Can't change new HD to first drive in bios

[Armenua]

My hard drive crashed, so I started using an old Vista drive 350 GB. Got a new HD 1TB, put it in computer, installed windows 7 and now, in the BIOS, it lists the old drive as Drive 1 and new as Drive 2.

The old drive is about to crash. If I remove it from the computer, the computer will not boot. Keeps asking me for a boot drive and will not recognize the new Windows 7 drive.

Im uneducated in this area. But from what I've tried, it seems that I need to have the BIOS Drive 1 be the new HD, Windows 7, with the old drive (Vista operating system) listed as Drive 2, and then it would be able to boot up.

Im afraid if the Old drive crashes, i wont be able to boot the computer at all.

Any help?

UPDATE: I figured out how to change the disk order (switched the cables) But now Im trying to change the disk Letter assignment, and it won't let me change the Windows 7 disk to C. Says the parameters are wrong. I was able to change the Vista disk (old one) to L, along with it's partition to M, but won't let me change the Windows disk to C, though it shows as the primary active disk now. Even after rebooting a couple times.

I still cannot get my computer to boot up without the old Vista disk plugged in.

 

[MasterDell]

What you should do is remove the vista drive,(and any other drive that isn't the one you are installing windows on) and then format the new drive and reinstall windows. How did you install windows onto that drive?

So just put your Windows 7 bootable disk or USB into the computer. Make it boot 1 or manually select it to boot off of, then once the windows 7 install menu thing loads, format your drive. Then follow all of the steps.

If you get stuck at any point let me know

 

[Armenua]

I really am new to this, never having had to deal with this kind of thing before.

So, It's something in the installation that went wrong?? We installed windows from a downloaded ISO onto the Vista hard drive. I don't have a disk (besides the fact that my CD/DVD drive, the computer doesn't recognize it) so I don't know how to install it other than that.

 

[MasterDell]

Yeah, by the sounds of it you installed it wrong. I'll walk you through the process so don't worry about it . Just make sure you don't have any important data on either drive. You will need a USB drive for what I am going to tell you to do. 8GB+ would be good. If you don't have one, you'll need one.

Basically follow this: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-recovery

I believe that will lead you to download the ISO. Then, make sure it is saved by itself on the USB. It will say something then .iso. {For the file name}. Once you are done that, download this: http://wudt.codeplex.com/ (This is the end of Step 1 in the link)

Let me know once you have all of that done. Once again.. Feel free to ask any questions if you get stuck

 

[Armenua]

While I was waiting for your answer, I had discovered another app, Yumio or something? (Now I can't remember, lol, and the info is gone) that did that, turned my USB into a boot disk and installer. Thank you very much for your help... I used the installer and now Im up and running again! YAY!! The other disk is not in my computer and all is fine 😀

 

[MasterDell]

Oh okay🙂 glad you found your solution 😀