Boot Order?

Hi all.
I was messing about with Ubuntu, as you do, and somehow wiped my C drive.
No panic, all backed up that needed to be.
Re installed Windows 7 and noticed how long it took to get all the updates so I thought once I had them all I would make a system image using windows backup.
It didn't give me the option to backup just the C drive (32gb) but included the separate D drive.
I looked in disk manager and was going to set it to 'offline' but the option was greyed out.
I then noticed that the boot order is disk 1 (D drive) and then disk 0 (C drive containing the OS)
I switched them in boot sequence but got the message
BOOT MGR is missing.
Press Ctrl+ Alt + Del to restart.
I switched the boot order back and all was well.
If my OS is on disk 0 why does the separate disk 1 need to be first in the boot order and is that why I can't make an image of just the C drive?
They are configured as non raid.
Cheers.

 

In your case the boot files are on disk 1 so to create a bootable image both disks have to be included. Disk 1 will be a partition of your disk, not a separate disk.

 

That is what is confusing.
Disk 1 IS a separate disk.
Disk 0 has no partitions
I formatted disk 0 before install and just went ahead installing windows. no partitions were made.

 

OK, then you will have to include both disks in images or reformat and reinstall. It is possible to correct your current setup but it isn't simple.

 

Ok. But as a matter of interest, what has happened?
At the outset I have two options to install the OS. Drive 0 and drive 1.
Drive 1 has lots on it, a sort of storage drive.
So I only format drive 0 and choose to install on there.
Once finished, drive 1 isn’t even in ‘my computer’ until I allocate it a letter.
I don’t understand how any files have been installed on drive 1?
I get the feeling that even if I started over the same thing would happen unless I formatted both drives. even then it may happen again unless I understand how drive 1 got involved.

 

Give us a legible screenshot of Disk Management

 

Is it possible that stuff moved from C to D before the format could cause the issue?
Even though C was wiped?

 

Thanks. Bit busy today but I will look at it later, but did notice both disks are Active. Disk 1 must have been first in the boot order and that is why the boot files were placed there. The system files were put on Disk 0, per your choice. Next time you need to remove the Active flag from Disk 1 before reinstalling to Disk 0.

 

Ahhh.
Are you saying that because HDD 1 was first in the boot order the boot files were placed there?
I didn't know they were separate from the OS, blurgh!
If I decide to reinstall and make sure HDD 0 is first in the boot order after the DVD drive, will HDD 1 be ignored?
You say it isn't simple to correct it as is.
Is it easier to format and start again before I put more stuff on?
Cheers

 

No, the Active flag is the problem, you have to clear it. Reinstalling is best option.

 

System flag is incorrectly placed too, not sure if it can just be removed/replaced on the intended System drive though, reinstall with only the OS drive in situ for me as well.

 

I believe system flag will be OK on reinstall. Sorry for brevity, not at home atm. Using phone.

 

Thanks both.
Earthling, no worries, any help in any way appreciated.
I only want to do this one more time so need to understand and get it right.
Putting the drives in the correct boot order and reinstalling.
Will that sort the system flag out?
Would anything need to be removed from HDD 1 after reinstall?
If I remove HDD 1 for reinstall will it just be recognized once plugged back in?

 

Yes, that's the sure fire way to fix it. Otherwise just removing the Active flag from Disk 1 before reinstalling should also fix it. You can do that using DISKPART (Google 'remove active flag')

The boot order is completely irrelevant to all this. The Active flag tells the system where to find the boot files, not the boot order. I believe the sytem flag will be correctly set after a reinstall but not 100% sure.

 

Ok, so I removed my data drive.
The drive I want the OS on is in bay 0.
I set the boot order to DVD drive.
Beep, Error Drive 1 not found?
Tried it in bay 1
Beep, Error Drive 0 not found.
So they both have to be connected to boot to anything, DVD USB whatever?
looking like the DISKPART route!

 

Did you run the disk detection routine in the BIOS?

 

Can't say that I did satrow.
Is that my grief?

 

You remove the drive, then reinstall from USB or DVD, then reboot. You can't just remove the drive and try to boot.

 

Confused here Earth
I took out my data drive and left the drive in the bay that I want to install the OS on.
So now I only have HDD 0 in the computer.
I changed the boot order to DVD and inserted my Windows disk in the DVD
It wouldn't boot beyond the error HDD missing message.
It's like an electric circuit.
The bays are connected somehow and can't work with one empty.

 

I'm stumped for the moment. Be back when I have something useful to offer.

 

Have a nice lie down Earth, I tend to have such affect!
Well, I've looked at the DISKPART option.
Looks simple enough...........................!
Does it matter that the drive I am going to remove the flag from, disk 1, has 'system' in it's description?
It won't change any other data than the flag?
And once I've carried out the deed I will have to format C and reinstall?

 

As I said, not 100% sure about System flag, it may simply be for information. But I am sure about the Active flag - it won't alter anything else at all and yes, you will need to reinstall to Disk 0.

 

Right, that's the course then.
By the time we've messed I could have it reinstalled.
All good learning curves.

 

Good luck with it and do let us know

 

DISKPART was pretty straightforward but I still get the feeling the same thing will happen.
As the drives can't work independently of each other I think something (flag) will still be installed on HDD 1
Back to square one if so.

 

£10 says it will work

 

I'm still intrigued that your BIOS/UEFI appears to remember that Drive 1 should be connected but is not. I suspect you would need to reset your BIOS/UEFI to defaults to get around this but that isn't a recommendation. Let's just see if what we are doing works.

 

It's doing the deed as I type.
£10? Not that confident then!

 

I'm of a generation that considered £10 quite enough to put on a bet

 

Ha, me too. First 'pc' ZX81 then Sinclair Spectrum 48k (Attic Attack) still got it!

It has finished installing.
A strange thing happened.
Just as the last bit was happening. Spinning and waiting to get to desktop, it rebooted itself and went to a bios screen saying press Ctrl + I (which did nothing).
I left it for a minute and it went on to boot correctly.
What was that all about?
You win your bet!!
I went through the motions to make a system image and I even had the option to use the remaining space on my D drive.
Apart from that boot glitch all looks ok thus far.
I will spend time tomorrow installing updates and keep you posted.
Cheers

 

... and my £10 ???

 

Those were the best of times, a whole new world was opening up. ZX81 for me too, then BBC Model B. With no previous knowledge at all I wrote a 6502 Assembler game and got paid over £2000 for it. Been hooked ever since.

 

Coooooo. Bet you wish you still got that BBC!

 

Well, I took a system image.
Then loads more updates.
Deleted that one and saved another.
Loads more updates.
Deleted and saved another.
After my fourth saved system image they have slowed down.
3 days of restarting, wow!!
As a matter of interest my next thing is to remove the D drive and see if C will load the OS.
I'm assuming it should now it's not tied via the flag?

 

Take heart, with regular imaging you may never need to reinstall again

 

Hmmmm. Obviously the more I reinstall, office etc, the bigger the image.
I think I'll stick at the last one.
I don't mind a few hours reinstalling stuff, it's just those damn updates.
Cheers for the assistance and I'm sure 'I'll be back' at some stage..........