Frustrating "BOOT MGR" error

[Chicken Patty]

Ok so every day or two sometimes while I'm gone, sometimes while I'm using it. It just locks up and I have to restart. When I do it get the boost screen and it says cannot boot bla bla bla "missing boot mgr" or something like that.

So at this point I go into the BIOS and my HDD boot order and my SSD went from being 1st to last in the list. I set it back to first and then the rig boots. What can this be? Can this be a jumper I have to change on my 1TB or something?

Here is what I have observed.

-When I had only one HDD, the 1TB it didn't happen.
-It started when I got the SSD and ran both drives
-I ruled out the SSD as the issue because if I run only the SSD it is fine.
-I have tested with prime 95, stock clocks, mild overclock, underclock you name it. Not a stability issue. memtest as well was used.

So bottomline, it only does it when both drives are present. WTF??????????

THese are the specs of the rig, the specs to the left are udpated but the parts should arrive latest Monday.

 

[Radical_Edward]

How are the SATA cables hooked up? Is the SSD ahead in line of the 1TB?

 

[Chicken Patty]

How are the SATA cables hooked up? Is the SSD ahead in line of the 1TB?

Have no clue. I can try swapping them around and see if that stops it. I'll do it next time it locks up

 

[r9]

How are the SATA cables hooked up? Is the SSD ahead in line of the 1TB?

It sounds to me like the BIOS is resetting for what ever reason. Putting the SSD on the SATA1 connector would fix the issue but not the cause. Because the BIOS is still going to reset it self and simply you wont notice because after the reset SSD would be first in the BOOT list. Try flashing bios.

 

[richjordan255]

i had a similar issue with my machine at work, very random, silly as it sounds was fixed by letting windows to a disk check, if not boot from the windows disk and let it try a startup repair

 

[Yukikaze]

CP, the Crosshair IV has two SATA controllers. Are both drives connected to the same one ? If so, try connecting the HDD to the JMicron controller and the SSD to one of the ports originating from the chipset itself. If they are already connected in this fashion, try putting both of them on the chipset's controller. A long shot, and it isn't a solution, but rather a potential workaround, but I think it is worth a shot.

 

[Chicken Patty]

It sounds to me like the BIOS is resetting for what ever reason. Putting the SSD on the SATA1 connector would fix the issue but not the cause. Because the BIOS is still going to reset it self and simply you wont notice because after the reset SSD would be first in the BOOT list. Try flashing bios.

I can try the BIOS flash. I'll let you know you know when I get around to doing that.

i had a similar issue with my machine at work, very random, silly as it sounds was fixed by letting windows to a disk check, if not boot from the windows disk and let it try a startup repair

I have done many diskchecks already, does one everytime it happens.

CP, the Crosshair IV has two SATA controllers. Are both drives connected to the same one ? If so, try connecting the HDD to the JMicron controller and the SSD to one of the ports originating from the chipset itself. If they are already connected in this fashion, try putting both of them on the chipset's controller. A long shot, and it isn't a solution, but rather a potential workaround, but I think it is worth a shot.

sorry dude, I updated my specs but the parts supposely arrive today or Monday. The board i'm Using now is the Gigabyte 790FX UD5-FXT. Sorry let me update my first post.

 

[starams5]

Check to see if your OS partition is set to Primary Active. I personally set all other partitions to Primary Inactive. The bootmgr is loading from another partition without an OS, possibly an external drive or USB stick instead of the OS partition (this is why you don't have problems with one drive connected). If you have USB sticks connected, make sure they are not bootable....that might help. At some point during bios device initialization, your OS partition (hard drive) is being skipped.

 

[Chicken Patty]

Check to see if your OS partition is set to Primary Active. I personally set all other partitions to Primary Inactive. The bootmgr is loading from another partition without an OS, possibly an external drive or USB stick instead of the OS partition (this is why you don't have problems with one drive connected). If you have USB sticks connected, make sure they are not bootable....that might help. At some point during bios device initialization, your OS partition (hard drive) is being skipped.

Nothing else that is bootable is connected. Just the two drives.

 

[starams5]

Is the 2nd drive set to Inactive? The bootmgr error could just be due to an unstable system. My bootmgr goes missing as well when testing an unstable OC and the computer crashes.

 

[Chicken Patty]

Is the 2nd drive set to Inactive? The bootmgr error could just be due to an unstable system. My bootmgr goes missing as well when testing an unstable OC and the computer crashes.

check the OP, clock/voltage doesn't matter. Defaults does it too. As long as there is two drives it does it.

How do i set the drive to inactive?

 

[starams5]

I only use Paragon or Acronis for partitioning, never used any other. Western Digital has a free version of Acronis (untested), you can see if it has the ability to (check) set Active or Inactive...see links.

