# Solved: SATA Drive Won't Boot



## cbjones (Jul 3, 2011)

This has probably been discussed before but I can't find a solution to my problem...so here we go:

*My computer (old friend):* No-name box, Asus A7133 motherboard with AMD Athelon-PECM CPU running at 908 MHz and 1.5GB RAM on board. It has a 40GB IDE hard drive and a 500GB SATA drive running off an add-on SATA card. My OS system is Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition with SP-2 installed. It is not networked with other computers, just a stand alone unit.

*My Problem: *I cloned my exisiting IDE hard drive using Easeus Todo Server 2.5 software (free trial version). I increased the partition to 380GB (the IDE partition is 37GB). I the clone was deemed successful by Easeus software. I can see all of my files on the newly named E: drive. I shut the computer down after the cloning and disconnected the old drive, leaving the new drive in place and re-started the computer, expecting it to boot as usual...it goes through it's boot sequence to the point where windows should start BUT...all I get is a gray screen...then nothing...

I would love for someone to come forward and tell me how stupid I am for missing an obvious step...thanks is advance!

Frustrated!


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## Rockn (Jul 29, 2001)

The OS is expecting to boot using the IDE controller not the SATA controller. You may need to do a repair install of the OS with the correct drivers for the SATA controller.


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

A "clone" can only be said to exist if the result is an exact replica of the original. Basically, you have just "copied" an OS from one medium to another. An OS installed to boot from IDE will not boot from SATA.

In addition, you said that the SATA is connected by a card. Some cards will boot, but that depends on your board. Some cards do not become operative until a driver is loaded by the OS, in your case, from the OS on the IDE drive. So booting from it is not possible. Cards that are bootable often show their own BIOS screen before the system's appears at boot time.

You could try reinstalling, as *Rockn* has suggested. If the machine succeeds in its reboot at the beginning of setup, you will know that all is well. But if it doesn't, you won't be able to use that drive for an OS unless you connect it to the IDE controller with an adapter.


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## cbjones (Jul 3, 2011)

*Elvandil & Rockn* - First, thank you for replying...Ok, Let me see if I understand. If I remove the SATA card, which may not boot in any event, and add an adapter that plugs into my secondary IDE header, can I then repair the OS (Windows 2003 Server) as Rockn states? Please forgive my ignorance but is that repair using the FIXMBR feature (with both of the the drives installed)?

See, I am a beginner!


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Since the adapter makes the drive appear to be an IDE drive from the point of view of the board, it may just boot up normally without any added fixes. I use these adapters all the time and am quite impressed by them. The OS, for example, still recognizes the correct model of drive even though it is not an IDE drive. And though I have paid as little as $1 for them, I'd suggest getting one from a company you have heard of before.

But you don't want to plug the adapter into the secondary. You want it wherever your present boot drive is. A "clone" will only boot if connected the same way as its original. Then put your other drive on secondary for other uses.

You can add other SATA drives by connecting them to the card if you want.


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## cbjones (Jul 3, 2011)

Many thanks *Elvandil*! I'll give that a shot.


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Let us know, please. I'm sure you are not the only human trying this.....

(Of course, I'm only assuming you're human. Maybe you're on that disk flying over London on YouTube. But since you don't seem to have zapped anyone, I wish you the best of luck whatever you are.)


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## cbjones (Jul 3, 2011)

Right on the nail head *Elvandil*. I bought an IDE to SATA adapter, inserted it into the primary IDE header, connected data and power and the SATA drive. Boom! Booted perfectly...and all is well...I had cloned my old drive after all...

Many thanks!

(How did you know, I am not human....just a blue cosmic blip...love computers but I am still learning!)


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

cbjones said:


> Right on the nail head *Elvandil*. I bought an IDE to SATA adapter, inserted it into the primary IDE header, connected data and power and the SATA drive. Boom! Booted perfectly...and all is well...I had cloned my old drive after all...
> 
> Many thanks!
> 
> (How did you know, I am not human....just a blue cosmic blip...love computers but I am still learning!)


Fantastic!

I hate to get picky at this point, but as I pointed out before, you can't really call it a "clone" if it is a different type of drive. Maybe a "copy".

But I'm glad it worked, as as easily as it did, too. With those adapters, people can use the SATA drives which are usually cheaper on sale now than IDE drives are at regular price. And besides, if someone is buying a new drive, they should get SATA so that it can be used on the next machine instead of an IDE that will be useless (or require an adapter).

You can mark your thread "solved" using the button at the top of the page.

(PS. Where'd you get the adapter?)


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## cbjones (Jul 3, 2011)

I get the "clone" thing now, thanks for the correction. It's a nice bootable copy.

Purchased the adapter at Tiger Direct...we have a retail store close by...but the same one is available on line. They had others but were sold out so I paid 20 bucks for it. Oh well, it's well worth it!

It came with power and data cables though...


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

LOL. I was going to suggest Tiger, but I didn't think you wanted to wait for that long, not knowing about the store, of course. Besides, people are going to start thinking I work for Tiger.

See you around (hopefully not because you have any serious problems - you can help others, instead).


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