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Unused HDD removal - Boot fail

Discussion in 'PC hardware help' started by big_green, May 22, 2012.

  1. big_green

    big_green Member

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    Hey everyone! Earlier I was attempting to remove an unused hard driver from a computer that was donated at my place of work. The drive isn't in use (it isn't even formatted and doesn't show up in My Computer), but when I disconnect it and try to boot the computer, I get the error 0xc000000e (The boot selection failed because a required device is inaccessible.) It asks me to put in my Windows 7 DVD and enter repair mode...

    My question is, would this actually work (repair mode) without disturbing the documents on the computer, or is there a way to facilitate the removal of the drive? I'm guessing that the drive was used in a previous installation of Windows and there are some boot files on the drive, but I don't know if repair mode would work, or how to take out the drive otherwise.

    Thanks for the help!
    Alex
     
  2. ddp

    ddp Moderator Staff Member

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    are you taking the hard drive out or just the software for it? repair mode might work with win7 if win7 was installed on that drive originally.
     
  3. big_green

    big_green Member

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    Hi ddp, I'm removing the hard drive physically from the computer. Windows 7 is installed on another drive which will remain in the computer. I want the Windows 7 and files to remain intact on the one hard drive (and the computer to be bootable!) when I remove the unused hard drive.

    Thanks :)
     
  4. ddp

    ddp Moderator Staff Member

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    is the computer a dell or similar? check in the bios to make certain the remaining hard drive is selected 1st in the boot order.
     
  5. Ripper

    Ripper Active member

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    I was going to suggest this but I was under the impression Windows would just skip it if it wasn't available? For example, you can have CD/DVD drive as first in the boot order and boot with no problems can't you?

    Presumably it doesn't work the same way with HDD boot order.
     
  6. scorpNZ

    scorpNZ Active member

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    it would if windows was booting,it's not it's the bios detecting no hdd when one is enabled in it's order of boot & is now having a fit..lol..dells bios's are fickle in that regard
     

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