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Vista boot files were placed on storage drive

L

LittleNemoNES

Diamond Member
Basically what happened was:

I have 2 WD640 Hdds. 1 for OS, the other for storage.
For some reason the boot files for the OS were installed on my storage drive...

This is bothersome because I wanted to backup my OS to the storage drive using Backup and Restore center but it won't work since files that need backing up can't be on the spare drive.
So what to do?
THanks in advance.
 
that "some reason" is because your BIOS sets the order of drives to boot from, and yours is set to boot from the storage drive first, then the system drive. When you install windows, if it detects such a thing, then it will put redirecting boot files on the other drive.
In my experience they are not necessary as long as you change your bios to boot from the correct drive. But don't go deleting them just yet.
Perform the following test.

1. Turn off your system
2. Unplug the storage drive.
3. Turn on your system

With only one drive it should default as the first boot from drive, and if I am correct about the files not being necessary it should load windows without a problem.

If it simply loads vista:
1. Turn off computer
2. Plug the storage drive back in
3. Turn on computer
4. Delete the boot files from the storage drive.
5. No bios change is needed since it should have already adjusted when you had only one drive, however if your motherboard's bios is weird it might point at the storage drive again, in which case booting will fail. If that happens you need to go into bios and make sure the OS drive is set as first boot.
You might have to clean the MBR of the storage drive as well.

If it does NOT load vista:
1. then turn off your computer
2. Plug the storage drive back in
3. Turn on computer and go into bios right away
4. Change the boot order to boot from the storage drive first (so that it gets those boot files instead of failing to load with the ones from drive C).

I doubt the second scenario will occur or be needed, but I don't want to leave you without instructions on how to reverse the process in case it does go wrong.
 
ok. buddy -- thanks; I'll give it a try.
I am using IDE mode since I have had it with AHCI and RAID errors due to aistore.sys, etc
 
Ok the 2nd scenario was what I encountered. I really DO NOT want to reformat. It is a fresh install with 8-9 hrs of program installations.
So what are my options?
Thanks.
 
Originally posted by: nerp
Repair install/ Fixboot C: fdisk /mbr with the storage drive detached.
Click to expand...

thanks for the help, Nerp.

Well, this seems to only work for XP.

I tried fixing the boot process using the repair option on the Vista DVD.
It says it can't fix it...

damnit -- I just can't get a break.
 
Originally posted by: Old Hippie
Did you try this Bootrec.exe for Vista?
Click to expand...

awesome!
Thanks for the link. I'll give it a try later.
If all else fails, I may have to call MS as part of my MS Technet Subscription ($100 thanks to AT Hot deals -- woot!) I get support.

EDIT:
Well, can't say how it worked but I used Vista Boot Pro which seemed to have fixed the issue.
I had to format my Storage Drive also (after making a lengthy backup, of course 😛).
 
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