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URGENT: can't load W7 (BootCamp install)

sash

sash

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 23, 2004
592
1
Hi,

I can't load windows, although Startup Disk in SP shows the Bootcamp partition and I can choose it the start from.

When I try to start into W7, I'm getting some windows message that there are no bootable devises, insert any bootable disk and press any key -- or something like that.

I guess, I managed to damage windows boot files, -- is there any way to restore it without reinstalling the whole system?

I've got another, separate drive with an old Mac OS / Vista install, which wasn't in use for months. Today I've erased this disk, -- and run into these problems...

The HDD I'm using now with 10.6.3 and W7 shouldn't be affected by this -- so I thought... I can start into Mac OS, but not into W7.

MP 8 cores, 10.6.3... I really need windows up and running till tomorrow morning...

Does anybody has any idea how to repair these windows' boot files and get windows to load?

Thank you a lot!

sash
 
M

MacBookDan

macrumors member
May 9, 2010
61
0
West Midlands, England, United Kingdom
sash said:
Hi,

I can't load windows, although Startup Disk in SP shows the Bootcamp partition and I can choose it the start from.

When I try to start into W7, I'm getting some windows message that there are no bootable devises, insert any bootable disk and press any key -- or something like that.

I guess, I managed to damage windows boot files, -- is there any way to restore it without reinstalling the whole system?

I've got another, separate drive with an old Mac OS / Vista install, which wasn't in use for months. Today I've erased this disk, -- and run into these problems...

The HDD I'm using now with 10.6.3 and W7 shouldn't be affected by this -- so I thought... I can start into Mac OS, but not into W7.

MP 8 cores, 10.6.3... I really need windows up and running till tomorrow morning...

Does anybody has any idea how to repair these windows' boot files and get windows to load?

Thank you a lot!

sash
Click to expand...

Perhaps you have the wrong partition format? Format the partition in NTFS rather than FAT. Also is your Windows genuine?
 
sash

sash

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 23, 2004
592
1
MacBookDan said:
Perhaps you have the wrong partition format? Format the partition in NTFS rather than FAT. Also is your Windows genuine?
Click to expand...

Everything is genuine; it's a 1TB Barracuda Es2, 500 GB for each system, so no FAT, but NTFS.

The thing is, this install has worked for months without any problem. I've damaged this windows' boot file thing while erasing the old disk with the old Mac OS and Vista install.

So the question is, how to restore the windows' boot...

Thank you,
sash
 
balamw

balamw

Moderator emeritus
Aug 16, 2005
19,366
979
New England
I've had this happen even on a regular PC.

NOTE: Back everything you can up, twice if you can, before attempting this. You may lose the ability to boot your OS X as well.

W7 comes with a Startup Repair tool on the install disc that may be able to help you restore the ability to boot. See more info here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html

You may have to run the repair tool twice to get everything working again.

B
 
sash

sash

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 23, 2004
592
1
balamw said:
I've had this happen even on a regular PC.

NOTE: Back everything you can up, twice if you can, before attempting this. You may lose the ability to boot your OS X as well.

W7 comes with a Startup Repair tool on the install disc that may be able to help you restore the ability to boot. See more info here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html

You may have to run the repair tool twice to get everything working again.

B
Click to expand...

Hi,

I've already tried to repair via the install disk -- to no avail. It does not recognise the system installed (w7). No system to repair or something like that...

sash
 
balamw

balamw

Moderator emeritus
Aug 16, 2005
19,366
979
New England
sash said:
I've already tried to repair via the install disk -- to no avail. It does not recognise the system installed (w7). No system to repair or something like that...
Click to expand...

For some odd reason I had to run the wizard twice to get it to repair and boot properly. They first time it gave me something like that, but then afterwards it seems to have figured it out. (My PC was dual booting Ubuntu and apparently got confused.)

EDIT: Here's a dumb thought. Use Winclone to clone the broken W7 partition to a new partition on your old Vista drive. It knows how to make things bootable so it might just make it work.

B
 
sash

sash

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 23, 2004
592
1
balamw said:
For some odd reason I had to run the wizard twice to get it to repair and boot properly. They first time it gave me something like that, but then afterwards it seems to have figured it out. (My PC was dual booting Ubuntu and apparently got confused.)

B
Click to expand...

OK, I'm going to try a few times, thank you!

sash
 
sash

sash

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 23, 2004
592
1
balamw said:
You may have to run the repair tool twice to get everything working again.
Click to expand...

Hi,

Startup Repair tool is not working, can't recognize system installed... I'll try the Winclone thing -- btw, does it run under MAc OS?

sash
 
sash

sash

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 23, 2004
592
1
balamw said:
EDIT: Here's a dumb thought. Use Winclone to clone the broken W7 partition to a new partition on your old Vista drive. It knows how to make things bootable so it might just make it work.
Click to expand...

I'm trying this thing, and if it'll fail, I'll try to reinstall on that disk both Mac OS and windows as it was before...

Damn how stupid!

But anyway, as the install on this main disk remains intact, maybe there are some other ways to restore the boot file?

The problem is, if I'll have to reinstall all the progs, I'll be busy the whole night -- at least. Thus the clean install of the w7 is the least preferable scenario...

sash
 
sash

sash

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 23, 2004
592
1
No luck for me tonight it seems, nothing helps... I'll have to reinstall w7.
 
T

Thunder82

macrumors 6502
Jul 16, 2008
442
3
Chicago, IL
I'm having the exact same problem! I create a bootcamp partition with the utility on OSX, reboot with the CD (legit Win7 Pro CD) in the drive, and I get the exact same error. (no bootable drives found) This is with a brand new i7 15" MBP.

I don't get it at all.. im going to try a vista/xp install tonight to see if its just win7.
 
rgarjr

rgarjr

macrumors 604
Apr 2, 2009
6,820
1,050
Southern California
I'm also having issues with Win 7 on my 24" iMac, having a problem booting up (just hangs on the Win7 screen). I tried putting the install disc to see if I can go into recovery mode, but it does nothing, just a black screen after loading files screen.

Got Win7 back running on my Mac, followed this guide here.

Deleted that one ATI driver file, ATIKMDAG.SYS rebooted and was able to see the screen.
 
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