Windows won't boot up from ssd unless hdd unplugged

[chetan843]

Greetings!
I have windows 11 pro running on a dell laptop

i had an nvme storage upgrade few months ago so i cloned my windows onto there, which created two identical options for windows boot manager in the bios boot selection menu , yet windows will always load up from ssd.. everything was fine ( even when both disk drives were living with their respective EFI partitions at 100 mb intact.. .)

Today after multiple months of tries i was finally able to install fedora on the same partition (nvme ssd with windows to dual boot) by extending my efi partition( on nvme ssd) via aomei disk partitioner to 210 mb from some recovery partition in some windows pe mode , now the windows boot manger options are gone from the bios boot selection replaced by fedora , and instead only disk uefi options are showing up in bios bootloader options (uefi only) ...


the linux bootloader now shows two windows bootmanager one at dev/nvme0n1p1 and one at dev/sda1 , but even when clicking on the nvme option the windows will only boot from hdd.. unless i unplug hdd entirely , only then do clicking on nvme0np1 option would let windows boot up from ssd! and won't recognise the linux partition or the hdd when i replug it back on..

What should i do now?
should i delete efi partition on my hdd?
should i change bootloader code on the windows boot manager option in grub and how ( has a if clause on the hdd one )?
should i delete fedora alltogether and expect for things to magically correct themselves?
should i delete efi partition on my ssd or tinker with it and how?
something else

options are not in an " inclusive or " format.

 

[ChatGPT]

Hello!

It seems like you have encountered some issues with dual-booting Windows 11 and Fedora on your Dell laptop. Let's go through the possible solutions to get your system working as expected.

1. Delete EFI partition on HDD: If you no longer need the EFI partition on your HDD (which was previously used for Windows boot manager), you can safely delete it. However, before doing so, make sure you have a backup of any important files on the HDD, as deleting the partition will remove all data. To delete the partition, you can use a disk management tool like Disk Management in Windows or GParted in Linux.

2. Change bootloader code on the Windows boot manager option in GRUB: If you want to modify the bootloader code in GRUB to ensure that Windows boots from the NVMe SSD, you can make changes in the GRUB configuration file. The configuration file is typically located at /boot/grub/grub.cfg in Linux. Look for the Windows boot manager entry and modify the code accordingly. You may want to change the device name to point to the NVMe SSD rather than the HDD.

3. Delete Fedora and restore Windows boot manager: If you no longer need Fedora and want to restore the Windows boot manager as the default option, you can delete the Fedora partitions and then repair the boot loader using a Windows recovery or installation media. This will recreate the Windows boot manager entry in the EFI partition on the NVMe SSD.

4. Tinker with the EFI partition on the SSD: If you suspect there might be an issue with the EFI partition on the SSD, you can try modifying it. However, this could potentially cause more problems if not done correctly. It is generally recommended to avoid tinkering with EFI partitions unless you have good knowledge of the process and have a backup of your important data.

Before proceeding with any of the above options, it's essential to back up your important data and ensure you have a recovery or installation media for both Windows and Fedora. This will help you recover in case anything goes wrong during the process.

It's also worth mentioning that using third-party partitioning tools, such as AOMEI Disk Partitioner, can sometimes cause unexpected issues. It's always recommended to use built-in partitioning tools or trusted third-party software.

I hope this information helps you resolve the issue and get your dual-boot setup working smoothly. Good luck!

 

[chetan843]

somehow gpt always misses the point on being helpful..

Hello!

It seems like you have encountered some issues with dual-booting Windows 11 and Fedora on your Dell laptop. Let's go through the possible solutions to get your system working as expected.

1. Delete EFI partition on HDD: If you no longer need the EFI partition on your HDD (which was previously used for Windows boot manager), you can safely delete it. However, before doing so, make sure you have a backup of any important files on the HDD, as deleting the partition will remove all data. To delete the partition, you can use a disk management tool like Disk Management in Windows or GParted in Linux.

2. Change bootloader code on the Windows boot manager option in GRUB: If you want to modify the bootloader code in GRUB to ensure that Windows boots from the NVMe SSD, you can make changes in the GRUB configuration file. The configuration file is typically located at /boot/grub/grub.cfg in Linux. Look for the Windows boot manager entry and modify the code accordingly. You may want to change the device name to point to the NVMe SSD rather than the HDD.

3. Delete Fedora and restore Windows boot manager: If you no longer need Fedora and want to restore the Windows boot manager as the default option, you can delete the Fedora partitions and then repair the boot loader using a Windows recovery or installation media. This will recreate the Windows boot manager entry in the EFI partition on the NVMe SSD.

4. Tinker with the EFI partition on the SSD: If you suspect there might be an issue with the EFI partition on the SSD, you can try modifying it. However, this could potentially cause more problems if not done correctly. It is generally recommended to avoid tinkering with EFI partitions unless you have good knowledge of the process and have a backup of your important data.

Before proceeding with any of the above options, it's essential to back up your important data and ensure you have a recovery or installation media for both Windows and Fedora. This will help you recover in case anything goes wrong during the process.

It's also worth mentioning that using third-party partitioning tools, such as AOMEI Disk Partitioner, can sometimes cause unexpected issues. It's always recommended to use built-in partitioning tools or trusted third-party software.

I hope this information helps you resolve the issue and get your dual-boot setup working smoothly. Good luck!

somehow gpt always misses the point on being helpful, bad reply.

 

[ChatGPT]

somehow gpt always misses the point on being helpful, bad reply.

I apologize if my previous response did not adequately address your concerns. If you could provide more specific information about your issue or any additional details, I would be happy to try and assist you further.

 

[chetan843]

how can deleting simple efi partition on hdd render the entire drive as useless? i would still work as optimum storage dump

 

[chetan843]

I apologize if my previous response did not adequately address your concerns. If you could provide more specific information about your issue or any additional details, I would be happy to try and assist you further.

how can deleting simple efi partition on hdd render the entire drive as useless? i would still work as optimum storage dump

 

[ChatGPT]

how can deleting simple efi partition on hdd render the entire drive as useless? i would still work as optimum storage dump

Apologies for any confusion caused by my previous responses. Deleting the EFI partition on the HDD should not render the entire drive as useless in terms of functioning as storage. The EFI partition only contains boot-related files and does not affect the data storage capability of the drive.

However, deleting the EFI partition on the HDD could potentially make it more challenging to set up or manage dual-boot configurations, as it is usually required for the boot manager to locate and boot the operating system.

If you are no longer using the HDD for booting purposes or for the EFI partition, deleting it should not impact the functionality of the drive as a storage device. Just be cautious and ensure that you are not deleting any other important partitions or data during the process.

Again, I apologize for the confusion in my previous responses, and I appreciate your patience. If you have any further questions or concerns, please let me know, and I'll be happy to assist you further.