Windows 7 bcd wont boot, repair option fails

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confuseis

Member
Hi allI have been trying to multi boot my system with windows 7, server 2008 and windows 8 (for training myself)

As this system only has 1 hard drive I had the issue of running out of primary partitions (1) system reserved 100mb partition was primary (2) the windows 7 default OS was primary (3) the server 2008 installation was primary and there was an extended partition.

To allow myself an extra primary partition I decided to delete the system partition as I read it was only used for bitlocker.

I followed a guide that had me move the files to the c: partition and mark the c: partition as active & everything went well & I could multi boot & the systems partition was freed up.

I created a primary partition for windows 8 and went to install windows 8 into that one however windows 8 said it couldn't proceed when i offered it that partition so I canceled the installation and then would not boot at all whining about the BCD ran the auto startup repair several times but nothing.

I then tried the windows 7 disk with its startup recovery several times - nothing.

I followed an article to use the command prompt to repair this but the instructions in the last section nuclear method did not perform successfullyI read the log file from the windows 7 startup repair and at the and it said

"root cause found The partition table does not have a valid system partition repair partition. repair result completed successfully"

Using diskpart i can see that the 2 partitions still exist windpws 7 and server 2008 so I would like to recover them but windows has failed me so am I sol. I have not used easybcd before so does it work at the boot level? ill research.

In the meantime can anyone offer assistance as I am on the verge of weeping uncontrollably

Thanks for reading
 
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Is the W7 partition still "active" ? Or did you mark the W8 partition active before the install ?
What size partition are you trying to install W8 into ?
What reason did it give for not proceeding ?
 
I believe the windows 7 partition is still active. I did not mark the windows 8 partition as active before the install. The windows 8 partition was set for 80 GB However windows 8 did not go so far as to install on that partition as it would not accept that partition in the 1st place which is why I had no choice but to cancel the installation ( Normal clean cancel ) and face this mess that it has left me with.

Addendum

I have managed to fix this issue :smile: thank ****

I used this article http://www.7tutorials.com/command-prompt-fix-issues-your-boot-records

BUT I used the commands on the windows 8 DVD whereas before I was using the Windows 7 DVD as I was trying to recover a windows 7 partition from a sloppy windows 8 installation.

I didnt see why the exact same commands didn't work using the windows 7 disk command prompt but there you have it. Thanks Terry for trying to assist me and I hope this helps someone.

Thanks

Confuseis
 
All Windows (any type) check the "active" partition during install. That's where the boot files go regardless of where the rest of the OS is going.
80Gb is tons of room for W8, so if it refused to install it probably found insufficient space on the active partition for its boot files.
Setting the target partition active will mean that install puts the boot files with the rest of the OS, though it also means that the new install is oblivious of any other Windows, so it won't automatically dual-boot for you.
That's not a problem, as EasyBCD will easily remedy that later.
 
I see. The active partition has 50GB free so that u would suppose is suffuicient. There was no system reserved partition & im wondering if that is a factor as the log files blamed this.

It was easyBCD article that brought me to this site though I still havent a full awareness of how it works. In a nutshell I think its for backing up and easy editing of exisiting windows bcd from within a functioning OS but does it help with regards a system that has been rendered kaput from the boot stage?

Thanks
 
You're correct in assuming EasyBCD needs a functioning Windows OS to work. It's a Windows .NET app.
It can be used to restore the Vista/7/8 bootloader if e.g. a later installation of XP has regresssed the boot
Recovering the Windows Bootloader with EasyBCD - EasyBCD - NeoSmart Technologies Wiki
but that's because XP will run it.
If you have no functional Windows OS then you need a Vista/7/8 Distribution DVD, a W7 repair disc (Control Panel > Backup & Restore > Create Repair Disc) or one of our repair discs
Windows 7 Repair and Recovery CD Download | The NeoSmart Files
to fix the boot files from a separately bootable resource
Recovering the Windows Bootloader from the DVD - EasyBCD - NeoSmart Technologies Wiki

What exactly does the log say caused the W8 installation failure ?
You're right that the spare space in the active partition was more than adequate.

Did you have your BIOS set to boot CD/DVD before HDD ?

A temporary override won't do. The install will begin but then fail at the first automatic reboot if the BIOS sequence isn't correct.
 
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