BCDBOOT

On BIOS-based systems, the system partition is the active partition on disks using the Master Boot Record (MBR) disk format. BCDboot creates the \Boot directory on the system partition and copies all required boot-environment files to this directory.

BCDboot is a tool used to quickly set up a system partition, or to repair the boot environment located on the system partition.

After you run IMAGEX.exe /apply to c: drive, don’t restart right away. Instead, run bcdboot c:\windows, which initializes the system partition using files from the operating system image installed on the C: volume;

bcdboot C:\Windows

You can create SYSTEM partition on a drive other than C, as shown below:

DISKPART

SELECT DISK 0 // Select the first hard drive.

CLEAN // Wipe the disk.

CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY SIZE=300 // Create the system partition

FORMAT QUICK FS=NTFS LABEL="System" // and format it using NTFS.

ACTIVE // Label and assign a letter

ASSIGN LETTER="S" // to the partition.

CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY // Create the Windows partition

FORMAT QUICK FS=NTFS LABEL="Windows" // that fills the remainder

ASSIGN LETTER="C" // of the disk.

EXIT

To initialize the system partition (S drive), do the following:

bcdboot C:\Windows /s S:

BootSect

Bootsect.exe updates the master boot code for hard disk partitions to switch between Bootmgr and NT Loader (NTLDR).

To apply the master boot code that is compatible with NTLDR to the volume labeled E:

bootsect.exe /nt52 E:

In earlier versions of the Windows operating system that run on a basic input/output system (BIOS)-based computer, such as Windows XP, the boot process starts with the system BIOS. The BIOS determines the boot device, and then loads the first physical sector. This physical sector is named the master boot record (MBR). The MBR contains the partition table and the necessary boot execution code. This code searches the partition table to find the active partition and passes control to the boot sector on the active partition. Then, the boot sector on the active partition loads the Ntldr program. The Ntldr program parses the Boot.ini file. This file is used to enumerate the operating systems that are installed.

When Windows Vista starts on a BIOS-based computer, the BIOS loads the MBR and then loads the boot sector. However, boot code loads the new Windows Boot Manager program (Bootmgr). The Windows Boot Manager program parses the Boot Configuration Data file, enumerates the installed operating systems, and then displays the boot menu. If an earlier version of the Windows operating system is installed in a dual-boot configuration with Windows Vista, the Windows Boot Manager program transfers control to the Ntldr program for the earlier version of the Windows operating system. The Windows Boot Manager program does this when you select Windows Vista from the boot menu.

When you install an earlier version of the Windows operating system on a Windows Vista-based computer, Setup overwrites everything from the MBR, the boot sector, and the boot files. Windows Vista no longer starts. In this case, only the earlier version of the Windows operating system starts.

Resolution:

DVD_Drive:\boot\Bootsect.exe /NT60 All