Bootmgr is missing

[JVM]

Originally Posted by Chike

Have you disable floppy (set Drive A to none) in standdard BIOS settings?

I just did that and now it no longer shows in Windows, but I still can't boot from Windows DVD, Windows 7 or Vista--tried both. No error, just boots straight to desktop. If I try to install Windows 7 on a blank drive, I get that bootmgr is missing error.

[Psycho101]

Making sure all drives except the target SSD and the DVD ROM are disconnected (including any and all external USB keys etc) set the first boot device in the BIOS back to the HDD and instead use the F12 boot menu to manually select CD-ROM.

If this doesn't work, re-connect the HDD with Win 7 on it and boot to Windows. Run the Win 7 setup from within Windows, choosing the SSD as a target if it asks. When it re-boots to start setup, remove the SATA cable from the HDD, leaving just the DVD ROM and SSD connected. Don't remove the power cable from the HDD as it may cause hardware damage if you abruptly disconnect DC.

If neither of these steps work, you can simply clone your working HDD install over to the SSD using something like Acronis. Personally I'd use the option to create an Acronis boot CD rather than do this in Windows, but the program's Windows GUI can also handle this.

There should be no problem as long as you don't have more data on the OS partition than you have capacity on the SSD. In Acronis options you can also tell it to use the full amount of the target drive. This means that if you have a 40GB C:\ on the mechanical drive, you can set Acronis to make sure that the cloned partition on the SSD is as big as the drive itself, with no unpartitioned space.

The final option is, if you're still unable to boot freom DVD, create a bootable Win 7 Install USB pen drive. This guide works great as long as you have a spare 4GB+ USB Stick: Install Windows 7 From USB Drive/Pen Drive

[JVM]

I can use the F12 Boot Menu to get the DVD going after I hit any key, but why would that solve the bootmgr is missing message? I thought it was Windows 7 problem but it happens when installing to a blank drive.

I could give the F12 a shot and see if Windows 7 installs without issues, but I did not get that bootmgr message when I installed to my first SSD.

[Psycho101]

I will be honest with you. I don't know why you're getting the bootmgr issue. It seems really odd.

Only time I have had such an error is when I used to use ReadyBoost and had a USB Key plugged in all the time. Randomly, it would decide to try booting from the USB key rather than the HDD (which was set as first boot). This is why I suggested making sure all other storage and USB keys were removed.

Another possibility is that some how the SSD has some partition table info on it. Is the SSD comletely clean or does it have a valid partition? Either way, I recommend you run diskpart and use the clean command on th drive. Do this by booting to Windows 7 with your normal HDD and open a cmd prompt. Make sure to right click and choose"Run as Administrator". Now follow the steps in the attached picture, turn off the PC, remove the standard HDD, leaving the SSD in ofc and see if the machine will automatically boot to the DVD ROM drive now.



If it won't, there;s no real need to worry. I know it seems weird that one minute it works fine, and the next it misbehaves, but as long as using the F12 menu works, you'll be OK. I actually always use the F12 menu rather than alter the boot order. This way, every time the PC restarts on an OS install I don't get the annoying delay of "Press any key to boot from CD", because ofc, after the first boot from an install disc the remaining boots are to the HDD/SSD any ways.

The F12 menu is more of a work around than a solution, but as I say it's always better IMO to use the boot menu and leave your BIOS boot order as is. It's much more convenient IMO.

[JVM]

Originally Posted by Psycho101

I will be honest with you. I don't know why you're getting the bootmgr issue. It seems really odd.

Only time I have had such an error is when I used to use ReadyBoost and had a USB Key plugged in all the time. Randomly, it would decide to try booting from the USB key rather than the HDD (which was set as first boot). This is why I suggested making sure all other storage and USB keys were removed.

Another possibility is that some how the SSD has some partition table info on it. Is the SSD comletely clean or does it have a valid partition? Either way, I recommend you run diskpart and use the clean command on th drive. Do this by booting to Windows 7 with your normal HDD and open a cmd prompt. Make sure to right click and choose"Run as Administrator". Now follow the steps in the attached picture, turn off the PC, remove the standard HDD, leaving the SSD in ofc and see if the machine will automatically boot to the DVD ROM drive now.