Acronis True Image WD Edition
http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp?swid=119

 

[Chicken Patty]

I only use Paragon or Acronis for partitioning, never used any other. Western Digital has a free version of Acronis (untested), you can see if it has the ability to (check) set Active or Inactive...see links.

Acronis True Image WD Edition
http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp?swid=119

I'll give that a shot soon. I got some other things to try as well to see if they fix it. Just testing right now. I'll keep you posted.

 

[trickson]

Why not use Windows 7 manager ? I got to say this thing has MANY " fix's " in it one being the BOOT MGR ! http://www.yamicsoft.com/windows7manager/ I have used this many times just to keep things running smooth and fast and to tell you the truth since using this I have had no more problems at all .

 

[starams5]

I use Windows 7 Manager as well for tweaking, but I certainly wouldn't trust it for correcting this problem.

 

[trickson]

I use Windows 7 Manager as well for tweaking, but I certainly wouldn't trust it for correcting this problem.

Why not ? have you even tried it ? I mean just because you think it might not work does it mean it wont ? I have and it worked when all els failed .

 

[starams5]

Why not ? have you even tried it ? I mean just because you think it might not work does it mean it wont ? I have and it worked when all els failed .

I've never tried it, and will never try it for any partitioning operations as long as I have Acronis or Paragon at the ready. Windows 7 Manager don't use its own partitioning tools, it links to Windows Disk Management. Although Windows Disk Management has the ability to set a partition Active, I couldn't find an option to set a partition Inactive.

 

[trickson]

I've never tried it, and will never try it for any partitioning operations as long as I have Acronis or Paragon at the ready. Windows 7 Manager don't use its own partitioning tools, it links to Windows Disk Management. Although Windows Disk Management has the ability to set a partition Active, I couldn't find an option to set a partition Inactive.

I am not talking about partitioning the HDD I am talking about FIXING the MBR and much more . Hell it even fixes my icons with out fail . But you have the right not to use it , yes , and you can hunt around for fixes and the like but WHY ? when it will do the job .

 

[starams5]

I am not talking about partitioning the HDD I am talking about FIXING the MBR and much more . Hell it even fixes my icons with out fail . But you have the right not to use it , yes , and you can hunt around for fixes and the like but WHY ? when it will do the job .

I guess we all have are own way of doing things. I doubt repairing the MBR would be a permanent fix in his case since the problem appears to be repeating itself. As for fixing the MBR there are many ways to do that without going very far. First thing I would do is pop the Windows installation disk in and repair the startup. If that don't work, clear the MBR from the command prompt. If that don't work, try fixing it with Paragon. If that don't work, run a low level format on the boot sectors (5 passes).

Repair/cmd prompt, enter: BootRec.exe /fixmbr

You can also substitue the /fixmbr with these commands:

/FixBoot -Writes a boot sector onto the system partition to start Windows

/ScanOs -Scans all disks for Windows installations and displays them to you.

/RebuildBcd -Scans all disks for Windows installations and prompts you to pick the ones you want to add to the BCD.

 

[trickson]

I guess we all have are own way of doing things. I doubt repairing the MBR would be a permanent fix in his case since the problem appears to be repeating itself. As for fixing the MBR there are many ways to do that without going very far. First thing I would do is pop the Windows installation disk in and repair the startup. If that don't work, clear the MBR from the command prompt. If that don't work, try fixing it with Paragon. If that don't work, run a low level format on the boot sectors (5 passes).

Repair/cmd prompt, enter: BootRec.exe /fixmbr

You can also substitue the /fixmbr with these commands:

/FixBoot -Writes a boot sector onto the system partition to start Windows

/ScanOs -Scans all disks for Windows installations and displays them to you.

/RebuildBcd -Scans all disks for Windows installations and prompts you to pick the ones you want to add to the BCD.

Yes but the " I doubt it " means you will not try it , Right ? how can any one say I doubt it will work if you do not at the very least TRY it ?

 

[starams5]

Yes but the " I doubt it " means you will not try it , Right ? how can any one say I doubt it will work if you do not at the very least TRY it ?

I already said "I've never tried it, and will never try it for any partitioning operations as long as I have Acronis or Paragon at the ready". Did you repair your MBR with the menu below? If you're unable to boot into Windows, what then?

 

[Black Panther]

boot from the windows disk and let it try a startup repair

It happened to me once and that was what solved it.

 

[Chicken Patty]

Ok guys, update.

Four hours shy of being two full days without having the restart and then boot mgr missing error. Only thing changed is that I have not opened AOL Instant Messenger (AIM). Could it be coincidence, or could AIM really cause windows to go ape shit?

 

[pr0n Inspector]

Use the Win7 disc to do a "startup repair". should fix the bootloader issue.

 

[de.das.dude]

do u get "check sum" error?

even if not, try replacing the mobo battery (CR2302). this should fix the BIOS from resetting.
the battery hardy costs 60cents.


it could also be a Windows problem, and like others said, boot from the windows disc and launch startup repair.