Vista RTM And Bootloader Problem

W

Walter B

Active Member
I have the boot folder on both my c: and d: drives. EBCD shows:
Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=D:
default {current}
displayorder {current}
timeout 30

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows Vista (TM) Ultimate
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows

I don't want the boot to be from D: How do I change it back to c: ?
I have no idea why or how it got changed from c: in the first place.
 
You can delete the folder from *C:\* but not from *D:\*
This is a Vista thing, and it's far more trouble than it's worth to mess with it.
 
Computer Guru said:
You can delete the folder from *C:\* but not from *D:\*
This is a Vista thing, and it's far more trouble than it's worth to mess with it.
Click to expand...
This is driving me nuts! What happens if:

1. using Disk Director, I delete the d: drive (physical drive)
2. boot from the Vista DVD and select Repair? Will that find the bootloader on the c: drive?
3. restore a d: drive image that doesn't have the boot stuff on it.
 
I think I'm almost there. Here's what EBCD shows now:
Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device unknown
default {current}
displayorder {current}
timeout 30

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows Vista (TM) Ultimate
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows

I think if "device" under Boot Manager could be changed to "partition=C:" that would do it?
 
Computer Guru said:
Yep.
Just use the re-install bootloader button in EasyBCD :smile:
Click to expand...
I did that, I think. The reinstall button is filled in, and I selected the Write MBR below that. I rebooted, and:
Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device unknown
default {current}
displayorder {current}
timeout 30

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows Vista (TM) Ultimate
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows

Still get the "device unknown"
 
I think that means it's on drive C:

Bascially: do you have a BOOT folder on drive D?
If you don't that means it's using the BOOT folder on drive C: and it's just confused about what's happening.
 
Yes, I have a boot folder on both c: and d:

I want Vista to use the one on c: and I want to delete the boot folder on d:

If it's confused, then maybe deleting the boot on d: will help.

I always make images first.
 
That's what I meant.
Force it to either use the one C: or not use one at all.

Bascially, delete the D:\BOOT\ folder, use EasyBCD to reinstall the MBR, and then see what it says.
If it still says unknown, boot from the Vista DVD and use the startup repair wizard -> it should set it back to C:\
 
Computer Guru said:
That's what I meant.
Force it to either use the one C: or not use one at all.

Bascially, delete the D:\BOOT\ folder, use EasyBCD to reinstall the MBR, and then see what it says.
If it still says unknown, boot from the Vista DVD and use the startup repair wizard -> it should set it back to C:\
Click to expand...
Did that, and used repair from Vista DVD, but...
Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=D:
default {current}
displayorder {current}
timeout 30

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows Vista (TM) Ultimate (recovered)
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows

As you can see, it put the boot dir back on d:

As you said earlier, it may not be worth the trouble. I may make one more try by disconnecting the D: drive at the MB.

I'm wondering if it sees the drives differently. I have 2 SATA drives. The c: drive is connected to the SATA 1 connector and has 1 primary partition and one logical. The d: drive is connected to the SATA 2 connector and has only 1 primary partition. Do you think that might be the problem?
 
:rage:

I just noticed that on my Vista x64 RTM install DVD, there is a file in the Boot Directory named cdboot.efi and it's an Easy BCD file that shows:
Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=D:
default {current}
displayorder {current}
timeout 30

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows Vista (TM) Ultimate
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows

I have no idea how it got there; I can't imagine that MS put it there, but who knows?

Could that be the problem when I use Repair? :nerd:
 
It's not the problem.

I burned a new Vista install DVD, and indeed it is in the Boot directory. However, it looks as though it's just a link to EBCD because on another machine it just reported what was there.

I'm stumped!

I have everything, and I mean everything, deleted from the d:\boot directory except BCD and BCD.LOG. I can't delete them, even from an elevated command prompt. Message is "Action cannot be completed because file is open in another program."
:openmouth:
 
EFI files don't "contain" info, they're just bootloader bridges for certain, new, not-yet-released machines.

The reason you can't delete those files is because they *are* in use, because Vista is using *that* as the directory for the boot files and not the one in drive c:

You can delete the one in drive c:\ but not the one in d:\

If drive D: is on a separate hd, disconnect it and repair boot.
if drive D: is a different partitino, use Acronis Disk Director to mark it as hidden and then repair boot.
 
Computer Guru said:
Good luck with that!
Be sure to post back and let us know how it goes.
Click to expand...
I am now booting from c: The d: drive is still disconnected. EBCD shows:
Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device unknown
default {current}
displayorder {current}
timeout 30

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows Vista (TM) Ultimate (recovered)
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows

Boot Manager shows device as "unknown"
I am goin to connect the d: drive, run DD, and convert it to a logical drive. Let's hope that works.
 
Back
Top