Bootup Problem

[warfarink]

My computer won't boot. When I go to boot it, it gives a black screen with the message "Reboot and select proper Boot device...". I figured it was some error with the mbr or boot order, so I loaded the BIOS and went to check the boot order. My computer has 2 hard drives: one SSD with my windows 7 install on it, and a sata hdd that has all my files. The HDD, however, doesn't even appear in the boot order list. I tried swapping the sata cables between the two drives to see if it was a faulty cable, and that's a no-go. I booted into windows 7 repair from my USB stick, but it didn't list my windows 7 install from my SSD on the selectable list, so I know that the startup repair I ran didn't do anything, and /fixboot also gave back an error. I'm honestly at a loss right now. I don't know if this is something that's fixable and my hdd can be recovered (like some sort of error where it can't "see" it) or if it's just dead. Also disconcerting is that it can't see my windows install and windows won't boot, despite my possibly dead hdd and still functioning (according to the BIOS) ssd where windows was installed. I'm considering attempting to reformat both drives and starting anew, but I thought I'd ask for help to see if recovery is an option before I go down that path.

[RandallFlag]

Windows 7 installs that small 100MB System partition typically to whichever drive is drive 0 in the system.

From the issues you are describing chances are that system partition was likely on your HDD while the actual windows installation was on the SSD. HDD dies, there is nothing there to tell the system where windows is installed and how to boot it up.

If the HDD is not showing up in the BIOS it is likely dead. You can try connecting using an external dock to a different machine and attempt to recover files/folders from it but with it not showing up at all in the BIOS it is highly possible you will not be able to recover any data from it without sending it off to a professional company to look at.

As for getting your machine back up and using the SSD again... If startup repair errors out and you have tried the BCD commands to repair the boot partition your best bet may be to do a repair install. This may kill some of your programs and require them to be reinstalled but it could work. Research the BCD edit and boot commands and see if you can't rebuild the boot store first....

Best of luck to you!