Boot from D: when C: does not exist

  • Thread starter Thread starter MariusM
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MariusM

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hi,
I have this problem: 2x HDD, 3 partitions. C and E on the first HDD, D on
the second. I had some problems with windows and reinstalled it on D so now
there are practically 2x WinXP in multi boot. The problem is the first HDD is
faulty and I have to remove it but in this case computer does not have a C
drive to boot from. At the same time the mother board only has 2 S-ATA so I
can only connect 2x HDD at a time or 1 HDD and the DVD-RW which I need. How
can I make windows boot from D when D is the only drive available? It should
be possible I guess.
thank you for your replies
 
Re: Boot from D: when C: does not exist

MariusM wrote:

> hi,
> I have this problem: 2x HDD, 3 partitions. C and E on the first HDD, D on
> the second. I had some problems with windows and reinstalled it on D so now
> there are practically 2x WinXP in multi boot. The problem is the first HDD is
> faulty and I have to remove it but in this case computer does not have a C
> drive to boot from. At the same time the mother board only has 2 S-ATA so I
> can only connect 2x HDD at a time or 1 HDD and the DVD-RW which I need. How
> can I make windows boot from D when D is the only drive available? It should
> be possible I guess.
> thank you for your replies

No need for a "C" drive, these letters are only relevant to the
operating system, when the computer boots and when the Windows boot
process is launched there are no drive letters, drive letters are
assigned after Windows starts to boot.

Make "D" a sytem drive, to do so:

Copy the files ntldr and NTDETECT.COM from the root of the C: drive to
the root of the D: drive.

The Boot.ini file also needs to be alongside the above files in the root
of the D: drive and it needs to have a proper ARC path to the
installation on the D: drive. You can copy the existing file to the D:
drive but after you remove and/or move the disks it may not have the
proper path to the installation, the following file would be able to
boot from the first partition on 3 different disks:

boot loader]
timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP"
/noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP"
/noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(2)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP"
/noexecute=optin /fastdetect

As long as the D: drive has an NT boot sector, which it will if it was
formated with Windows XP you will be able to boot the D: drive.

John
 
Re: Boot from D: when C: does not exist



thank you for the reply
I already tried this a few weeks ago, copyed all system files from c: to d:
and modified the boot.ini file to point to the correct drive...it did not
work when I took out the first HDD. I'm not sure now what was the error but
it's the usual when windows does not find it's system files; something like
this. I also talked to a guy from microsoft support (for another matter but I
asked him this also) and he said that from what he knows this does not work
(boot-ing from D when C is not available). He was only a first level support
or something and couldn't help me with anything anyway ;). Anyway, the error
I got if I remember corectly is the same as the error you get on new
notebooks or PC's whith SATA HDD whithout the AHCI BIOS setting activated.
 
Re: Boot from D: when C: does not exist

It will work if you do it properly. Three things to check:

1- Highly unlikely, but if there is a file named NTBOOTDD.SYS in the
root of the C: drive copy it too to the root of D:.

2- Make sure that the BIOS is set to boot to the correct disk.

3- Make sure that the drive has the proper required MBR and Boot Sector
to boot Windows XP. Boot with the Recovery Console and issue the
Fixboot and Fixmbr commands against the disk.

Does your computer have a floppy diskette?

John

MariusM wrote:

>
> thank you for the reply
> I already tried this a few weeks ago, copyed all system files from c: to d:
> and modified the boot.ini file to point to the correct drive...it did not
> work when I took out the first HDD. I'm not sure now what was the error but
> it's the usual when windows does not find it's system files; something like
> this. I also talked to a guy from microsoft support (for another matter but I
> asked him this also) and he said that from what he knows this does not work
> (boot-ing from D when C is not available). He was only a first level support
> or something and couldn't help me with anything anyway ;). Anyway, the error
> I got if I remember corectly is the same as the error you get on new
> notebooks or PC's whith SATA HDD whithout the AHCI BIOS setting activated.
 
Re: Boot from D: when C: does not exist

PS: Did you set your D: drive as a Primary Partition or is there only
an Extended Partition on the disk? The System files ntldr, NTDETECT.COM
& boot.ini need to be on an Primary Active partition, you can locate the
operating system on a logical drive in an extended partition but you
need an Active partition to boot the operating system.

John

John John (MVP) wrote:

> It will work if you do it properly. Three things to check:
>
> 1- Highly unlikely, but if there is a file named NTBOOTDD.SYS in the
> root of the C: drive copy it too to the root of D:.
>
> 2- Make sure that the BIOS is set to boot to the correct disk.
>
> 3- Make sure that the drive has the proper required MBR and Boot Sector
> to boot Windows XP. Boot with the Recovery Console and issue the
> Fixboot and Fixmbr commands against the disk.
>
> Does your computer have a floppy diskette?
>
> John
>
> MariusM wrote:
>
>>
>> thank you for the reply
>> I already tried this a few weeks ago, copyed all system files from c:
>> to d: and modified the boot.ini file to point to the correct
>> drive...it did not work when I took out the first HDD. I'm not sure
>> now what was the error but it's the usual when windows does not find
>> it's system files; something like this. I also talked to a guy from
>> microsoft support (for another matter but I asked him this also) and
>> he said that from what he knows this does not work (boot-ing from D
>> when C is not available). He was only a first level support or
>> something and couldn't help me with anything anyway ;). Anyway, the
>> error I got if I remember corectly is the same as the error you get on
>> new notebooks or PC's whith SATA HDD whithout the AHCI BIOS setting
>> activated.
>
>
 
Re: Boot from D: when C: does not exist


Ya John is absolutely right ,& i have tried it many times. even after
installing new operating systems in new partitions i make edit all mbr & its
truly works for all operating systems, its not ben very big deal.

You have to do two things
1) You have to make sure Bios is actually booting that hard disk
2) DO fixmbr & fixboot , if you think that you had altered it.

Hope, it will help you out.


"John John (MVP)" wrote:

> PS: Did you set your D: drive as a Primary Partition or is there only
> an Extended Partition on the disk? The System files ntldr, NTDETECT.COM
> & boot.ini need to be on an Primary Active partition, you can locate the
> operating system on a logical drive in an extended partition but you
> need an Active partition to boot the operating system.
>
> John
>
> John John (MVP) wrote:
>
> > It will work if you do it properly. Three things to check:
> >
> > 1- Highly unlikely, but if there is a file named NTBOOTDD.SYS in the
> > root of the C: drive copy it too to the root of D:.
> >
> > 2- Make sure that the BIOS is set to boot to the correct disk.
> >
> > 3- Make sure that the drive has the proper required MBR and Boot Sector
> > to boot Windows XP. Boot with the Recovery Console and issue the
> > Fixboot and Fixmbr commands against the disk.
> >
> > Does your computer have a floppy diskette?
> >
> > John
> >
> > MariusM wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> thank you for the reply
> >> I already tried this a few weeks ago, copyed all system files from c:
> >> to d: and modified the boot.ini file to point to the correct
> >> drive...it did not work when I took out the first HDD. I'm not sure
> >> now what was the error but it's the usual when windows does not find
> >> it's system files; something like this. I also talked to a guy from
> >> microsoft support (for another matter but I asked him this also) and
> >> he said that from what he knows this does not work (boot-ing from D
> >> when C is not available). He was only a first level support or
> >> something and couldn't help me with anything anyway ;). Anyway, the
> >> error I got if I remember corectly is the same as the error you get on
> >> new notebooks or PC's whith SATA HDD whithout the AHCI BIOS setting
> >> activated.
> >
> >
>
 
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