Odd Windows 7 installation

[Kurjack]

I recently re-installed Windows 7 on my computer since the last installation I screwed around with IIS alot as well as permissions on alot of folders on my OS SSD Drive. I also had alot of extra crap slowing down the drive as I was not careful while installing new software.

I have 3 HDDs, one 80GB SSD for my OS, 1TB SATA 3 WD drive, and a 2TB SATA 2 WD Drive.
I also might want to mention that I updated my BIOS recently because I added new memory and the new bios for my MOBO allowed for more memory configurations. I have a Rampage III formula.

So on my reinstall I used my SSD for Windows and everything went fine. I didn't really notice anything was wrong until I left a removable device in my USB port and since I had a new BIOS I hadn't changed the boot order so my computer was trying to boot from the USB stick. So naturally I changed the order to SSD, then Optical drive and disabled booting from removable devices.

I then powered on my PC and my computer said it couldn't find the boot records or something like that. A little bit more investigation revealed that my Windows OS was in fact on my SSD but a the part needed for initial booting had been placed onto a system reserved partition on my 1TB WD drive. If i changed my boot order to boot from the 1TB drive then the windows start up went smoothly.

1. Does anyone know what I did to cause windows to put a boot partition on a different drive then the windows installation?

2. Does anyone know how to fix this without reinstall? or is a reinstall my only option to fix this stupid issue.

Thanks

[sswilson]

Wish I had a fix for you, but for the future, this kind of thing is why I physically disconnect all drives but the OS drive when I install windows these days.

[gingerbee]

yup its the only way to get it to stop it from doing that and now if ya disconnect that drive the system might not boot its a pain in the ass

[Kurjack]

Dam, that sucks. I really hate mucking with the hardware internals of my computer so i normally just leave everything alone since I'm afraid of touching parts and breaking stuff.

If i just unplugged the SATA cables from the drives and leave them hanging should i be fine? Or should I completely disconnect the cables from the MOBO.

[sswilson]

You can disconnect them from either end, whichever is more convenient... just make sure they aren't hanging down where they might fall into a rotating fan and you'll be fine.

[Kurjack]

Hmm, alright i guess Ill do that, glad I didn't set up all my development workspaces on my native OS this time. Rather I put them all into VM's which makes it easier to transition between computers.

[clone63]

You should be able to copy the partition (disk copy, not drag and drop) to a new 100mb partition on the SSD. Then confirm the boot path is correct using EasyBCD. You may have to install a MBR with it, but not sure (never had such a problem). Then, obviously, make the first boot device the SSD. You may need to flag the copied partition as active.
Or disconnecting all the drives and running a repair off an installation disc should do it, as it would see windows, but no boot partition, and make one. Might have to do it a couple times.

[gingerbee]

ya i am pretty sure you can run a repair 7 and have it fix it sometimes it been awhile since i did it give it a shot cant hurt

[Spikemaul]

I think this might help.
Bootmgr is missing - Fix - Windows 7 Forums

[Kurjack]

Repair got annoying and it didn't wanna do what I wanted so I just unplugged all drives but the SSD and did a Format and then a reinstall and now everything works well. Time to get rediscover my previous overclock voltages!!

Thanks for all the help