[mraeryceos]

I changed the path as shown below to include "c:", but still same problem. This is an external usb hdd. It can install Windows ok, but on first reboot I have an error unless I unplug the drive for a few seconds, so that this boot loader is bypassed. All this mess because I don't have the "press any key to boot from cd" message I would have booting from optical media.

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier              {bootmgr}
description             Windows Boot Manager
locale                  en-US
inherit                 {globalsettings}
default                 {default}
displayorder            {default}
                        {7619dcc9-fafe-11d9-b411-000476eba25f}
toolsdisplayorder       {memdiag}
timeout                 5
displaybootmenu         Yes

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier              {default}
device                  partition=C:
path                    c:\windows\system32\winload.exe
description             Windows 7
locale                  en-US
osdevice                partition=C:
systemroot              \Windows

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier              {7619dcc9-fafe-11d9-b411-000476eba25f}
device                  ramdisk=[boot]\sources\boot.wim,{7619dcc8-fafe-11d9-b411-000476eba25f}
path                    \windows\system32\boot\winload.exe
description             Windows Setup
locale                  en-US
inherit                 {bootloadersettings}
osdevice                ramdisk=[boot]\sources\boot.wim,{7619dcc8-fafe-11d9-b411-000476eba25f}
systemroot              \windows
detecthal               Yes
winpe                   Yes
ems                     Yes

[ilko_t]

You'd need to be more detailed what are you trying to achieve, how, and what exactly the problem and the errors are.

[mraeryceos]

ilko_t, on 10 December 2011 - 02:19 PM, said:

You'd need to be more detailed what are you trying to achieve, how, and what exactly the problem and the errors are.

The USB external hdd is booting, and chainloading the internal hard drive. If I unplug the USB external hdd, the internal hard drive boots fine. If I leave the external USB hdd plugged, it boots, but then gives an error when chain loading the internal hard drive. I would like it to chain load the internal hard drive successfully!

[ilko_t]

Quote

If I leave the external USB hdd plugged, it boots, but then gives an error when chain loading the internal hard drive

And that error exactly is...?

Come on, is it really so hard to provide proper details if you are looking for help, so no mind reading is involved?

[mraeryceos]

ilko_t, on 10 December 2011 - 03:13 PM, said:

Quote

If I leave the external USB hdd plugged, it boots, but then gives an error when chain loading the internal hard drive

And that error exactly is...?

Come on, is it really so hard to provide proper details if you are looking for help, so no mind reading is involved?

Ok, I'll do it.
" Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem:
...(foolish advice given)...
File: c:\windows\system32\winload.exe
Status: 0xc000000e
Info: The selected entry could not be loaded because the application is missing or corrupt. "

[cdob]

mraeryceos, on 10 December 2011 - 06:52 AM, said:

This is an external usb hdd. It can install Windows ok, but on first reboot I have an error unless I unplug the drive for a few seconds, so that this boot loader is bypassed.

Can you change BIOS boot order?
Internal hard as default boot. And select a USB device at pressing a hot key like F12?

Or use another boot loader at external device?

Clarify previous steps more clearly.
How did you prepare USB drive?
Which hardware do you use?
Which situation does relate bcdedit output?
Do you use different machines?
Do you use a single machine?
Which machine do you use?
Which OS is booted?
Did you clone a hard disk?
Which internal, external disks and other storage devices exists?
Which partitions does exist at hard disks? Which drive letters go to this ones?

Quote

...(foolish advice given)...

Broken input, broken output. Do not change path.

[mraeryceos]

cdob, on 11 December 2011 - 03:34 AM, said:

Can you change BIOS boot order?
Internal hard as default boot. And select a USB device at pressing a hot key like F12?

Changing the BIOS boot order is the simplest solution and probably what I'm going to go with (assuming the BIOS works as advertised). I do still wish I knew why the chain loading doesn't work.

cdob, on 11 December 2011 - 03:34 AM, said:

Or use another boot loader at external device?

Yes, perhaps grub4dos instead of Microsoft's.

Quote

Do you use different machines?
Do you use a single machine?
Which machine do you use?

For the moment, I am just using one machine, a sony vaio laptop vgn-fz140e, but I intend to use the external drive for installing windows on any computer.

Quote

Which partitions does exist at hard disks? Which drive letters go to this ones?

Many partitions. I am setting up the system to multi-boot. [C: primary for win7] [ extended [D: profiles & data] [swap] [E: linux mint] ]

Quote

...(foolish advice given)...

Quote

Broken input, broken output. Do not change path.

