Very confused about needing 2 hard drives to boot Windows 7

[MrAlanSmith]

I have a hard drive that is about to die and i took the HDD out my system, Windows wouldnt boot but when i put it back in it worked again?, Ohh yeahh i have 2 hard drives?, Iv never seen or heard about this in my life, Very strange

I want to upgrade to a SSD but do i really need to reinstall Windows again if i do? :/

 

[Yeehu]

Yes,you need to install windows on your ssd. You can't use your computer without OS (except bios)

 

[Nuwan Fernando]

The problem might be like this. Your Primary HDD is holding the boot information partition. Your secondary drive has the windows installation. So when you take out the Primary HDD, it doesn't know what to boot even though the installation is there in your secondary HDD. I think Fresh installation would be the best. If you are not sure about primary and secondary HDDs / SSDs, Best way is to keep only the primary Drive (SSD) plugged in while installing the OS. Then add the rest of the drives to the system. This way you can ensure a clean installation without any trouble.

 

[MrAlanSmith]

Yes,you need to install windows on your ssd. You can't use your computer without OS (except bios)

Pssttt, I have 2 hard drives and i know that, been around computers for years

 

[MrAlanSmith]

The problem might be like this. Your Primary HDD is holding the boot information partition. Your secondary drive has the windows installation. So when you take out the Primary HDD, it doesn't know what to boot even though the installation is there in your secondary HDD. I think Fresh installation would be the best. If you are not sure about primary and secondary HDDs / SSDs, Best way is to keep only the primary Drive (SSD) plugged in while installing the OS. Then add the rest of the drives to the system. This way you can ensure a clean installation without any trouble.

I dont understand, I know where your comming from but look at this http://prntscr.com/5qolpx I have nofink on the dying hard drive, I really need to remove this hard drive, Its no use for me if its dying and its only a slow hard drive anyways and do you really need to reinstall Windows on a SSD?... and to add to that, i tried both ways, Took out the dying hard drive then the other way around but it wouldnt boot without the other HDD :/

 

[i7Baby]

Leave C: in. Throw out the failing drive. Replace it if you can with a new one.

 

[Nuwan Fernando]

If you have good installation you can simply clone it. But Fresh installation would give a more reliable system.

Does this help?

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/win7-windows-7-mbr,10036.html

 

[MrAlanSmith]

Leave C: in. Throw out the failing drive. Replace it if you can with a new one.

I tried to take out the old HDD(This one does "not" have Windows on it) It has nofink on it but when i try to take out the old HDD it will not boot without it, Its like 2 friends that will not let go lol

 

[MrAlanSmith]

If you have good installation you can simply clone it. But Fresh installation would give a more reliable system.

Does this help?

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/win7-windows-7-mbr,10036.html

The motherboard bit, What do i need to find?, "having your BIOS set with an incorrect boot order sequence" Meaning? but i do not understand, Everything is on 1 hard drive, The other one has nofink on it as shown before ^.

 

[Nuwan Fernando]

Even though you see nothing on that drive it might be having the boot partition (100MB) on it.

 

[i7Baby]

Leave C: in. Throw out the failing drive. Replace it if you can with a new one.

I tried to take out the old HDD(This one does "not" have Windows on it) It has nofink on it but when i try to take out the old HDD it will not boot without it, Its like 2 friends that will not let go lol

My guess is that your trying to take out the wrong one.

 

[MrAlanSmith]

Even though you see nothing on that drive it might be having the boot partition (100MB) on it.

What does this look like?, I have a USB stick with windows 7 on it, Will it be on there?

 

[MrAlanSmith]

Leave C: in. Throw out the failing drive. Replace it if you can with a new one.

I tried to take out the old HDD(This one does "not" have Windows on it) It has nofink on it but when i try to take out the old HDD it will not boot without it, Its like 2 friends that will not let go lol

My guess is that your trying to take out the wrong one.

Like i said, I tried them both, Took out the dying one then the other way around, yeahh im confused like everyone else

 

[i7Baby]

Well looks like you have to remove the dying one and re-install Windows and drivers on the other one.

 

[Nuwan Fernando]

you can't copy paste such. Try this method

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/win7-windows-7-mbr,10036.html