Vista Book Problems

[thebatfink]

Hi,

I'm hoping someone with better knowledge than myself can help me with this problem because I'm completely stuck.

Basically the problem has arrisen because I have a new hard drive I want to put in my system.. Here is my configuration -

Abit F-I90HD motherboard

1 x SATA Blu-ray drive

2 x 500GB SATA HDD's

Windows Vista (Fully updated)

Ok!!

I have 2 HDD's both 500GB both SATA and just put the 3rd HDD in now. This is how they are formatted:

Disk 0: C: 60 GB / E: 400GB

Disk 1: F: 931GB (This is the newly added HDD)

Disk 2: D: 460GB

Ok, on my PC the C drive has the windows installation, D and E are just for storage. Now I have added the new disk and formatted it (it got the drive letter F) and it works fine. My problem is this -

I only have space for 2 HDD's, being as the two were getting very full, I decided to remove Disk 2 (1 partition, all for storage) and replace it with a 1TB drive. However when I remove this drive, Vista will no longer boot!!!

I have noticed this in the Disk Management App -

Volume C is listed as - Healthy (Boot, Page File, Active, Crash Dump, Primary Partition)

Volume D is listed as - Healthy (System, Active, Primary Partition)

Volume E is listed as - Healthy (Primary Partition)

Volume F is listed as - Healthy (Primary Partition)

Volume D (Disk 2) is the one I'm trying to remove. It wasn;t used for installing Vista onto (far as I remember) and my Vista / Windows folder is on Volume C (Disk 0).. I'm assuming as its listed as "System" this is why I can't remove it without upsetting Vista..

So my question is, how the hell did my secondary drive become a system drive yet not contain the Windows System folder?? And what do I need to do to beable to remove this HDD (Disk 2 / Volume D).

Any help would be greatly appreciated. If I havent explained this well, please ask and I will do my best to get you the information. I'm really stuck here

Thanks!

Batfink

[exile360]

Greetings thebatfink

I've had this issue before, it's a fairly common problem. Basically what Vista has done is put the actual files needed to boot the system on the D: drive. You'll have to move them manually to your C: drive or use a program like EasyBCD.

For detailed instructions on how to correct the issue please read here

Honestly, when I had the issue I simply used a WinPE disk and booted from it then cut/pasted the boot files/folders for the OS from my D: drive to my C: drive and thankfully it worked, however I'd still recommend that you look at the other info I provided unless you really know what you're doing.

If you want help from some folks that specialize in this sort of issue then have a look at the NeoSmart Forums

If there's anything else I can do please let me know.

[exile360]

A quick update, I found an easier way: disconnect the D: drive (the one you already removed) and boot from your Vista disc and do a repair via the Vista disc (it has an option for fixing boot errors). In fact, you might want to disconnect all the HDD's besides the one with Vista on it just to be sure.

[thebatfink]

Thanks for the help Excile, I have downloaded EasyBCD but I'm unsure what to do with it. I'll take the question over to Nesmarts forums.

Thanks again

Batfink

[thebatfink]

Ok, regarding your update - I have read this also, my problem is the keyboard I use is via a bluetooth dongle / usb (logitech Dinovo Edge) and I cant make it book from CD on the prompt!!! The keyboard works for getting into the bios but after it posts the keyboard doesn't work again until windows loads :/

[exile360]

Ouch, that's pretty harsh. You should be able to use EasyBCD to do this. I'll see if I can't walk you through it.

First off, start EasyBCD and in the main window there should be something similar to this:

 There is one entry in the Vista Bootloader.
Bootloader Timeout: 30 seconds.
Default OS: Microsoft Windows Vista

Entry #1

Name:  Microsoft Windows Vista
BCD ID:  {current}
Drive:  C:\
Bootloader Path:  \Windows\system32\winload.exe
Windows Directory:  \Windows

Please higlight all the text in the box showing that info and press Ctrl+C on your keyboard then post back by right clicking and selecting paste. I'll take a look and walk you through the next steps.

Thanks.

[thebatfink]

Thanks for your help with this, its much appreciated!

As for the information you requested.. Here it is -

There is one entry in the Vista Bootloader.

Bootloader Timeout: 30 seconds.

Default OS: Microsoft Windows Vista

Entry #1

Name: Microsoft Windows Vista

BCD ID: {current}

Drive: C:\

Bootloader Path: \Windows\system32\winload.exe

Windows Directory: \Windows

[exile360]

Ok, first off, have you disconnected all of your IDE drives (excluding CD/DVD-Roms)?

[thebatfink]

I have no IDE drives installed nor own any.

Currently installed and connected are -

1 x 500GB SATA drive (widows on this one)

1 x 500GB SATA drive (this is the one I want to remove)

1 x 1000GB SATA drive (this is the new one I have just put in)

I have disconnected my Bluray/DVD drive because I didn't have a spare power adaptor for the new SATA drive (the DVD drive is SATA alos and everything uses the SATA type power plugs).

[exile360]

Good, because when I had this issue it was because Vista tends to prefer putting the boot files on an IDE drive. We'll start out by copying the boot files from the root of your D: drive to the root of your C: drive. They may be hidden by Windows so you'll need to be able to see them.

To show hidden files and folders:

• Click on Start
• Click Run
  
• Paste the following text into the run box:

  rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Options_RunDLL 0

  You should now see the Folder Options menu.
  

