[SOLVED] Boot problem after I deleted second hdd

Feb 14, 2020
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Hi.
I tried everything with no luck.

So I have both my systems installed on hdd1 (w10 1903 and ubuntu 19.10), and I wanted to merge all partitions on my old hdd2 into one partition. I deleted everything there except for one partition (swap I think) that ubuntu created. The rest was unallocated space.

After restart the grub menu was gone and it could not boot neither of them. I had just two options to 'press any key for option rom messages' and 'esc key for startup menu'.

I enabled legacy support and disabled secure/fast boot and still after I chose usb from boot menu, the screen goes black and nothing happens. It doesn't matter if I select to boot from cd, usb, or hdd, boot just doesn't start.

I had no problems installing both systems.
 
Solution
"It is of utmost importance that you disconnect ALL system attached storage drives EXCEPT for the target drive."

I don't think this is your issue. If I read everything correctly, the system will POST just fine and you can get into BIOS and change options. BUT, when you try to boot to any operating system, via HD, CD, or USB, the screen goes black. I will assume that if there is no boot media, the you get the "'esc key for startup menu".

So, you might have a defective hard drive. You get the black screen because the system is trying over and over again to access the hard drive but is failing. It could also be a bad port or bad cable.

It could be something else defective. Perhaps something that was not part of the boot...
Feb 14, 2020
5
0
10
Thanks for your reply, Drew. But, I can't get Bios to boot from ubuntu's installation cd either.
I tried with windows cd and usb too. The screen just goes black and there is no promt to press key to boot from cd.

I even tried with both my hard drives plugged out. The booting sequence never start.
 
Feb 14, 2020
5
0
10
"It is of utmost importance that you disconnect ALL system attached storage drives EXCEPT for the target drive."

I had both connected when I installed windows. I didn't know this. Last time I upgraded from 8.1 so this was first time I did clean install.

Thanks for the link.
 
"It is of utmost importance that you disconnect ALL system attached storage drives EXCEPT for the target drive."

I don't think this is your issue. If I read everything correctly, the system will POST just fine and you can get into BIOS and change options. BUT, when you try to boot to any operating system, via HD, CD, or USB, the screen goes black. I will assume that if there is no boot media, the you get the "'esc key for startup menu".

So, you might have a defective hard drive. You get the black screen because the system is trying over and over again to access the hard drive but is failing. It could also be a bad port or bad cable.

It could be something else defective. Perhaps something that was not part of the boot sequence before your changes and now is and you get the same symptoms.

I would start by unplugging both hard drives and the CD ROM and then try to boot from USB (install media or something). The goal is not to actually boot, but just not to get a black screen. If that works, then plug the CD ROM back in and retest. Next one of the hard drives, retest, and then finally the other. Hopefully, this will help you determine the location of the fault.

Let us know.
 
Solution
Did you let the MS Media Creation tool create your USB, or did you download the ISO and create the USB with a thrid party utility; eg Rufus ? It is also possible (but not likely) you deleting the data on a hdd coincidentally occurred when your hdd failed.

I see two possibilities. You could purchase a partition utility that would reconstruct the boot/system/swap partition you deleted from the second hdd, so you are back to where you started;

Or you could attach the hdd you cleaned, to another windows PC , delete any remaining partitions, instal the hdd in your first PC, by itself, and then use a MS Creation Tool created USB, and see if it will install windows.
 
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