Windows 10 won't boot after adding second HDD

[Darklightr]

This is a first for me:

Just did a major upgrade on my roommate's computer (CPU - Intel 11th Gen/RAM - 16GB/Mobo - Gigabyte Z590 Gaming X/Storage - 2TB Firecuda NVME - top/CPU handled slot for PCIe4x4). I installed Windows 10 on the new NVME drive, no issues, even after several reboots. When I try to add one of his old SATA drives (2 SSDs and a WD mech from Win 7) as a secondary, it stops booting after the BIOS option. If I disconnect the old drive, it still won't boot, and I have to reinstall Windows.

In the BIOS I have made sure the drives show up, that the NVME drive is set to boot first, even tried enabling CSM support and specifying the specific boot order of all the drives - nothing helps. It's like if I connect one of his old HDDs it kills the new Windows 10 install. As far as the SATA controller itself, I tried disabling it, still no luck - and besides, I still have a SATA DVD burner connected the whole time, and it works fine with new Windows 10 install.

I have encountered many issues in my 25+ years of computing, but this one is a head-scratcher. Any help appreciated!

 

[pendragon1]

sound like the old os's bootloader may be corrupting 10's. do you have external caddy? if not, you could enable hot plug on the sata and connect one after in windows and try to clean up any old os remnants.

 

[Darklightr]

sound like the old os's bootloader may be corrupting 10's. do you have external caddy? if not, you could enable hot plug on the sata and connect one after in windows and try to clean up any old os remnants.

I thought of that, but I tried a pure data drive as well, same result. I'm really puzzled why just connecting it would pooch the new NVME Win 10 install...

 

[pendragon1]

I thought of that, but I tried a pure data drive as well, same result. I'm really puzzled why just connecting it would pooch the new NVME Win 10 install...

uh yeah, that is very odd. bios is up to date? tried another port/cable for the sata drives? tried another nvme port?

 

[michalrz]

I'm monitoring this thread, sounds weird indeed.

Like pen said, I'd start with an older/newer bios.

Also - these older drives - were they purely storage drives? Or did/do they have a bootloader on them (previous Win/Lin install)?

 

[Abula]

Some times, windows creates partitions outside the main drive, i have had builds where if i remove a drive (not the OS drive), i still cant boot, until replug the old drive, this is the main reason i never format with 2 drives connected.

 

[michalrz]

Some times, windows creates partitions outside the main drive, i have had builds where if i remove a drive (not the OS drive), i still cant boot, until replug the old drive, this is the main reason i never format with 2 drives connected.

OP's problem is much weirder; he 'formats' his NVMe, throws Windows on it, that works.
It stops working permanently after he adds his older drives.
We didn't get a follow up regarding the old drives, though - I'm curious if there isn't something on them (as in, previous bootloader) that gets read at some point of the booting and 'does' something.

 

[Darklightr]

Hello -
Thanks for the replies... turns out I had to make the drives raw again (or format them on a Win10 system) to get them to work. I now have a working system. I would conclude that Win10 will not recognize Win7 partitions when connected directly to the SATA ports on the mobo - although it doesn't explain the blocking access to the NVME Win10 install. (I did already check for lane conflicts between the NVME and SATA, it was all good, and yes the BIOS is the latest).

Thanks again everyone!

 

[Furious_Styles]

Hello -
Thanks for the replies... turns out I had to make the drives raw again (or format them on a Win10 system) to get them to work. I now have a working system. I would conclude that Win10 will not recognize Win7 partitions when connected directly to the SATA ports on the mobo - although it doesn't explain the blocking access to the NVME Win10 install. (I did already check for lane conflicts between the NVME and SATA, it was all good, and yes the BIOS is the latest).

Thanks again everyone!

The Win 7 partitions were MBR, when you want only UEFI you have to disable CSM. You have to wipe the drive and format it in GPT should you want to do UEFI. W10 set up will not recognize MBR drives if you have the bios set to boot in UEFI mode.

 

[Darklightr]

The Win 7 partitions were MBR, when you want only UEFI you have to disable CSM. You have to wipe the drive and format it in GPT should you want to do UEFI. W10 set up will not recognize MBR drives if you have the bios set to boot in UEFI mode.

I did try with CSM, but it didn't help. I'm still going to chalk it up to a Partition/Formatting issue. Once I made the drives raw again, I could access and format them on the new system.

 

[funkydmunky]

I had a similar issue many years ago. Eventually I had to low level format the drive. It had nothing on it and was formated many times but just wouldn't give it up and would screw the install when it was plugged in. This was back in the XP days and was probably a pirated copy.

 

[bananas1]

Glad you got it sorted OP. I feel your pain, I had issues swapping HDDs and no amount of googling could reveal an answer. Some low level magic stuff happens with the bootloader and it's just not worth the hassle unless there's really sensitive data on it.