SATA salad - cable crisis

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Apolllo

Prominent
Aug 2, 2017
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[Warning: computer klutz alert - please bear with the dumbness, or use it for comedy purposes]

After a crash (that I think was due to me fiddling with and corrupting the Win 10 registry), I installed a new SSD as my new C drive (using my Win 7 installation disc). I then messed with all the SATA cables, which caused a new crisis.

But I got that sorted out.

I now have the computer successfully booting from the SSD - the new C drive (though it tries to do a never-ending disc check on the old drive every time I boot up). Originally, to get it to do this successfully, I somehow (?) set it up on dual boot, with one OS being the SSD and one OS being the old (Win 10), corrupted system. Then I changed the boot sequence so that it just boots directly into Win 7 (i.e. the new OS on the SSD). So far, so good.

So I then planned to get rid of the corrupted system by formatting that disc (so I could reclaim that storage space). Just before doing this, I did a check - would the computer boot without that (old, corrupted, Win 10) OS installed? So I removed the SATA cable and rebooted and found that the BIOS keeps repeating this:

<Reboot and select a proper device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press a key>

Does this mean that, if I go ahead and format the old (Win 10) disc, I'll just get stuck with that message? Is there any way of getting rid of that old primary partition (as I now have a new, seemingly fully-functioning, independent OS)?
 
Solution
popatim
It means that you installed 7 onto the SSD while the HDD was also installed and boot files were written to the SSD. Windows is annoying in this respect.
There are two ways, IIRC, to remedy this. EasyBCD can relocate the startup files to the SSD or you can disconnect the HDD and run startup repair (from the install disk) a few times (usually takes 2 or 3 times to fix this)
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popatim

popatim

Titan
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Dec 2, 2009
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It means that you installed 7 onto the SSD while the HDD was also installed and boot files were written to the SSD. Windows is annoying in this respect.
There are two ways, IIRC, to remedy this. EasyBCD can relocate the startup files to the SSD or you can disconnect the HDD and run startup repair (from the install disk) a few times (usually takes 2 or 3 times to fix this)
 
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Solution
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Apolllo

Prominent
Aug 2, 2017
8
0
510
Hi popatim.

Thanks for your reply.

I disconnected the HDD and ran Startup Repair (from the install disk) several times. Each time, it would say:

<Root cause found: the partition table does not have a valid System Partition.
Repair Action: Partition table repair
Result: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0>

Despite it saying that the repair was successful, it still wouldn't boot up without the HDD (original C drive) connected.

From EasyBCD 'View settings,' I got this:

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {9dea862c-5cdd-4e70-acc1-f32b344d4795}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume1
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {7ea2e1ac-2e61-4728-aaa3-896d9d0a9f0e}
default {7531c60b-7704-11e7-8ddd-80e4082011e2}
resumeobject {7531c60a-7704-11e7-8ddd-80e4082011e2}
displayorder {7531c60b-7704-11e7-8ddd-80e4082011e2}
toolsdisplayorder {b2721d73-1db4-4c62-bf78-c548a880142d}
timeout 30

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {7531c60b-7704-11e7-8ddd-80e4082011e2}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 7
locale en-US
inherit {6efb52bf-1766-41db-a6b3-0ee5eff72bd7}
recoverysequence {7531c60c-7704-11e7-8ddd-80e4082011e2}
recoveryenabled Yes
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {7531c60a-7704-11e7-8ddd-80e4082011e2}
nx OptIn

Not too sure where to take it from here.
 
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ArtPog

Admirable
Sep 17, 2014
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I realize at this time that with popatiim's help you may have totally resolved the issues you raised so that your system (presumably with the Win 7 OS) may be properly functioning to your general satisfaction so that you do not wish to pursue any further OS changes at this point. Be that as it may I would like to raise the following points for your consideration...

1. Are you really wedded to the Win 7 OS? Could you not see your system's OS as Win 10 at this point-in-time?

2. Even with the minor "quirks" of Win 10 (as some users find), that OS is decidedly superior to the Win 7 OS in so many ways. And we must face reality that the Win 7 OS relentlessly continues to be less & less supported by MS & an increasing segment of the PC industry/community. There's really no turning back.

3. Unless there are specific programs/applications that you utilize that absolutely require a Win 7 OS, give serious thought to installing the Win 10 OS. Yes, there will be a learning curve after you've done so but I can virtually guarantee it's something you can easily live with.

4. Should you go that route it will mean a fresh-install of the Win 10 OS on your SSD. In itself not an onerous task. But it will mean the reinstall of most - perhaps all - of your programs currently on your other drive (HDD?) that will serve as your secondary drive. And the Win 7 OS will soon become a distant memory - as it should.

At least give this some thought.
 
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A

Apolllo

Prominent
Aug 2, 2017
8
0
510
Popatim: I've been really busy and my computer has been fully functional, so I haven't gotten round to dealing with the issue over the last month.

But it's all fixed now, and the solution was pretty easy.

I booted up, disconnected the old HD (with the Win 10 partition), opened EasyBCD then chose BCD Backup/Repair > Change boot drive.

I selected the SSD (C: drive) as "New boot drive" and hit OK.

And there it was - the computer is now able to boot up from the SSD without the old boot drive connected (which I can now reformat).

From here, I'll upgrade again to Win 10. (No, ArtPog, I'm not wedded to Win 7).

Thanks for putting me onto EasyBCD!
 
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