Same foolish advice given before changing the path

This post has been edited by mraeryceos: 11 December 2011 - 01:27 PM

[cdob]

mraeryceos, on 11 December 2011 - 12:36 PM, said:

perhaps grub4dos instead of Microsoft's.

Or keep bootmgr as default boot loader, but add grub4dos to \boot\bcd.

Quote

I intend to use the external drive for installing windows on any computer.

\boot\bcd dosn't contains drive letters anyway.
Add grub4dos, edit menu.lst: swap USB and internal hard disk.

[mraeryceos]

cdob, on 11 December 2011 - 02:35 PM, said:

mraeryceos, on 11 December 2011 - 12:36 PM, said:

perhaps grub4dos instead of Microsoft's.

Or keep bootmgr as default boot loader, but add grub4dos to \boot\bcd.

What is the advantage of using grub4dos instead of using grub? I can back up the MBR (for example with MBRWizard), to restore when the MBR gets overwritten by reinstalling Win7. Likewise I can back up BCD before I format the drive to reinstall Win7. Either step involves a backup. Will Win7 boot ok when the pre-reinstall MBR is restored? The reason I ask is that I think the MBR calls for a *raw* location of bootmgr (not one defined by a file system), and after reinstalling win7, bootmgr may be in a different location. If that's the case, I could see why someone went out of their way to create grub4dos. You would think that be made clear: the reason for the existence of grub4dos, when you go to the grub4dos website.

edit: I must have gotten incorrect information somewhere. As the Grub Manual 1.99 states: "One of the important features in GRUB is flexibility; GRUB understands filesystems and kernel executable formats, so you can load an arbitrary operating system the way you like, without recording the physical position of your kernel on the disk. Thus you can load the kernel just by specifying its file name and the drive and partition where the kernel resides. "

This post has been edited by mraeryceos: 12 December 2011 - 02:12 AM

[cdob]

mraeryceos, on 11 December 2011 - 03:12 PM, said:

What is the advantage of using grub4dos instead of using grub?

Grub4dos can chainload ntldr, setupldr.bin and bootmgr. This offfers more possibilities.

Quote

I can back up the MBR (for example with MBRWizard), to restore when the MBR gets overwritten by reinstalling Win7. Likewise I can back up BCD before I format the drive to reinstall Win7. Either step involves a backup

.Back up is a good idea.
But why do you like to change MBR at all? Keep default MBR.

Quote

The reason I ask is that I think the MBR calls for a *raw* location of bootmgr (not one defined by a file system)

MBR dosn't call a raw location. Partition boot code of primary active partition is called. Neither use a raw location to load bootmgr.
Or a edited partition boot code may load grldr.

[mraeryceos]

I was comparing the use of Grub compared to the use of Grub4dos. In both methods, you have to back up something before reinstalling windows. If you are using grub, MBR gets wiped out by windows. If you are using grub4dos, given that you will reformat, you need to back up BCD.

Quote

MBR dosn't call a raw location. Partition boot code of primary active partition is called. Neither use a raw location to load bootmgr.
Or a edited partition boot code may load grldr.

Oh, that's right, thanks. So why use grub4dos, when you could just use grub, if reliability is not an issue (given that reformatting the windows partition or resizing partitions is not a hazard)?

This post has been edited by mraeryceos: 12 December 2011 - 12:04 AM

[cdob]

mraeryceos, on 11 December 2011 - 11:59 PM, said:

I was comparing the use of Grub compared to the use of Grub4dos. In both methods, you have to back up something before reinstalling windows.

I don't understand. Which approach do you compare?
Why do you have to back up something before? Which part is overwritten?

Suggestion was to add a boot manager at external hard disk.
As for testing: add grub4dos to \boot\bcd at external drive.

Windows boot rely on BIOS drive numbers.
Boot from external USB hard disk, map internal drive to drive 0x80 and continue internal drive.

Quote

If you are using grub, MBR gets wiped out by windows.

Which grub do you use?

It's a mistake to install grub to MBR at multi boot internal hard disk.
Use a dump MBR, but use several partitions. Include different boot loader to different partition boot codes.

Quote

So why use grub4dos, when you could just use grub, if reliability is not an issue (given that reformatting the windows partition or resizing partitions is not a hazard)?

Grub dosn't support windows boot loader, kernel or similar. Grub4dos does support a windows boot loader.

Use grub or grub4dos as you like.
Where do you like to install grub4dos or grub?
Use windows default MBR and PBR at internal single boot hard disk.

Can you clarify:
What's overall requirement?
Which operating systems do you like to install?
Which hardware do you use?
Can you change BIOS boot order: default internal and external at manual choice?