How do I install the Windows 7 boot loader?

Question

I have 2 hard disks, on first I have installed win xp. I boot into xp and run setup of win7 and installed it on second hard disk. Now the problem is that win7 bootloader is installed on first harddisk, so if I remove the first harddisk, I cannot boot into win7.

How I can move / install bootloader of win7 on second hard disk?

Answer 1

Let's try automatic installation and if that doesn't work there is also a manual installation method;
you may have problems with drive letter allocations after this, but that's not too bad to deal with.

1. Boot from the Windows 7 Installation Medium.

   

2. Click on Repair your computer or press ALT+R.

   

3. Click on Startup Repair or press ENTER, let it repair and restart your computer.

4. Don't forget to remove the installation medium.

If this doesn't work, try a manual installation (replace C: by your drive, X: by the medium):

1. Boot from the Windows 7 Installation Medium.

2. Click on Repair your computer or press ALT+R.

3. Click on Command Prompt or press SHIFT+F10.

4. Let's fix the Main Boot Record and place the Boot Sector back, enter this:

   bootrec.exe /fixmbr
   X:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt60 all /force
   

5. Then ask it (nicely!) to try and rebuild your BCD data from scratch, enter this:

   xcopy C:\boot\bcd C:\windows\justInCase /v /e /h /k /r /o /x /y
   del C:\boot\bcd
   bootrec.exe /rebuildbcd
   

6. If you're lucky, this'll work and you'll see a message telling you everything went OK.

7. Reboot your PC by closing all the dialogs, or enter this:

   shutdown -r -t 0
   

8. Don't forget to remove the installation medium.

9. If you need to recover the BCD due to failure, repeat steps 1 - 3 and enter this:

   xcopy C:\windows\justInCase C:\boot\bcd /v /e /h /k /r /o /x /y