1 existing partition, two bootcamp icons, none working if 2nd hdd installed?

[3tc]

hello,

i have a macbook pro 17" 2007 (3,1) and removed the superdrive to install a sata pata hdd adapter (and a hdd obviously) and had no problems so far, everything worked perfectly (without windows, osx only).

i tried to install win7 via bootcamp, couldn't boot from install dvd with two different external usb dvd drives(only showing efi boot, black screen), opened the macbook, took the 2nd hdd adapter out, superdrive in again and the dvd bootet just fine
installed windows, worked perfectly for a day, but stopped as soon as i put the 2nd hdd back in.

suddenly i have the choice between two "Windows" labeled symbols when holding alt (in diskutil there's just osx, win and the 200mb part) and both of them just show me "missing operating system" if selected.
osx works and windows works if i remove the second hdd, but I'd really like to keep it...

i tried to install refit, no change, tried to fdisk -e /dev/rdisk0 (main hdd) and f 2 (osx part) but the partition was active already so obviously no change as well..
if I flag the windows part I get the same "missing operating system" error.

strange: if i boot from osx install-stick and open the "startup disk" utility i can select either OSX HD or BOOTCAMP, the "startup disk" utility of the booted OSX (OS) only shows me the OSX HD. Same result as flagging the Bootcamp part, though.

any ideas?

 

[balamw]

Do you have enough space on your two drives to install a copy of the W7 install files as a partition? If so, you might be able to use the Startup Repair wizard from that and get things working again. It might also come in handy in the future if you can dedicate 4-8 GB to it.

See the "without super drive" thread for more info. https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/601414/

B

 

[3tc]

thanks, idea sounds great

Step 3 requires putting a Vista/Win7 compatible Volume Boot Record at
the head of the partition. You can do this in VMWare by using the Win7
ISO as a recovery disc (bootrec.exe /fixboot):

i just don't get how to use the win7 iso as a recovery disc? if i select "create a new virtual machine and the iso, the diskpart/everything only recognizes it's own virtual partitions, not the real ones?

 

[balamw]

Personally, I'd do that with the one HDD the installer is going on and the ODD reinstalled temporarily, not to have to use VMWare

There are later posts in the thread, e.g. https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/11173042/ that give some more details.

B

 

[3tc]

MBR instead of GPT on the second hdd (the one without windows and osx, data only) solved the problem somehow.

thank you !