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Boot drive issue.

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  • 28-01-2009 1:29pm
    #1
    SeanW
    Registered Users Posts: 8,830 ✭✭✭


    About 4 months ago, I got a Solid State Disk for my computer which I'm very happy with. However, whatever way Windows installed onto it, the boot drive is technically my old PATA Maxtor 80GB that I've carried from build to build for about 4 years now, instead of the SSD (A transcend 16GB SLC SATA drive). I.E. the PC boots from BIOS to the Maxtor, which within the boot.ini points to the appropriate Windows folder on my SSD - the control handover to Windows only happens at that point or so it seems. My PC is up for a rebuild and I will want to remove the old HD. Is there any way to force my SSD to become the booting drive instead of the Maxtor without pulling the Maxtor and then having to reinstall Windows?


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    #2
    Anti
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,401 ✭✭✭✭Anti


    Gonna move this to B&U for a betetr responce.


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    #3
    PaddyTheNth
    Registered Users Posts: 605 ✭✭✭PaddyTheNth


    Out of curiosity, how did you arrive at the current situation? boot.ini is in the Windows folder. Do you have two copies of windows installed, one on each drive? Or have you performed some serious hackery?

    To the best of my knowledge, the answer would be no. A reinstall with the Maxtor removed as you suggested is the only solution I can think of.


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    #4
    SeanW
    Registered Users Posts: 8,830 ✭✭✭SeanW


    PaddyTheNth wrote: »
    Out of curiosity, how did you arrive at the current situation? boot.ini is in the Windows folder.
    No, boot.ini for Windows XP is in the drive root folder. Basically, the old Maxtor is now Drive C: while the SSD that holds Windows is Drive E:
    My boot.ini, which is in the root folder of drive C: is attached (renamed to boot.txt).

    As to why Windows installed like that, I'm not sure. In my rig, I have 4 HDs - the first is the Paralell ATA Maxor, 2 Serial ATA Western Digitals 250GB each, and the Flash SSD, which is also Serial ATA.

    I'm guessing it has something to do with the fact that the Maxtor is the Primary Master (might be the secondary), and the SATA drives are all IDE 3-6 Masters.
    Do you have two copies of windows installed, one on each drive? Or have you performed some serious hackery?
    Neither.
    To the best of my knowledge, the answer would be no. A reinstall with the Maxtor removed as you suggested is the only solution I can think of.
    I thought as much, just thought I'd ask - I actually noticed this issue as soon as I reinstalled Windows when I got my SSD (this was the first time it was installed on a SATA drive) but I have imminent plans to get a new mega-HD for my computer as part of an end-of-life overhaul, most likely a 1TB WD to replace all 3 mechanical drives. Obvously if I have to keep one until the next reinstall, it's going to do nothing but generate heat, consume power and generally get in the way. It's also getting old and is thus something of a "weak link."


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    #5
    PaddyTheNth
    Registered Users Posts: 605 ✭✭✭PaddyTheNth


    SeanW wrote: »
    No, boot.ini for Windows XP is in the drive root folder. Basically, the old Maxtor is now Drive C: while the SSD that holds Windows is Drive E:
    My boot.ini, which is in the root folder of drive C: is attached (renamed to boot.txt).
    Sorry you're quite right about the location, I was getting confused.

    So the only operating system-related files on C are(is) boot.ini? Wow that's bizarre.

    I wonder does GParted support SSDs...if it does I wonder what would happen if you copied/moved boot.ini back to the SSD root and then set the boot flag on the SSD in GParted.

    I would definitely clone the Maxtor and the SSD before doing that though :P
    SeanW wrote: »
    Obvously if I have to keep one until the next reinstall, it's going to do nothing but generate heat, consume power and generally get in the way. It's also getting old and is thus something of a "weak link."
    Yeah I sympathise with that, it would bug me too. As I said above, maybe there's a small possibility you could play with the boot flag in something like GParted but I wouldn't be confident at all.


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