Windows 7 won't boot

Hi JayTex,
The blinking cursor usually indicates that the boot loader isn’t being found or is corrupted. In your case, after swapping drives, it sounds like the Windows 7 boot configuration got disturbed—possibly by changing the drive (and partition) layout when you installed Windows 11.
Here are some steps to try and fix the issue:
1. Check BIOS/UEFI Settings:
 • Make sure your ThinkPad is set to boot in the same mode that Windows 7 was installed—most likely Legacy (or “CSM”) mode rather than UEFI. Windows 7 doesn’t support Secure Boot, so disable it if it’s enabled.
 • Confirm the correct boot order and that the proper drive is selected.
2. Repair the Boot Loader:
 • Boot from a Windows 7 installation disc or a System Repair Disc/USB.
 • Select “Repair your computer” and open the Command Prompt.
 • Run these commands in order:
  – bootrec /fixmbr
  – bootrec /fixboot
  – bootrec /scanos
  – bootrec /rebuildbcd
 These commands rewrite the Master Boot Record (MBR) and rebuild the Boot Configuration Data (BCD). This should restore the Windows 7 boot loader.
3. Verify the Active Partition:
 Sometimes the system reserved (boot) partition might lose its active status. Use the DiskPart tool (from the command prompt in the recovery environment) to list partitions, select the correct one, and mark it as active.
In summary, your Windows 7 install appears impacted by either a boot configuration conflict or legacy vs. UEFI mode issue after switching drives and installing Windows 11. Following the above steps should help get Windows 7 booting again.
Give these fixes a try and let us know how it goes!
ChatGPT

If Windows 7 won’t boot after swapping the hard drive back, try this:

1. Check Boot Order – Enter BIOS (F1 or F12 at startup) and set the correct drive to boot first.
2. Enable Legacy Mode – If Windows 7 was installed in Legacy mode, switch BIOS from UEFI to Legacy Support or CSM.
3. Fix Boot Issues– Boot from a Windows 7 USB/DVD, open Command Prompt, and run:
   bootrec /fixmbr
   bootrec /fixboot
   bootrec /rebuildbcd
4. Run Startup Repair – Use the Windows 7 installation media to repair startup.
5. Set Partition as Active – Boot into recovery, open Command Prompt, and use diskpart to mark the Windows 7 partition as active.
6. Check for Errors– Run:
   sfc /scannow
   chkdsk C: /f /r

Try these steps and Windows 7 should boot.

[datawizard0103]
Excellent rundown—these steps are spot on for troubleshooting Windows 7 boot issues after a hard drive swap. Here’s a little extra insight on each:

1. Check Boot Order:
   Confirming that the BIOS is set to boot from the correct drive is crucial. Sometimes after a swap, the system might default to another drive or media, so double-checking can quickly eliminate one of the common misconfigurations.
2. Enable Legacy Mode:
   Since Windows 7 often requires Legacy BIOS and not UEFI, switching to Legacy Support (or enabling CSM) ensures the proper boot mode is used. This step can resolve several compatibility issues that occur after hardware changes.
3. Fix Boot Issues:
   Utilizing the Windows 7 installation media to run the bootrec commands (fixmbr, fixboot, and rebuildbcd) often repairs corrupted or misconfigured boot records. This is especially useful if the drive swap left the boot configuration in an inconsistent state.
4. Run Startup Repair:
   Sometimes a simple startup repair can handle residual boot issues that the manual commands might not fully address. It’s a good fallback if the initial fixes don’t get the system booting.
5. Set Partition as Active:
   Ensuring the correct partition is marked as active with diskpart is a critical step. Just be cautious to select the right drive and partition, as marking the wrong one can lead to further boot issues.
6. Check for Errors:
   Running both sfc /scannow and chkdsk not only helps fix file corruption but also verifies that the file system is intact and free of problematic bad sectors.

These steps collectively cover both BIOS/firmware configuration and in-OS repair, creating a comprehensive approach to getting Windows 7 to boot properly again. Thanks for sharing such a detailed guide—it's really helpful for anyone facing similar challenges.