Tried to setup RAID 1 and now computer will not boot

1

100_Percent_Juice

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Feb 28, 2012
Messages
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I didn't know if this was the right section to post this problem so feel free to move if I was wrong.

STORY
My computer details are listed in my sig but I will try to explain my problem with the most detail I can. As of 1 hour ago I had a fully functioning computer. SSD boot drive and a 2TB file storage drive. I decided that it would be best to have a RAID 1 setup so I could better protect the files. I purchased an identical 2TB drive and installed it. My computer could see all the drives and everything was cool. I backed up all data on my first 2TB drive because I heard that it would be wiped to setup RAID anyways. Then I started the process of RAID setup.

Technical
Both 2TB drives are plugged into ICH10 SATA ports
SSD is plugged into Marvell SATA 6 port (ports set to AHCI prior to fresh Win7 install)

What I did
1. Entered BIOS
2. Changed ICH10 controller from IDE to RAID
3. F10 Save and Exit
4. CTRL-i enter into RAID settings (could see both 2TB HDD)
5. Created new RAID 1 volume
6. Save and reboot


Problem
After Post, computer states that boot disk failed enter CD-ROM boot disc
I deleted the new raid volume, removed the 2 HDDs, cleared cmos, etc etc etc

I can't get to boot period. HELP!
 
I didn't think what I did would have any effect on the SSD since its plugged into a different controller. I don't know why I can't get it to boot without the other stuff plugged in. I am kinda crapping my pants though because I have my 30+ hour Mass Effect 3 save on the SSD. I can't let the Reapers win!
 
Anyone?? I have been working on this all day and I am ready to just toss it in the street. I took everything out and just have my SSD plugged in. WHY CAN"T WINDOWS START@!!@!*&^%*$&^#%@$

Now windows boot manager comes on and gives me more advice that doesn't work.
 
The SSD is the boot drive and it was on a separate controller than the Intel that I switched from IDE to RAID so how would that effect boot? If that's the case, wouldn't it boot fine once I changed it back?
 
did you try updating your bios

and what msg does windows give you no mbr? if so you can repair
 
@balance101 I had updated the bios from gigabytes website to the latest version a couple weeks ago and everything had been running fine. I started getting a message saying something about windows/system32/winload.exe not being found or something. I will have to look again.

@mwroobel are you talking about something different than the boot order in bios?
 
I ran the windows cd and it went through the "repair" function. Now the computer will boot from the 2TB HDD even though all the system files are on the SSD. Why is it doing this and what steps can I take to get it to boot with the SSD again?
 
I opened disk management and under the SSD it says "Healthy (boot, page file, active, crash dump, primary partition)"

Under the 2TB storage drive it says "Healthy (system, active, primary partition)"

I don't know if any of that info helps but I don't think the system and active were listed under the 2Tb drive before I tried this whole RAID debacle.
 
100_Percent_Juice said:
@mwroobel are you talking about something different than the boot order in bios?
Click to expand...

Well, first you said that you got:
"After Post, computer states that boot disk failed enter CD-ROM boot disc"

Then you said you got:
"Now windows boot manager comes on and gives me more advice that doesn't work. "

Those are two completely different failures. If you get to the Windows boot menu, then the system is seeing and choosing the proper boot device, even if Windows doesn't come up. If you get the first error, it isn't choosing the proper boot device.

You said it is now booting from the RAID, did you install a new install to that array or the original backup?
 
mwroobel said:
Well, first you said that you got:
"After Post, computer states that boot disk failed enter CD-ROM boot disc"

Then you said you got:
"Now windows boot manager comes on and gives me more advice that doesn't work. "

Those are two completely different failures. If you get to the Windows boot menu, then the system is seeing and choosing the proper boot device, even if Windows doesn't come up. If you get the first error, it isn't choosing the proper boot device.

You said it is now booting from the RAID, did you install a new install to that array or the original backup?
Click to expand...

Ok well the first error was when I had all the drives plugged in. The second error was when I removed the (2) 2TB drives and only had the SSD plugged in. I then re-plugged in my original 2TB drive with the SSD and booted from the windows disc. I figured that if I couldnt boot from the SSD then maybe I could install windows on the 2TB HDD and then fix the SSD once I was in windows. I went through the Win7 install and now it boots from the 2TB drive even though all the system files are only on the SSD. I have probably royally screwed things up but at least I am currently on the computer.
 
I imagine that I could reinstall the OS on the SSD and start from scratch but I wanted to avoid that because it was time consuming to install all of my programs and I read that it puts added wear on the SSD.
 
Finally got the system disc to fix the boot on the SSD. I still don't see the 100mb system reserve but I have restarted several times and it seems to work fine now. I plugged in the (2) 2TB drives and I have them plugged in to the Intel sata controller. I changed IDE to RAID in bios and the computer boots fine. I will now try again to setup the RAID volume.
 
Im guessing that the fresh OS install put the boot record on the 2TB drive, then when you changed that to a raid, it got rid of that
Install the OS with only the SSD plugged in
 
100_Percent_Juice said:
Yeah, I think you are probably right.
Click to expand...

http://www.overclock.net/t/1156654/seans-windows-7-install-optimization-guide-for-ssds-hdds

use this guide for your OS installation on your ssd (use their formatting guide as well so you don't get 100mb system reserve)

when doing a fresh install of windows only have your booting drive (your SSD) plug in. if you have another windows install on your other drives other than the NEW booting drive (the need SSD) you want. windows will write the ssd boot config on the OLD MBR. so without your data drive (2 tb) windows will not boot

good luck
 
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