F5F Stay Refreshed Software Operating Systems Unplugging the secondary spinning drive doesn’t affect starting Windows from M2.

Unplugging the secondary spinning drive doesn’t affect starting Windows from M2.

Unplugging the secondary spinning drive doesn’t affect starting Windows from M2.

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Littleturn
Junior Member
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4
03-11-2023, 10:16 AM
#1
Hi! I see the issue. When you disconnect the 4TB drive, Windows won’t boot and asks for a specific setup. You can try mounting the 4TB drive as a secondary partition on your M2 drive without formatting it. This way, you’ll have a backup ready on another PC. Just ensure the drive is properly recognized and formatted afterward if needed.
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Littleturn
03-11-2023, 10:16 AM #1

Hi! I see the issue. When you disconnect the 4TB drive, Windows won’t boot and asks for a specific setup. You can try mounting the 4TB drive as a secondary partition on your M2 drive without formatting it. This way, you’ll have a backup ready on another PC. Just ensure the drive is properly recognized and formatted afterward if needed.

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Batmanio
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126
03-16-2023, 10:58 AM
#2
Can you access the BIOS? If yes, move the target drive to the bootable one you want. If not, try the alternative: reinsert the bootable media and press a key to restart. This might help, though I’ve done it before.
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Batmanio
03-16-2023, 10:58 AM #2

Can you access the BIOS? If yes, move the target drive to the bootable one you want. If not, try the alternative: reinsert the bootable media and press a key to restart. This might help, though I’ve done it before.

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carolinagirl26
Junior Member
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5
03-17-2023, 08:51 PM
#3
Thanks for the update. Right now the M2 is on the C: drive, and I can access Bios there. It doesn’t initialize unless the 4TB drive is connected. The alternative you mentioned is formatting. I’m not entirely sure about the first option—I think the M2 should be my top priority drive.
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carolinagirl26
03-17-2023, 08:51 PM #3

Thanks for the update. Right now the M2 is on the C: drive, and I can access Bios there. It doesn’t initialize unless the 4TB drive is connected. The alternative you mentioned is formatting. I’m not entirely sure about the first option—I think the M2 should be my top priority drive.

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sacapatates
Posting Freak
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843
03-19-2023, 09:24 PM
#4
You might think deleting the OS files and treating the drive as just a storage device, then resetting it, would limit boot options to a single drive.
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sacapatates
03-19-2023, 09:24 PM #4

You might think deleting the OS files and treating the drive as just a storage device, then resetting it, would limit boot options to a single drive.

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DerpyDudeHD
Junior Member
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1
03-20-2023, 12:55 AM
#5
I'm worried about losing the M2 installation if I remove the other windows, which could mean a full reinstall.
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DerpyDudeHD
03-20-2023, 12:55 AM #5

I'm worried about losing the M2 installation if I remove the other windows, which could mean a full reinstall.

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Fredster79566
Junior Member
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38
03-26-2023, 02:37 AM
#6
Have you considered changing the drive order so the m.2 comes up first and the 4TB is last? Give it a try—boot with both running, but adjust the priority to place the m.2 first.
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Fredster79566
03-26-2023, 02:37 AM #6

Have you considered changing the drive order so the m.2 comes up first and the 4TB is last? Give it a try—boot with both running, but adjust the priority to place the m.2 first.

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RLGamer5
Junior Member
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3
04-12-2023, 11:05 PM
#7
Both drives were connected during the Windows setup. It’s likely your system boot instructions are stored on the other drive. I suggest using a Windows installation media and trying to fix the startup by selecting the correct drive while the other is unplugged. When you start from the USB, you should find an option to repair it.
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RLGamer5
04-12-2023, 11:05 PM #7

Both drives were connected during the Windows setup. It’s likely your system boot instructions are stored on the other drive. I suggest using a Windows installation media and trying to fix the startup by selecting the correct drive while the other is unplugged. When you start from the USB, you should find an option to repair it.

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kevenin12
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115
04-13-2023, 04:19 AM
#8
Flannelist mentioned during setup that Windows might place the bootloader on another drive when multiple disks are connected, not the one you select during installation. The bootloader is already installed on your HDD. If you don’t see it when booting, your BIOS can’t locate it. To fix this, you should create a new bootloader for your M.2 drive. Refer to this guide: https://www.tenforums.com/installation-u...post698505
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kevenin12
04-13-2023, 04:19 AM #8

Flannelist mentioned during setup that Windows might place the bootloader on another drive when multiple disks are connected, not the one you select during installation. The bootloader is already installed on your HDD. If you don’t see it when booting, your BIOS can’t locate it. To fix this, you should create a new bootloader for your M.2 drive. Refer to this guide: https://www.tenforums.com/installation-u...post698505

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ryan_tatar
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72
04-30-2023, 01:17 AM
#9
It appears the Master Boot Record is located on the drive you're attempting to relocate.
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ryan_tatar
04-30-2023, 01:17 AM #9

It appears the Master Boot Record is located on the drive you're attempting to relocate.

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