Win OS / MSI Motherboard wont restart (shut down power on ok)

[bombdefused]

Hi,

I'm running windows 7 x64 on an MSI P67A-GD53 motherboard.

I've just installed a second instance of windows 7 x64 on a separate disk (this is to keep my games separate from my work OS).

The problem is that it appears now that I cannot restart from either instance of Windows 7. The shut down command, and sleep commands work as expected. When I try to restart, the shutdown happens but the system never reboots. Everything remains powered on, until I hold down the power button to force the power off.

I'm sure this has only started since I installed the second OS, and am assuming this has something to do with the motherboard needing to know which OS to run up again?

Changing the boot order of the disks in the BIOS does not change anything.

Any suggestions greatfully recieved!

P.S - the case is an Antec P280 Super Midi Tower if that is relevant.

 

[sharkbyte5150]

First, let's try to get you back to at least one working OS.
Shut down computer and disconnect secondary drive and set the original to first boot device in BIOS and start up.

FIRST...see if your boot.ini file looks something like this

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="GAMES" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="WORK" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

Which clearly shows two different DRIVES (rdisk0, rdisk1) with windows on both, and you should be getting a screen upon startup asking which OS to load. If the boot.ini file doesn't look like that, change it so it does. I think C: drive label is what this will pull from for "WORK" or "GAMES" so change "C" drive label accordingly so it matches up.

Once you can do that, try to "slave" the extra drive with a connector kit and format it, then insert the Windows 7 disc (will need separate Product Key so Windows Activation doesn't flag your install) and when it gets the screen where it asks where you want to install, choose that drive, create a new partition (label it GAMES like in the boot.ini file) on that drive and install it there. Once install is complete, reboot and see if you get that splash screen asking which to load.

Windows does have separate User Accounts to basically achieve the same purpose, and if one becomes a problem you delete that user account.