winload.exe corrupt on one drive, but Windows files still intact. How can I use the bootloader on another Drive?

[podonnell]

I have 5 HDDs in my PC, and one of them I just cloned an OS to. Unfortunately, that OS clone caused an invalid digital signature on winload.exe --- perhaps due to also cloning the /boot/ files?

However, to my knowledge, winload.exe is only ever used when you are trying to boot FROM that drive? So I tried using the bootloader on another one of my HDDs and added an entry for the OS on that drive. However, I am still getting the same message when trying to boot.

I am trying to avoid an all-out reinstall of Windows on that drive, as I have many programs and configurations that I am looking to keep.

I have tried all the common sfc /scannow, fixboot, fixmbr, etc..

Any ideas?

 

[Spectre694]

did you try to do a repaircd then oscan and a mbr repair. Used to have to do that a fair bit with vista[?] and multiple drives.

 

[podonnell]

did you try to do a repaircd then oscan and a mbr repair. Used to have to do that a fair bit with vista[?] and multiple drives.

Yes sir. I think my problem is the digital signature on the winload.exe file is from my original drive that I cloned? So I am thinking there may be a way to generate a NEW winload.exe using the signature from this drive, but I'm not sure how to do that. I'm thinking about installing Windows 7 fresh on the second half of this drive(I'm only using 200 out of 500gb) and copying that back to the broken partition.

 

[Spectre694]

did you try to do a repaircd then oscan and a mbr repair. Used to have to do that a fair bit with vista[?] and multiple drives.

Yes sir. I think my problem is the digital signature on the winload.exe file is from my original drive that I cloned? So I am thinking there may be a way to generate a NEW winload.exe using the signature from this drive, but I'm not sure how to do that. I'm thinking about installing Windows 7 fresh on the second half of this drive(I'm only using 200 out of 500gb) and copying that back to the broken partition.

Ya IDK there the only way I know to rebuild that is to use those commands to rebuild the bcd and mbr. That said though I haven't done to much cloning from one drive to another in the same PC.

 

[Kitanul]

You can probably use a windows dvd or usb, boot on it and use the repair service. It should scan and replace the basic windows service and leave everything else as it is
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/termsw/g/winload-exe.htm
Provide a good lookup on the winload.exe