If it won't, there;s no real need to worry. I know it seems weird that one minute it works fine, and the next it misbehaves, but as long as using the F12 menu works, you'll be OK. I actually always use the F12 menu rather than alter the boot order. This way, every time the PC restarts on an OS install I don't get the annoying delay of "Press any key to boot from CD", because ofc, after the first boot from an install disc the remaining boots are to the HDD/SSD any ways.

The F12 menu is more of a work around than a solution, but as I say it's always better IMO to use the boot menu and leave your BIOS boot order as is. It's much more convenient IMO.

I don't see an attached picture. Can you post it again?

I tried installing Windows 7 on 2 different drives, an SSD and regular hdd, and both times got that bootmgr is missing. I don't see why I should have to use F12 when it was working before booting from Cd without any problem.

I did use a USB Flash drive to update BIOS yesterday but I didn't leave it in. There is one other thing, somewhere, for where, I saw the new SSD listed as Bootable No so I changed it to Bootable Yes, the other two drives were marked as bootable.

I see the picture now in replying, don't know why it didn't show up before. You are asking me to format again? This is a new SSD never used and formatted! OK, I will do it anyway, but I already tried two formatted drives and same bootmgr is missing message. Maybe something in BIOS?

[JVM]

Oh, you mentioned ReadyBoost. When checking in properties of all 3 SSD, only the new one had ReadyBoost Tab and said ReadyBoost could not be used because the drive is to fast, the other SSD drives do not have that ReadyBoost tab.

[Psycho101]

The picture is about half way down my post. I decided to use Image Shack rather than attach it to the end of the post.

I just used ReadyBoost as an example of why I'd have a USB drive plugged in all the time. ReadyBoost itself would have nothing to do with this bootmgr error.

Give the diskpart clean function a go. If that does nothing, I recommend to totally eliminate even the remote possibility of a BIOS setting doing something, you clear the CMOS and then load Optimized Defaults. I know you say the BIOS is set up fine, but there could either be something you accidentally over looked, or even some sort of corruption of a BIOS setting which clearing and re-loading Optimized Defaults could fix up.

I would also test yet another bootable DVD/CD. I know you said you also tried a Vista CD, but try another one just to be thorough.

If that doesn't help then I'm fresh out of ideas. At least you'll be able to use the F12 menu, so you won't be stuck without a means to install Windows to the SSD.

Definitely give diskpart and resetting the BIOS a go, ofc restoring your AHCI settings and other things afterwards ofc.

[JVM]

Originally Posted by Psycho101

The picture is about half way down my post. I decided to use Image Shack rather than attach it to the end of the post.

I just used ReadyBoost as an example of why I'd have a USB drive plugged in all the time. ReadyBoost itself would have nothing to do with this bootmgr error.

Give the diskpart clean function a go. If that does nothing, I recommend to totally eliminate even the remote possibility of a BIOS setting doing something, you clear the CMOS and then load Optimized Defaults. I know you say the BIOS is set up fine, but there could either be something you accidentally over looked, or even some sort of corruption of a BIOS setting which clearing and re-loading Optimized Defaults could fix up.

I would also test yet another bootable DVD/CD. I know you said you also tried a Vista CD, but try another one just to be thorough.

If that doesn't help then I'm fresh out of ideas. At least you'll be able to use the F12 menu, so you won't be stuck without a means to install Windows to the SSD.

Definitely give diskpart and resetting the BIOS a go, ofc restoring your AHCI settings and other things afterwards ofc.

What is ofc? When doing diskpart, I would have both the loaded drive and new blank SSD?

I did update BIOS with loading optimized defaults, but no clearing of CMOS.

Here is the thing, I select CD-ROM as first in boot order, save and exit BIOS, and then it goes straight to desktop. If after saving CD-ROM as first order in BIOS and hitting F12, the Boot Menu has Hard Drive listed with an asterisk. So, it's like my changing the order in BIOS has no effect.

[JVM]

As for clearing CMOS, the manual says put a jumper on the two pins for 10 seconds or whatever and that's it. I once put a screwdriver to the two pins and it didn't do anything I could see. Isn't clearing the CMOS supposed to make you reset time and date?

[Psycho101]

ofc is just short hand for "of course "

You may well have found a BIOS bug if you have just updated to the latest when this started happening.

I would give the Diskpart thing a go first, then try a clear CMOS and re-load of optimized settings. If that fails try flashing back to your previous BIOS version, load optimized again and see if that solves it.