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192 posts

Master Geek


Topic # 113632 22-Jan-2013 21:04 Send private message

Hi guys,

So this afternoon I started cleaning out some old files and eventually decided to format my secondary 160GB HDD as I was originally just using it to test out the consumer preview of Windows 8, whereas my main HDD was recently upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 8. 

Anyway unfortunately I can't remember exactly what I was doing before this happened but at one point I restarted my computer (which is set to boot into my main HDD) and half way through the boot I get the "BOOTMGR is missing Press Ctrl Alt Del to restart" message. 
Now this seems to be a fairly common message but I've never personally seen it before. Anyway after this my computer would no longer boot up into either of my OS's. 

I've since tried several different options such as resetting the BIOS and using a recovery flash drive to try and repair the problem but whenever I use the flash drive to try any sort of repair I get a message saying 
"The drive where Windows is installed is locked. Unlock the drive and try again." 
and unfortunately I don't have a clue what it means by this... eventually I somehow managed to get my main HDD to boot into Windows 8 by ordering the 160GB HDD to boot first which would then give me a choice of OS's to boot (originally this didn't work, so again, I'm not exactly sure what caused this to change). 

If I remove the 160GB HDD from the system though I end up right back at square one so it looks as though my system is using the bootmgr files from the 160GB HDD to start the process and from there let me boot into my main OS. 

Does anyone have any ideas as to how I could fix this so that my main HDD with my main OS isn't relying on the smaller 160GB HDD for some of these vital Windows files? Would i just be as simple as copying the bootmgr files from the smaller HDD to my main one or would there be more to it than that?

Thanks

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923 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted
Microsoft NZ

  Reply # 749146 22-Jan-2013 21:20 Send private message

What happens when you boot your windows install dvd/usb key and perform a repair?



192 posts

Master Geek


  Reply # 749147 22-Jan-2013 21:22 Send private message

I just get a message saying "The drive where Windows is installed is locked. Unlock the drive and try again."

923 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted
Microsoft NZ

  Reply # 749152 22-Jan-2013 21:28 Send private message

Whoops sorry i see you already mentioned tgat

are you using a native boot vhd install of Windows?

you could try a CHKDSK /F from elevated CMD prompt

also from DISKPART once you have selected the disk
attributes volume clear readonly



192 posts

Master Geek


  Reply # 749162 22-Jan-2013 21:47 Send private message

Sorry bt what is a native boot vhd install?

As for thr chkdsk /f command I've tried that but I just get a message saying "The type of file system is NTFS. Cannot lock current drive. Windows cannot run disk checking on this volume because it is write protected."

Also I'm not familiar without the diskpart command so a little more info would be much appreciated :)

638 posts

Ultimate Geek


  Reply # 749175 22-Jan-2013 22:02 Send private message

I get this problem frequintly when not shutting down the computer correctly, my simplist fix is to hit F12 at BIOS and enter the boot disk menu, from there I boot into a BIOS Diagnostic menu, after completing the hardware diagnostic (100% pass) you exit, reboot and you should boot up fine... If you don't have a diagnostic option in your boot disk menu, not sure what to do at that point.




Boom new website - http://jamesstringer.co.nz



192 posts

Master Geek


  Reply # 749181 22-Jan-2013 22:12 Send private message

I just tried that without any luck, mine doesn't seem to have a diagnostic menu.

On a side not, you were saying you've found that it happens when the computer doesn't shut down properly. Have you ever found that your computer will just restart when you turn it off?
This has basically always happened since I upgraded to Windows 8 so have just been turning it of with the power button just after the system begins restarting. I thought it may have been a BIOS issue but never bothered looking much into it until now and so today when I tried resetting my BIOS the computer now just starts turning till it gets to a black screen then it just sits there till I physically turn it off...

20 posts

Geek


  Reply # 750522 25-Jan-2013 00:25 Send private message

I had a similar problem. Im assuming it was a bug in Consumer preview that messes with Windows 7's files. When I tried to enter recovery in windows 7, I got the windows 8 version

923 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted
Microsoft NZ

  Reply # 750527 25-Jan-2013 00:44 Send private message

RealityClash: Sorry bt what is a native boot vhd install?

As for thr chkdsk /f command I've tried that but I just get a message saying "The type of file system is NTFS. Cannot lock current drive. Windows cannot run disk checking on this volume because it is write protected."

Also I'm not familiar without the diskpart command so a little more info would be much appreciated :)


don't know what boot VHD is then great you dint have that

it sounds like your disk is read only

run an elevated CMD prompt:

diskpart
lisk disk
select disk (number from above based on which disk is locked)
attributes volume clear readonly

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