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    clean Win 7 install from ext HD will not boot withouth it

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by Sir Punk, Feb 19, 2010.

  1. Sir Punk

    Sir Punk Notebook Deity

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    this is on a Dell E6400 but this problem has little to do with hardware.
    I had Win 7 RC (which I previously installed from a USB 8GB pen drive) and had to install win 7 64. this is what I did.

    1. with daemon tools I dumped the win 7 64.iso content to my eSata external HD.
    2. set the ext HD as primary boot device in bios.
    3. ran the installation successfully, I deleted and format my internal HD and created a new partition.
    4. I got the message "missing bootmgr" so I copied it to c:, I even tried the restore installation but it didn't fix anything.
    5. now I get the no bootable devices press F1....
    6. I used bcdedit to modify the boot manager info with no success.

    I think the problem is that the boot information file is on my external HD and there is nothing in C: where the actual OS is. This is so odd.


    PS: I also did at first an installation ON TOP of the RC and had no problem booting after installation, so I think it was because the RC old boot information were not deleted by the first installation.

    how do I copy the boot info file to c:? and where is it.
    I tried to reinstall with no luck. There must be a solution to this.

    edit: I should also add that my ext HD doesn't appear under my computer but does appear in the disk management.
     
    Sir Punk, Feb 19, 2010
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  2. Sir Punk

    Sir Punk Notebook Deity

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    no replies so far. but just in case someone else runs in the same problem.
    I tried to do the installation from my ext HD and use the USB connection instead of the eSata and everything worked just fine.

    the other odd thing is that I can't see the "boot" folder on my external, but i know it's there because I can access it through prompt and just by typing the address on the addr bar. so odd.
     
    Sir Punk, Feb 19, 2010
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  3. Gregory

    Gregory disassemble?

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    It's possible the Windows installer chose to use your external drive to create the "system" partition. Odd that it would do so. It marks that partition hidden, so that may explain why you don't see it in Explorer.

    Can you post a screen shot of your Disk Management? (DISKMGMT.MSC in the run menu.)
     
    Gregory, Feb 19, 2010
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  4. Sir Punk

    Sir Punk Notebook Deity

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    yeah I can try to post a screen shot but now everything is working fine.
    the only possible explanation I see is that since it was detected as a Sata HD then it might have done what you said. then when the external is used as a USB then the installer is forced to write the boot info on the internal HDD.
    I know for a fact that it only had to do with the boot procedure.
     
    Sir Punk, Feb 19, 2010
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