Motherboard will only boot from the drive that has no OS?

[pulp]

I have a strange problem with my system where it won't boot if the bios is set to boot the drive which HAS an operating system.

I have Windows 7 64-bit Ultimate installed on a SATA2 drive and have an IDE drive for storage with no operating system on it. If I remove the IDE, I cannot boot at all, I have to tell the bios to boot the IDE even though Windows is on the SATA drive.

ASRock 880GMHU3S3
AMD Phenom II x4 955 Black Edition
EVGA GTX 285 1GB (Just broke, running integrated HD 4250 right now, 650 ti boost being shipped)
2x 4GB PNY 1333Mhz
ATAPI iHAP222 Bluray
ULTRA ULT-500-P
Sata2: ST3400820AS ( http://www.ebay.com/ctg/Seagate-Barracuda-400-GB-Internal-7200-RPM-3-5-ST3400820AS-Hard-Drive-/109447456 )
IDE: WDC WD1200AB-22DYA0 ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/Western-Digital-WD1200AB-22DYA0-120GB-IDE-Hard-Drive-/180471792881 )

The hard disk capacities alone prove Windows is installed on the correct drive based on hard drive sizes.

 

[mbarnes86]

Hi

Some how you have the Windows 7 boot manager files on the IDE drive which then loads & run Windows on the SATA Drive
Look for a folder (possibly hidden) called Boot
Which drive is it on ?

It is possible to fix, but could go wrong so you MUST (should) backup all important data first
also run chkdsk on all drives first, then empty recycle bin to ensure there is enough free space on SATA drive / Windows partition

Do you have a Windows 7 DVD
or a system repair disc ?

to make system repair disk
http://windows.microsoft.com/is-is/windows7/create-a-system-repair-disc

and how to use system repair disk
http://windows.microsoft.com/is-is/windows7/what-are-the-system-recovery-options-in-windows-7

Repair involves disconnecting IDE drive
booting from Windows 7 DVD or a system repair disc and repairing the boot file system

regards

Mike Barnes

 

[pulp]

Hi

Some how you have the Windows 7 boot manager files on the IDE drive which then loads & run Windows on the SATA Drive
Look for a folder (possibly hidden) called Boot
Which drive is it on ?

It is possible to fix, but could go wrong so you MUST (should) backup all important data first
also run chkdsk on all drives first, then empty recycle bin to ensure there is enough free space on SATA drive / Windows partition

Do you have a Windows 7 DVD
or a system repair disc ?

to make system repair disk
http://windows.microsoft.com/is-is/windows7/create-a-system-repair-disc

and how to use system repair disk
http://windows.microsoft.com/is-is/windows7/what-are-the-system-recovery-options-in-windows-7

Repair involves disconnecting IDE drive
booting from Windows 7 DVD or a system repair disc and repairing the boot file system

regards

Mike Barnes

Yes I do have a boot folder under the Windows folder on the SATA drive. I see no boot folder at all on the IDE drive. I ran chkdsk on the IDE and scheduled one on bootup on the SATA. I do have a Windows 7 DVD. I'll try this stuff out, thanks.

 

[mbarnes86]

Hi
The Windows Vista & 7 \boot folder is often on a small hidden partition so you would not normally see it unless you installed Windows 7 after Windows XP (in different partitions)

regards

Mike Barnes