Problem with new HD installation

Successfully replaced Vista HD with new blank HD and successfully loaded Mint Cinnamon. In the process, unplugged the HD with Windows 7 to be sure the new OS went to the new drive. With everything reassembled, BIOS recognizes both HD's but shows the W7 HD as "disabled," so cannot run W7. Rechecked connections inside case twice and all looks ok there. What did I do wrong?

 

When I got into the case, I realized I couldn't tell which drive was Vista and which was W7. I unplugged one and restarted, turned out to be W7. I reconnected that one and swapped out the other one, which is Vista.

 

Have you tried to change where it say Disable to Enable?

Now if the Windows 7 drive is the only one connected it boot to Windows 7?

What does the Data Cable that connects to the drives look like?

Once we get both drive enabled a validate the Windows 7 boots then we run a command in Linux via Terminal for it to add the Windows 7 to the boot list.

 

Thanks for the response. The computer will not boot with the W7 HD as the only one connected. Please see this, posted this morning on Ask Woody:

Today started the computer and pressed F2- setup. Selected “Hard Disk Boot Priority” which shows both HD’s with the W7 disk highlighted as first priority. Exited this screen and Mint booted up.

On restart, F12 “Boot priority” shows the Mint HD highlighted. The red “disabled” notation no longer appears next to the W7 disk. Selected the W7 disk as priority, Mint opens anyway.

Opened case, unplugged the Mint drive, restart shows “No boot device available.”

Reconnected Mint HD, start w/ power button on case, Mint opens.

BTW, took photos of each step, but no way to post since W7 is M.I.A.

The W7 disk is “found” by the Mint OS and allows me to “mount” it, and then allows me to view the “Pictures” folder only. Mint also reports the W7 disk to be in proper working order. Looks like those who are suggesting boot repair are on the right track. As a non-tech, I had assumed that, since both the Vista and W7 HD’s were fully functional as stand-alone OS’s, they didn’t need each other to operate. To confirm, I’ll try NightOwl’s suggestion to reinstall the Vista HD to see what happens.

 

Many thanks. I have a parallel thread on Ask Woody, just took the suggestion to replace the Mint HD with the Vista. W7 is now up and running. My main reason for the dual boot is to ease into Mint and try it out as my possible refuge when MS disowns 7. Also, I have not as yet found the HP printer driver I need for Linux, could be the printer is a cyber-dinosaur. If I get this straightened out, I'll probably keep both OS's.

https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/problem-with-dual-boot/#post-336491

 

The "enable" notification is now gone. The W7 HD will not boot up w/o the Vista installed. Please see my parallel thread on Ask Woody.
https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/problem-with-dual-boot/#post-336491

 

Update- Now educated on how to repair boot in W7. But now that it is once again available, I need to deal with some accounting matters, etc., which spreadsheets are in 7. I'll proceed with the changes once there is no press of time.

 

So you now have the Windows 7 boot and all we have left is to get it to boot to Linux as well correct?

If yes when you are ready let me know after you are done with the accounting stuff.

EDIT: Also to clarify it will with out he Vista Drive being attached?

 

Well... the situation is a little more complicated. Since going thru all the manipulations of trying to get W7 to start, ultimately reinstalling the Vista HD, I did get access to W7 and all seemed well. But- W7 will not shut down- gets stuck on the "shutting down" screen. This happened both times I attempted to shut down, and I thought the first time was a fluke, but the second time (Sun. PM) the same thing happened. Both times I left it alone for at least 45 minutes, finally shut it down via the power button, no other choice.

Haven't looked into it yet, e.g. whether the shutdown sequence works in the Vista OS, or could there be a glitch in the motherboard. I think the shutdown screen is generated by the OS, not the BIOS, but don't know. I'll get a better idea when I try to shut down via Vista.
May not get to that today, as we have been dealing with a power outage (setting up generator, etc) as well as a snowstorm that left a nasty mess of basically slush, which gives the snow blower indigestion. To add to the merriment, my car coughed up its transmission last week and I have to get it to the repair shop this aft, no idea if it can get there without a ride courtesy of AAA. My other car (Corvette) is useless in snow, and this is the second snowfall in two days.

 

When things get better and you have the time we can do it.

No need to rush through it that is where mistakes are made.

 

Thanks, Rusty. My wife and I spent the whole day putting out fires. In addition to my tale of woe about, I also had to repair a house wiring problem and deal with an investment problem on the phone.

Just now had a chance to check- if I open the Vista OS, it will shut down properly. So presumably the problem is in the W7 OS, not in the BIOS. An anti-malware scan this morning came back clean. Not sure where to start looking for a problem, but I know shutting down the PC with the power button is not a good idea. What I plan to do for now is to put the PC in sleep mode when we are not using it- actually, we do that anyway, but normally shut down completely overnight. I'll use sleep then as well.

I don't know of a way to backtrack once the shutdown procedure is started.

 

Many thanks- I'll try that today.
Edit- don't know how to open "elevated command prompt", couldn't find it on the MS site. Can you help?

 

Thanks for that simplification. Your explanation is enough!

 

Thanks again- will be able to tackle this later this morning.

 

Ran scans through Command Prompt.
sfc "no integrity violations"
chkdsk "no problems found"