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Absolute fail to boot

1K views 5 replies 2 participants last post by  Macboatmaster 
#1 ·
I have two HDDs. For the sake of argument, C: is my primary one and D: is my reserve.

C: is now failing to boot completely, though I can access it fine when booting from D: (which I am currently doing).

Symptoms:


Recently, booting C: has gone as follows:

  • POST Screen
  • Windows loading bar
  • Black screen
  • Mouse cursor
  • Restart
Unplugging the computer for a while HAD fixed this, but didn't one time, so I opened it up and moved that little connector between the three pegs (I believe it's resetting the ROM) and took out and put back in the MOBO battery.

Since then, C: has failed to boot altogether, not even getting to the "Windows is Loading" screen.

I can access all of C: when booted from D:. Windows folders are present and I can load exe's off it (like Firefox right now)

Attempted Fixes

Unplugging
BIOS reset, boot sequence, time/date etc. all corrected
Doing the same thing again on the MOBO
System repair off the install disk
Bootrec.exe off the install disk
Virus scan off D:
Chkdsk off D:

Specs

C: - 250GB Maxtor SATA
D: - 70GB Hitachi SATA
MOBO - MSI G31TM-P35
GFX - Nvidia GeForce 8600GT (1GB)
 
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#2 ·
Having cleared the CMOS - the reset jumper, you will now have to reconfigure the BIOS
check that the HDD`s are seen in BIOS.
Have you reset the time and date in BIOS.
 
#4 ·
I am sure I must have missed something here.
As far as I can see that motherboard does not support RAID
Are you therefore saying that this was two installations of Vista - ONE O/S on each hard drive.

If I am wrong and it is a RAID array have to reset RAID in BIOS
 
#6 ·
There is NO VALID reason to have two SEPARATE HDD`s in one computer each with VISTA or any other SAME Windows operating system installed on BOTH drives.

You will, please be assured encounter ONLY problems.
Without going into the benefits and disadvantages of RAID arrays, which on your motherboard would require a RAID adaptor, the ONLY satisfactory way to go is to have VISTA on the 70Gb Hitachi and
if it was me, I would partition the 250Gb Maxtor - however you can just as it is use this for all your programs and personal data. The fact that Windows has your documemt folder with your sub folders of music pictures etc, does not mean you have to use those.
You simply create these folders on the Maxtor and store all your personal data there.

The large advantage in this system is that if Vista goes pear-shaped for whatever reason, then your files etc are unaffected on the other drive.

Having the Operating system installed ON EACH drive will as I said lead to problems.
As they are SATA drives, there is of course no master, salve, cable select - generally speaking and you should have the 70Gb Hitachi in SATA 1 or SATA 0 whatever it is called on your motherboard and that drive in your BIOS boot priority as second boot device, keeping your DVD/CD as first boot device and if the motherboard is so equippped USB as third boot device. - general advice depending on what you wish and the facilities of the board.

You should take that 250Gb out of the boot list.

If for some reason you wish to stay as you are SEE THIS
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/...ual-boot-system-from-Windows-Vista-Inside-Out
 
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