Vista 32 Ultimate Will not boot into windows from new HDD

[ShadoShryke]

Okay, this is a weird one. I put in a new 250GB HDD (SATA) as my primary
drive. I have two DVD RW (one SATA and one EIDE).

I formated and installed a clean version of Vista Ultimate on the 250GB
drive using the install tools on the Vista DVD.

Restarted the system without issues without the DVD in. Used the User
migration tool on the Vista DVD to move the backed up files from my previous
install to the clean install.

Now, if I start my computer, it says that the HDD is not a valid boot disk.

If I start with the Vista DVD in one of the two DVD drives, it boots into
the windows on the C drive without issue.

I tried running the Startup Repair from the DVD, and it has not changed it.
Does anyone know what may be occuring? Have an idea of what I may be
overlooking?

 

[Dusko Savatovic]

Did you mark partition as active?

 

[Saucy]

OK. I get this if I leave an external USB harddrive running during boot. My
solution is to turn off the external USB harddrive, and only then turn on
the computer and start the booting up. 'Seems the BIOS on my machine gets
confused when USB storage devices are running during boot.

Saucy

 

[andy]

If there are more than one hard drive connected to the motherboard,
make sure the bios is set to boot from the correct drive.

 

[Guest]

Re-Format Your Computer And Install Open Source Linux Ubuntu 9.04 RTW From
http://www.ubuntu.com/.

 

[kkevpan815]

Re-Format Your Computer And Install Open Source Linux Ubuntu 9.04 RTW Fromhttp://www.ubuntu.com/.

What A ****ed Up Response From A Right Wing Nut Job. Just FYI. Did I
Say Just FYI? If Not, Just FYI.

Remember To Capitalize The First Letter Of Each Word. Just FYI.

 

[ShadoShryke]

Hi, Dusko,

Windows Vista install process ensures that the drive is active from the
start if no other operating system is found. Yes, the drive partition is
Primary, Active and Basic (would never use Dynamic Disks on threat of life
and limb).

ShadoShryke

 

[ShadoShryke]

BIOS choice only allows me to chose SATA and does not let me pick a specific
drive. Good thought though.
Remember that it lets me boot with the DVD in, and it does not matter if the
DVD is in the SATA connected DVD-RW or the EIDE connected DVD-RW, and if a
DVD is not in, it should default to the first drive.
Further note: This also happened when my C drive was on the EIDE channel.

 

[ShadoShryke]

I appreciate your enthusiasm for Ubuntu. I use virtual machines for a lot of
my work, but I do not feel like dropping the $30,000 in software investment
that I currently have.

This is not a common Windows or Vista problem. This is an oddball, or I
would have already solved it. I have experience with every version of
Windows, most versions of Linux, a number of versions of Apple and Mac OSes,
OS2/Warp, many versions of DOS and even Amiga DOS and GEOS.

I did not ask for a suggestion on a different, less compatible, operating
system that would cause me to spend more money and time in changing out
professional software. I simply asked for those that knew how to fix this
with Vista to make sure it works the way I want.

Have a great day.

ShadoShryke

 

[Gordon]

I appreciate your enthusiasm for Ubuntu. I use virtual machines for a lot
of
my work, but I do not feel like dropping the $30,000 in software
investment
that I currently have.

This is not a common Windows or Vista problem. This is an oddball, or I
would have already solved it. I have experience with every version of
Windows, most versions of Linux, a number of versions of Apple and Mac
OSes,
OS2/Warp, many versions of DOS and even Amiga DOS and GEOS.

I did not ask for a suggestion on a different, less compatible, operating
system that would cause me to spend more money and time in changing out
professional software. I simply asked for those that knew how to fix
this
with Vista to make sure it works the way I want.

"Kevpan815" is a well-known lunatic and gibbering idiot in this group.
Ignore anything and everything he/she/it posts...

 

[ShadoShryke]

Also, please note the part of my original post that stated:
Restarted the system without issues without the DVD in.

This means that it successfully booted from the SATA drive the first time.
Now, something else is affecting it.

 

[ShadoShryke]

Interesting thought. I have a 250GB MyPassport that I connect on a regular
basis. Since it senses as a SATA device, this may be the culprit.

I can't remember if I have tried rebooting without that drive plugged into
one of the USB ports. I will have to try that tonight.

ShadoShryke

 

[ShadoShryke]

I think I handled it very well, thank you.

:: grins ::

I figured I should handle it like I have to do when working with customers
that don't understand the questions asked of them.

Thanks for the heads up though, Gordon.

ShadoShryke

 

[andy]

Typically there's a setting called Hard Disk Drives or Hard Disk Boot
Priority that lets you select which drive to boot from.

 

[Saucy]

My new computer (AMD Phenom 3 and Asus mobo) won't boot properly if either
the external USB drive is plugged in and on, or if there is a "flash" drive
stuck in a USB port. For some reason these USB drives bump the SATA drives
and consequently no boot. I have to either remove/un-plug and/or turn off
these USB storage devices before I can boot into Windows.

Saucy

 

[ShadoShryke]

Typically, yes. Some BIOS have a smart system as well.

The funny thing is, after checking, the SATA HDD is set as the priority, not
the SATA CD/DVD.

BIOS and HDD settings are correct. HDD is Primary, Active and System Boot.

This is why I said this was a weird one. I am not a computer newb. I
have actually been supporting computers since Windows 3.1 and DOS 6.22. I
rarely find something that stumps me completely, or that I can't solve by
reading the manuals (hardware and software) and help.

Thanks for your input, and this would probably help a number of people, but
we are a little beyond that level.

Don't forget that I did put in that it had successfully booted before, and
nothing in the BIOS settings have changed.

ShadoShryke

 

[ShadoShryke]

Since USB and SATA share the same channel of the Motherboard, this does not
surprise me. It would seem that this should only be a problem if you have
the flash or USB drive formatted and set up as a bootable drive (with Linux
or another OS installed) that would conflict with the main Active drive.

I still have to test this, but I have had not time this past week. I have
this and a Windows 7 install to check out this weekend, so I actually may get
to have some fun on Saturday. Too ugly outside to try doing yardwork
(woot!).

I will definitely post if this is the problem causer.

ShadoShryke

 

[ShadoShryke]

Bad news......this is not the issue. I tried with the external drive
disconnected. I tried with disconnecting other HDD and only running the one
SATA drive. I reviewed the BIOS settings, and even reset the BIOS.

Ran the Startup Repar feature of the disk, and it said "no issues found".

Then I noticed one thing. I looks at drive channel 0:0 for the boot order.
The IDE channel is 0:0, not the SATA. I think there may have been a boot
sector on an old drive that was picked up as the boot drive by the Vista
install, so the startup keeps looking for it, and that drive is not longer
active.

I may need to play around with this some more for fun and profit.

ShadoShryke