2014 3:46:46 PM

is the SSD a 2.5 inch drive or is a mSATA drive? If its a normal 2.5 inch drive try swapping where the HDD and the SSD are and see if it boots?

Plugging it into the Desktop shouldn't have done anything to the hard drive but for what ever reason the laptop doesn't like it anymore.

Also try unplugging all power. Remove the Battery, hold down the power button for a few seconds and then let it set for like 30 minutes. Then just plug back in the AC only and try booting up and see if it lets you back in.
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February 9, 2014 3:53:32 PM

the SSD is a 2.5 inch drive. I will try to swap the drives and see what happens. Thanks for the input
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February 9, 2014 4:40:02 PM

Switching the drives did not fix the problem, however I can access the BIOS now. The problem is not the drive bay as I can boot from the SSD in that bay when the other bay is empty. In the BIOS I can see both drives. I will see if any changes in the BIOS helps.

Also when I first booted with the drives in opposite bays I got an error message telling me to insert the windows CD and choose repair because of a recent software or hardware change. I am guessing this is because the boot drive is not in the place the computer thinks it should be. I did a boot override to the SSD in the bios and got a black screen as before.

when the HDD is in and the screen is black i can feel the HDD spinning and the HDD light is on. The drive is also very warm when I remove it.
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a b D Laptop
a c 106 G Storage
February 9, 2014 5:52:38 PM

yea try the repair. sometimes there is boot info saved on the other disk. This is why i always tell everyone to install windows with only ONE hard drive installed but this probably came preinstalled with both drives. Try a startup repair. see if that does the trick
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February 9, 2014 7:48:21 PM

There should be no boot info on the HDD, I bought the SSD after market when I got this laptop and installed the OS with only the SSD installed as I have heard of that happening. Also the system boots when the HDD is not installed so I don't think it has anything to do with OS files. In addition, the drive still works on my desktop even though the drive originally came out of the laptop. Does windows 8 encrypt drives to prevent people from stealing your information? The best I can come up with is that it is some sort of incompatibility issue between Win 7 and win 8.
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a b D Laptop
a c 106 G Storage
February 10, 2014 5:23:03 PM

Only if you have i think Ultimate can you use Bitlocker. well thats for windows 7 at least not sure about window 8 since i have hardly used it at all. But it shouldn't do it unless you tell it to.

So the question is did you try the startup repair? also if that still doesn't work and if all you have are files on the second hard drive maybe back everything up to the desktop, then delete the partition in Disk management and try booting with it in there with no partition? If it then startups up great. Could have been something windows did to the drive. then just yank it back out and copy everything back off and see if it boots?

Also have you tried loading the boot menu and manually selecting the SSD with the HDD installed?
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February 10, 2014 8:38:16 PM

I didn't have time to work on it today, but I do not think running the repair will do anything as I am certain there are no OS files on the drive. I am thinking I am going to have to back it up and reformat the drive. I just wish I knew what caused the issue in the first place.
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a b D Laptop
a c 106 G Storage
February 11, 2014 9:36:14 AM

I'd let it run anyways. You never know. I've had stupid issues with windows in the past and just letting it do a startup repair fixed the issue.
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