"BOOT DISK ERROR: INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER"

[ron3090]

Hello! I have been having a bit of trouble with windows 7 lately, namely that it won't start up right. When I boot from the drive normally, it gives me the classic "BOOT DISK ERROR: INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER" message. However, I soon discovered that if I boot from the Windows 7 cd and do not boot from it (By ignoring the "Press a key to boot from CD or DVD..." Windows 7 boots up fine.
I've tweaked my BIOS over and over, but the same problem persists. The drive is brand new and fine. What can I do?

 

[aford10]

Use the repair tools to rebuild your boot files.

Try using the bootrec /fixboot command.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392

 

[The_Prophecy]

Set the hard drive as the first boot device in the BIOS if you have not already done so.

 

[ron3090]

I tried the Repair thing, but it doesn't detect my installation. It asks for some drivers for my hard drive, but I don't know where to find them. It's a Samsung HD502HJ SATA drive.

 

[aford10]

Try using the /ScanOs command to try and find your install.

 

[ron3090]

To use a command, I need to find my install in the first place. Windows tells me to select an installation, and mine does not show up.

 

[aford10]

You shouldn't need any 3rd party drivers. Make sure your type of drive is enabled in the BIOS (SATA or IDE).

 

[The_Prophecy]

If the hard drive controller is set to RAID mode in the BIOS, you will need to feed it your RAID drivers first.

 

[ron3090]

I'm not sure I understand. Aford, you say that my drive needs to be enabled in the BIOS. Yet, if I can boot into 7, isn't it already?
The_Prophecy, I don't think my hard drive is RAID. But I'll check if it's set in RAID mode.

 

[ron3090]

By the way, I have an Abit NF-M2SV board.

 

[The_Prophecy]

I'm not sure I understand. Aford, you say that my drive needs to be enabled in the BIOS. Yet, if I can boot into 7, isn't it already?
The_Prophecy, I don't think my hard drive is RAID. But I'll check if it's set in RAID mode.

Booting from a CD or DVD in the optical drive can occur no matter what the drive controller mode is set to. If the controller is set to IDE (or Legacy - terms interchangeable in this case) mode, the drivers are already included on the Windows install disk, and thus you can see any hard drives attached to the system without having to do anything. As soon as you set the controller mode to AHCI or RAID, a different driver is required for Windows setup to see any hard drives attached to that controller. Quite often, the AHCI/RAID driver is not included on the Windows setup disk. This changed with Windows 7, as many RAID drivers were included to make setting up the operating system easier for the end user. Given that fact... many RAID drivers were included, but not all of them were.

 

[ron3090]

I know this is an old topic, but this is really getting annoying.
I remembered that the trouble started when I tried to add my Windows XP installation to the Windows 7 boot menu, follwing http://www.kombitz.com/2009/01/13/how-to-add-windows-xp-to-windows-7-boot-manager/
Can I undo that? If not, I read somewhere that I need a "boot" folder on my 7 partition, and there is not one. The DVD, however, does have a boot folder. Can I copy that to the 7 partition?