Is this a koshur move?

[Cerulean]

D: is a dual-boot to Server 2008. I installed that first, then I installed Windows 7. I'm in Windows 7, haven't used Server 2008 in a long time and feel like it's a waste to have it.

 

[drescherjm]

I have certainly done that at least 1/2 dozen times. Although I do not remember if I had to use the recovery process to get the OS to boot again.

 

[Cerulean]

I used Acronis to do that, which require restart and out-of-OS work. This is the second time I've done this before. The first time I had problems like I am now, but I somehow pulled through. I don't remember how.

I don't have a monitor or keyboard to my machine, so... Gotta borrow one from work today.

 

[BinarySynapse]

If you installed to the first partition (D: from Win7's point of view) first, then you're boot information is on that partition and you'll have to repair that if you blow it away. You could try copy the /boot folder to your second partition (C: from Win7), then changing it to be the active partition. Reboot and see if it goes through. if it does, blow away the first partition (don't rely on drive letters) and extend the second back into it's place.

 

[Cerulean]

If you installed to the first partition (D: from Win7's point of view) first, then you're boot information is on that partition and you'll have to repair that if you blow it away. You could try copy the /boot folder to your second partition (C: from Win7), then changing it to be the active partition. Reboot and see if it goes through. if it does, blow away the first partition (don't rely on drive letters) and extend the second back into it's place.

Hmm.. well, the Windows 2008 (beginning of drive) partition is already gone.

I didn't think of that though, ryan, and I think you are right. I had Acronis start doing this yesterday morning (had to reboot), so I didn't have remote access all day. When I got back to my apartment in the evening and looked at the LEDs on my machine, it did not appear the machine was doing anything (activity LED wasn't blinking).

So I figure what happened is that Acronis did its job like it was supposed to, and of course, having deleted the first partition goes the boot loader (which is what it essentially is), and the reason I couldn't "boot" as said in OP is because there's no boot loader and the machine doesn't know what to boot.

So I think I might be able to do this in one of two ways:
1) Install GRUB
2) Repair Windows 7 (doesn't change my OS, just fixes/replaces missing system files and boot related stuff) ... not sure if this option exists in Windows 7 DVD but I'll find out!

If there isn't a "Repair" option like there was in XP disk (and I'm not talking about Repair/Recovery Console), I'll either seek advice here or attempt to install GRUB and see what happens.

 

[BinarySynapse]

Hmm.. well, the Windows 2008 (beginning of drive) partition is already gone.

I didn't think of that though, ryan, and I think you are right. I had Acronis start doing this yesterday morning (had to reboot), so I didn't have remote access all day. When I got back to my apartment in the evening and looked at the LEDs on my machine, it did not appear the machine was doing anything (activity LED wasn't blinking).

So I figure what happened is that Acronis did its job like it was supposed to, and of course, having deleted the first partition goes the boot loader (which is what it essentially is), and the reason I couldn't "boot" as said in OP is because there's no boot loader and the machine doesn't know what to boot.

So I think I might be able to do this in one of two ways:
1) Install GRUB
2) Repair Windows 7 (doesn't change my OS, just fixes/replaces missing system files and boot related stuff) ... not sure if this option exists in Windows 7 DVD but I'll find out!

If there isn't a "Repair" option like there was in XP disk (and I'm not talking about Repair/Recovery Console), I'll either seek advice here or attempt to install GRUB and see what happens.

1) Grub won't do you any good since it has to chain load the Windows bootsector, that then loads the actual boot loader and configuration from the /boot folder on the active partition.. which you blew away.

2) Vista and 7 don't have a repair install option the way XP did, but I believe they do have a recovery type of option that will scan for startup problems. It should be able to repair your boot information.

 

[Cerulean]

1) Grub won't do you any good since it has to chain load the Windows bootsector, that then loads the actual boot loader and configuration from the /boot folder on the active partition.. which you blew away.

2) Vista and 7 don't have a repair install option the way XP did, but I believe they do have a recovery type of option that will scan for startup problems. It should be able to repair your boot information.

Ah yes, that's right. *remembers from A+ prep class*

hah. Will have to try it when I get home this evening. Thanks ryan! Will report on how it goes.