• Click the View tab and make sure Show hidden files and folders is selected under Hidden files and folders
  
• Next, uncheck the box next to Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)
  

Once that's done, be sure to Copy, not Cut the following folders and files:

• Copy the folder called Boot
• The 2 files called BCD
  
• The file bootmgr
  
• The file bootstat.dat
  

User Account Control may pop up when you try to copy them, click continue.

Once you're done, let me know and we'll move on.

[thebatfink]

Done.

However I only had a folder called "Boot" and the file called "bootmgr".

Both copied.

[thebatfink]

Done.

However I only had a folder called "Boot" and the file called "bootmgr".

Both copied.

The additional files you mentioned where inside the "Boot" folder..

[exile360]

Ok, was there a file called bootsect.bak? If so, copy it over as well.

[thebatfink]

That file didn't exist no.

I have encountered an error though..

Both files "BCD" one a text file and one a system file (both called BCD) could not be copied because they were in use? Says to close them and try again.

[thebatfink]

Sorry that should say close the program using them and try again. I have incidently tried a few times to cpy them and get this error each time.

[thebatfink]

Just tried again with everything closed like the EasyBCD etc and it still wouldnt copy, says in use and to close the program using them.

[exile360]

No problem, I (finally) found the simpler instructions on the EasyBCD page here. You should only need to delete the files from the root of C: that you copied over and follow the steps under Type 1: Reinstalling the Vista Bootloader to the MBR and Bootsector. Shutdown your PC when done and disconnect the D: drive and see if Vista boots up as it should.

Let me know how it goes (and I'm sorry for the difficulties ).

[thebatfink]

Right, I ended up working down the whole of that page right to section 3. During parts 1 and 2 everytime I booted I got the error bootmgr is missing.

After doing part 3 I now get the following error

\Boot\BCD

0x0000034

Boot configuration file is missing required information

I have also noticed I must have the windows installation disk in the dvd drive and have the drive connected else sometimes it won't boot up either??

[exile360]

Grrr! Sounds like it got corrupted. On part 2 and 3 did you select C: for every step? If not, try them again and make sure you do.

Also right click Computer and select Manage then under Storage select Disk Management. Right click on your C: drive and select Mark Partition as Active. Then reboot and if it doesn't work, try EasyBCD once more (steps 1-3).

Let me know how it goes, my fingers are crossed .

[thebatfink]

Im about to do the EASYBCD again but I have a feeling its not going to work... BTW I did select C: everytime.

I have manged to get my keyboard working during post and have loaded up the installation CD. I went to repair my computer and the startup recovery thing. I had to select my windows installation from a list, the only installation in the disk said

Windows Vista - Partition size 60000MB - Volume D

It went on to say there was no problem and that the OS started successfully.

I think this could be the problem, in the disk management screen, the only partition of that size 60GB is volume C (which contains the windows folder)...

[thebatfink]

The disk management screen also does state that Volume D is my system folder as in my first post...

[exile360]

In Windows under Disk Management under your C: drive does it say Healthy (System, Boot, Page File, Active, Crash Dump, Primary Partition)? Also, since you got your keyboard and mouse working, try booting from the Vista disc again, but do it with D: disconnected, that should allow you to do the Startup Repair and it should rewrite the boot files to the proper drive.

[thebatfink]

Ok I will try the boot cd again. I have rewritten the files using EasyBCD and in the overview screen there is a debug detailed view option.. here is whats in there -

Windows Boot Manager

--------------------

identifier {9dea862c-5cdd-4e70-acc1-f32b344d4795}

device partition=D:

description Windows Boot Manager

locale en-US

inherit {7ea2e1ac-2e61-4728-aaa3-896d9d0a9f0e}

default {e8709fb6-fa5f-11db-be4d-e219ece5282e}

displayorder {e8709fb6-fa5f-11db-be4d-e219ece5282e}

toolsdisplayorder {b2721d73-1db4-4c62-bf78-c548a880142d}

timeout 5

Windows Boot Loader

-------------------

identifier {e8709fb6-fa5f-11db-be4d-e219ece5282e}

device partition=C:

path \Windows\system32\winload.exe

description Windows Vista

locale en-US

inherit {6efb52bf-1766-41db-a6b3-0ee5eff72bd7}

osdevice partition=C:

systemroot \Windows

resumeobject {e8709fb7-fa5f-11db-be4d-e219ece5282e}

nx OptOut

I believe this is the problem -

Windows Boot Manager

--------------------

identifier {9dea862c-5cdd-4e70-acc1-f32b344d4795}

device partition=D:

The bootmgr is on volume D... This is the error I get without the drive connected - bootmgr is missing...

I'll try the install CD again..

[exile360]

You're right, that's exactly the problem. The Boot Manager needs to be on drive C:. Step 3 from EasyBCD is supposed to correct this but seems to have failed unfortunately. Running the Startup Repair from the Vista disc should fix it as long as D: is not connected.

[thebatfink]

Your right!! I made the mistake of leaving D connected whilst doing the repair.

Removed it, ran the repair, fixed in 2 minutes :/ Now all is working fine...

Thanks so much for your time and help with this Exile. Such a simple fix in the end and I've had you running around all over the place.

Thanks again, couldnt of done it without you!

Batfink