Installed Win7 to SSD, pulled old OS drive, now can't boot to SSD

Ouze

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Oct 9, 2012
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Ok, that was a very confusing topic. Let me try and explain it better.

I had Windows7 installed on a Velociraptor long ago. No problems.

I decided to get an SSD, so I got a Samsung 830 about a month ago. I did a fresh install of W7 onto that. I noticed instead of booting directly into it, I get the windows boot manager asking me which OS I want to use, and the SSD is the second option. I shrug, change it in windows to point to the SSD install and forget it.

So, today I decide the SSD is solid and I'm going to pull the Velociraptor for something else. I do so. Now I can't boot to the SSD.

1.) I have a 680i SLI, which has no AHCI support
2.) The bios sees the SSD as a drive, SATA3
3.) I changed the boot priority, it just skips it like it wasn't there
4.) I tried turning RAID on and off for that sata port, no difference.
5.) I tried win7 startup repair. It does not fix it. When I hit the button to look for drivers, when I browse I do see the SSD from within that.

Kinda stuck at this point, and would appreciate help.
 

Ouze

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When I installed Win7 on the SSD, both drives were connected. When I tried the repair, only the SSD was present.

Is there any way to fix this without reinstalling windows?

thanks for the swift replies!
 

Ouze

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Ok, so here's where I am.

I burned a copy of Hirens and tried that. No luck... truthfully I'm not sure what option I want. There are several mbr related ones, and the ones I did try, no joy.

I used a my repair disc to bring up a command prompt. OK

I tried bootrec /fix MBR. OK.

I tried bootrec /fixboot. I got "element not found".

I tried bootrec /rebuildBCD. It asked me which partition, and it located the correct one. I said yes, and got "element not found".

At this point I just plugged the damn velociraptor back in. I booted into windows and grabbed visual BCD Editor. I decided I'm not really sure what I'm doing here and decided to ask for help, then play some borderlands 2, then go to sleep (I work nights). So, thanks again for the advice, and I'll get back to it when I get off work tomorrow morning.
 

djscribbles

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How difficult would it be for you to backup your files to the HDD, disconnect the HDD, and clean install windows to the SSD?

A bit of a pain, but it will fix your problem. Once it's done, you can plug your HDD back in, as long as your SSD is first in boot order, to use as storage.
 

game junky

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It wrote master boot records to both drives - best and cleanest way to resolve would be to re-install Win7. I know, it sucks having to redo that work but you'll thank yourself in the long run.
 

Ouze

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I thought about this. There is a third drive that has my games installed on it. Lots of free space. The problem is that when I run the Windows Backup tool to create a system image, it shows both the SSD and the Velociraptor, both are checked, and neither can be unchecked. I think I might be just migrating my problem over by doing that.

I'm not entirely averse to reinstalling Windows, mind you, I'd just prefer not to have to spend, however long, 2 or 3 hours? reinstalling stuff when I might just need to type a few commands in a prompt to, or a few clicks in this visual BCD editor tool, to fix it. If I can't get a quick fix by this weekend that's what I'll go with though.


Thank you again.
 

jemm

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I also have a Samsung 830 -- I have disconnected the Sata and power cable from the HDD, then I made a flesh OS install, then I reconnected the Sata and power cable into the HDD -- done!

Just make sure that before the installation you get into the Bios, then go to Integrated Peripherals and set PHC SATA Control Mode to AHCI. Then go to ´set the hard disk priority´, and set 1st Drive as the SSD. Then intall the OS. Once it is installed, just reconnect the HDD.

Another cool thing to do is to install the Samsung SSD Magician software -- it will do all the tweaks you need afterwards.

 

Ouze

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I wound up reinstalling windows to fix this. It was just faster then screwing with the other options; although if I knew how to use BCDedit I think I might have fixed it that way instead. Ah well.

Thank you all again for your advice, it was very helpful!