Running great, but boot (not system) disk is old one I want to rem

I have a Dell Dimension 5150 2x2.8 Ghz 3Gb ram, Intel ICH7 controller in AHCI
mode (ie enhanced, but not using hw raid) with
Disk 0 - dynamic 1 x 160Gb SATA
Disk 1 - dynamic 1 x 400Gb SATA
Disk 2 - dynamic 1 x 120Gb ATA

with
0: 31Mb (EISA) + 80Gb (E: NTFS) + 70Gb (G: NTFS, part of striped volume)
1: 118Gb (C: NTFS, Boot, Page,Crash) + 70Gb (G:NTFS, other part of striped
vol), + 70Gb (H: NTFS) + 120Gb free
2: 111Gb (D:NTFS System)

The real problem here is that disk #2 (the old ATA one) is crucial to the
boot process - it contains the \BOOT stuff, and if I disconnect the system
doesn't boot.

I tried copying the \BOOT directory & other hidden files in root onto C: and
running recovery from the Vista DVD, but it doesn't find a vista install,
even if the intel 64 bit AHCI drivers are loaded.

How can I migrate the system stuff onto another disk without a reinstall?

The system works great, but I want to swapout the old IDE drive.......

bcdedit gives

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=D:
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {globalsettings}
default {current}
resumeobject {150be9ae-79ee-11db-836f-a03eec56ec42}
displayorder {current}
toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}
timeout 3

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device unknown
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Microsoft Windows Vista
locale en-US
inherit {bootloadersettings}
testsigning Yes
osdevice unknown
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {150be9ae-79ee-11db-836f-a03eec56ec42}
nx OptOut

I'm running Vista Ultimate x64

I am sure you have another EIDE connection that you could hook up a new HD
to.
Then clone the old ATA HD to the new ATA HD.
Disconnect the old and connect the new in its place making sure the jumpers
are configured for "master".....and your ready to go.
Most new retail HD come with cloning software for this purpose.It also is
available on the HD manufacturers website.
peter
"planetf1" <planetf1@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E1772E06-719D-4F47-A746-3CAF3385A907@microsoft.com...
>I have a Dell Dimension 5150 2x2.8 Ghz 3Gb ram, Intel ICH7 controller in
>AHCI
> mode (ie enhanced, but not using hw raid) with
> Disk 0 - dynamic 1 x 160Gb SATA
> Disk 1 - dynamic 1 x 400Gb SATA
> Disk 2 - dynamic 1 x 120Gb ATA
>
> with
> 0: 31Mb (EISA) + 80Gb (E: NTFS) + 70Gb (G: NTFS, part of striped volume)
> 1: 118Gb (C: NTFS, Boot, Page,Crash) + 70Gb (G:NTFS, other part of striped
> vol), + 70Gb (H: NTFS) + 120Gb free
> 2: 111Gb (D:NTFS System)
>
> The real problem here is that disk #2 (the old ATA one) is crucial to the
> boot process - it contains the \BOOT stuff, and if I disconnect the system
> doesn't boot.
>
> I tried copying the \BOOT directory & other hidden files in root onto C:
> and
> running recovery from the Vista DVD, but it doesn't find a vista install,
> even if the intel 64 bit AHCI drivers are loaded.
>
> How can I migrate the system stuff onto another disk without a reinstall?
>
> The system works great, but I want to swapout the old IDE drive.......
>
> bcdedit gives
>
> Windows Boot Manager
> --------------------
> identifier {bootmgr}
> device partition=D:
> description Windows Boot Manager
> locale en-US
> inherit {globalsettings}
> default {current}
> resumeobject {150be9ae-79ee-11db-836f-a03eec56ec42}
> displayorder {current}
> toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}
> timeout 3
>
> Windows Boot Loader
> -------------------
> identifier {current}
> device unknown
> path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
> description Microsoft Windows Vista
> locale en-US
> inherit {bootloadersettings}
> testsigning Yes
> osdevice unknown
> systemroot \Windows
> resumeobject {150be9ae-79ee-11db-836f-a03eec56ec42}
> nx OptOut
>
> I'm running Vista Ultimate x64

planetf1 wrote:
[...]
> How can I migrate the system stuff onto another disk without a reinstall?

> bcdedit gives
>
> Windows Boot Manager
> --------------------
> identifier {bootmgr}
> device partition=D:

Warning: the answer below was generated using the SWAG methodology ;o)

I would guess that bootmgr is confused by the pointer to D: which
(obviously) becomes wrong as soon as you remove the D: drive.

I would try (at your own risk) changing that pointer to C: because
that is always what Vista calls its own home -- and that's where
you just copied the \boot directory and \bootmgr and all the hidden
files.

Now -- assuming you make the suggested change above and save it to
disk -- the newly updated boot menu will be stored on D: (not C
because that's where bcdedit stores its stuff, right?

So -- you need to erase all the stuff you copied to C: and do it
again because it will be different now. (You just changed it.)

AFTER you make the edit and re-copy the stuff to C: THEN you should
go back and re-edit the pointer to point back at D: again. Why?
Because if this whole scheme doesn't work you can always replace
the D: disk again and it will still boot, that's why ;o)

Good luck!

I strongly recommend VistaBootPro as a GUI front-end for bcdedit:
http://www.vistabootpro.org/