Windows doesn't boot after removing secondary HDD

[vladiator]

Hi all

Recently, I started getting a message on my desktop PC that one of my SATA disks is disconnecting. Furthermore, I often started getting BSOD with Critical_Process_Died message.
Since the disconnecting disk is an old secondary HDD from 2011 (which i transferred from my old PC), I decided to remove it. My Windows 10 is on my 120GB SSD.

However, once I removed the old HDD, Windows stopped booting.

I have now read that often the boot files are saved on secondary disks. However, before I start using one of the solutions (e.g. I read about Easy BCD), I want to make sure it is the case with me.

Could someone tell me if it looks like the boot files might be on Disk D (which is the old HDD I want to remove). Windows 10 is saved on Disk C.

Sorry, not sure how to add a screenshot here. But in disk management, I have the following:

Disk 0 (C)
- 118GB NTFS - Healthy (Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary Partition)
- 879Mb - Healthy (Recovery Partition)

Disk 1 (D)
- 931GB - Healthy (System, Active, Primary Partition)

Thanks in advance.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Upload your image to tinypic.com or imgur.com and post link.

Partition that has "System" in description - contains bootloader.
Your pc will not boot, if you remove hdd containing "system" partition.

 

[vladiator]

Upload your image to tinypic.com or imgur.com and post link.

Partition that has "System" in description - contains bootloader.
Your pc will not boot, if you remove hdd containing "system" partition.

Thanks SNR.

I know that you have proposed solution to moving bootloader in this thread:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3482884/windows-boot-hdd-ssd.html

But in that case it seems that they had a separate partition for system, while in my case it is all on one partition in Disk D.

Would it work for me too? If so, would you be able to put a bit more detail regarding the steps I would need to take - I am not expert in IT issues...

The photo is here - https://imgur.com/a/95p1w

Thanks.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Instructions in your case would be the same:

1. Shrink C: partition by 500MB
(right-click on C: in Disk Management and choose "Shrink")
2. Make a new primary partition in freed up space, format NTFS, drive letter X:
(right-click on unallocated space and choose "New Simple Volume")
3. Make the new partition active
(right-click and choose "Mark partition as Active")
4. execute command from elevated command prompt:
(right-click on start button and choose "Command Prompt(Admin)" to open elevated command prompt)

• bcdboot c:\windows /s x:

5. Reboot your pc into BIOS, change boot priority so that 120GB drive (containing windows) is first
6. Reboot and done