Need Help! Please.
Need Help! Please.
I'm using a Windows 10 machine.
It functioned properly the previous week until around five or six days ago when I encountered an issue where it wouldn't boot because it couldn't locate Windows. It recommended removing all drives and keeping only the one with Windows, which resolved the problem.
Since then, I've experienced Windows Boot Manager. The operating system won't start. I managed to resolve it by changing the UEFI settings to CSM (it worked before). I then booted using that method, and I updated my BIOS to the latest version in preparation for an upcoming CPU upgrade.
Recently this morning, it seems the system has completely failed. When I try to boot, I receive a message saying "bootmgr is missing" and press C+A+Del to restart. If I don't intervene, it enters the MSI BIOS loop. I attempted to fix it myself, but I'm uncertain whether my actions caused the failure.
- I tried repeatedly toggling between BIOS settings to reinstall UEFI, paying close attention to boot priorities. The issue persisted.
- I have a non-GPT MBR drive and believe it should be GPT, but it didn't behave properly until recently. I'm unsure if a full BIOS update was the cause, though I managed to use the system for a few days before this morning.
- Despite being able to access Windows at all, I downloaded a Windows installation USB and attempted repairs. However, it didn't fix the problem—possibly because it's on a USB and doesn't recognize my C drive (where Windows is installed).
- I searched further and tried using CMD via USB, running bootrec commands. I accessed the bootrec /fixmbr and /fixboot utilities, but encountered access restrictions. I saw the installation directory listed as F: instead of the expected C: drive.
- Another issue arose when I tried to use the OS from the USB; it broke unexpectedly, showing the same "Windows Boot Manager. Windows have failed to start" error. I had to re-download the Windows installation after leaving for work.
- Currently, I'm at a crossroads with no clear solution. My important data remains on the C drive, which is still accessible but not bootable. I have a scheduled SSD upgrade in mind and plan to try a fresh install there.
- I'm curious about the implications if I have two Windows installations on different drives. Is it possible to merge them? Ideally, I'd want my Windows to stay on the older C drive, even after a fresh installation on a new drive.
Thank you for reading this far. I'll be back home in a few hours to explore further options. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. I also want to avoid losing data on my C: drive, which is crucial.
System specifications
CPU: 12400f → upgrading to 13600k
GPU: 4070 ti GIGABYTE Gaming
RAM: 32 GB Ripjaws DDR4
Motherboard: MSI PRO B660M-A WIFI DDR4 Micro ATX LGA1700
PSU: EVGA 750W
Storage: Multiple SSDs and HDDs – two SSDs (Samsung EVO 850 and Samsung 970 NVMe), three older HDDs for storage; the drive labeled C: is where Windows is installed.
This is the only feasible choice available. Data recovery process: 1. Select any empty drive you wish to use. 2. Disconnect all other storage devices from the computer. 3. Attach the empty drive to the PC and verify it appears in the BIOS, also assigning it as the first boot option. 4. Install Windows 10 onto it. Follow the instructions at https://forums. 5. After installation and successful booting to the operating system, you may proceed with using your computer. 6. Reinsert the previous operating system drive. Avoid setting it as a boot device; instead, use it solely for data storage. 7. Transfer personal files from the old OS drive to the new one. 8. Avoid pasting programs; download installers online and reinstall everything. 9. Once all necessary items are moved from the old drive, format it. This ensures a clean slate for additional use. 10. Reconnect all other drives to the system. Success is confirmed when only one drive is designated as the system boot device, with the second serving as a data storage unit. In my setup, I have two operating system drives connected. The first is the primary C:/ drive, which I use for booting. The second is a direct clone of the OS drive, containing a bootable version of the OS. This configuration allows access to my PC even if the main drive fails. In fact, this method has already worked once for me—I managed to recover my system easily. Initially, I had the OS running on a 960 Evo 500 GB NVMe SSD. After purchasing a 970 Evo Plus 2TB and creating a 1:1 clone, I retained the original 960 Evo and a second bootable drive. Unfortunately, within 30 days of using the 970 Evo Plus, it failed completely, causing the system to shut down from the 960 Evo. I returned the defective drive, received a replacement, and created another clone. Now, after approximately four years, the second 970 Evo Plus is functioning without problems. However, I still maintain the original 960 Evo connected for backup purposes.
If the system starts up, launch the Disk Management interface.
Widen the view to display everything clearly.
Capture the image and share it using imgur (www.imgur.com) > New Post.
Are all crucial files safely stored?
You can conveniently modify drive letters through Disk Management. Even if a new empty drive appears as D:/, you can revert it to C:/ when necessary, especially if the installation tool doesn't handle it automatically. The same applies to all other drives. Any available free letter can be assigned to them.
For example, if your old OS drive is at D:/ and a data drive at E:/, but you wish to swap them, simply move the OS drive from D:/ to another location like J:/, shift the data drive from E:/ to D:/, and place the old OS drive in E:.
In my setup, the typical layout is:
C:/ - OS drive
D:/ - data drive
E:/ - backup copy of data drive
F:/ - ODD
G:/ - 9in1 card reader
H:/ - 9in1 card reader
I:/ - backup of OS drive (bootable)
J:/ - 9in1 card reader
K:/ - 9in1 card reader
M:/ - USB thumb drive
What you're referring to is avoiding setting it to boot from, like placing the previous operating system in higher priority.
Personal data are found in Desktop/Documents and similar folders—just confirming that.
I want to use the old OS drive as the main storage, because it's only 500GB and the new one I'll get is 1TB, so having the OS there would be ideal along with some other files.
I'll attempt to start it. However, I encountered issues when leaving home this morning; I'll try the alternative SSD as an OS first before proceeding. Crucial information hasn't been saved because the device failed unexpectedly, which wasn't what I expected.
Would altering the letters affect file path requirements in programs?
Yes. Either move it further up in boot priority, or exclude it from the boot priority list in BIOS.
Also, any other saved files of projects, images, or videos on your old OS drive (which might not be under Documents) could be present. This applies to Steam and its games—screenshots are usually not in the Documents folder. Likewise, game save files may also be missing if the game doesn’t offer cloud saves.
It’s unclear why your OS became corrupted; it could be due to a drive failure. I wouldn’t risk using the OS again.
If you still need to proceed, follow these steps:
First, format the old OS drive. Then either reinstall Windows 10 onto it (starting from step #2) or create an exact clone of the current OS drive. If the original drive is Samsung, you can use Samsung Magician to clone the OS easily.
Off-drive shortcuts will be impacted—such as a desktop shortcut that opens a folder on D:/ but needs adjustment if the drive letter changes to E:/.
Windows typically sets the default install drive to C:/, so you won’t need to alter the OS drive letter itself.
Programs might also behave differently afterward.
Further reading:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/window...ive-letter
Guide here:
https://pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-...-as-1-2-3/