Windows 7 and NTLDR missing?

[Kerm]

Hey, I'm sure you're all going to jump on me and tell me that W7 doesn't use NTLDR etc, but hear me out.

I've essentially built a new computer and attempted to bring my HDD with Win7 installation on (aswell as all my other files) to the new comp. Plugged it in, set it as first boot device and anticipated a false start. Which is what I got. I get the 'NTLDR is missing please restart or insert bootable disk' message.

I don't have a optical drive on this computer so am wondering what next? Will I have to create a bootable USB and re-install from there? Would I be able to just recover my current Windows installation from a USB with all of the Win7 files on there?

Thanks for your help!!

[articuno1au]

I'm going to say, just for the sake of simplicity and neatness that you should perform a clean install once you have backed up the drive.

Proof of point being this thread >.<

Beyond that unsolicited advice, I have nothing of use to add.

[Daedroth]

It's always best to re-install/format if you're putting an OS drive into a new computer. Simply because of the driver differences.

[Farchord]

Kerm, are you using the same SATA chipset mode as your old computer (AHCI, IDE or SATA/RAID mode)? That would cause that.

Try it. If you are in AHCI atm, try to switch to IDE. emulation.

[UseLess]

If THAT installation of windows is super mega special to you (installed some licenced programs or something) then I would get a windows DVD on a USB and try and tell it to fix boot problems.

If only the data is important to you, then I would get something to boot you into DOS/CMD and pull everything off the drive (with xcopy, not copy) and then reinstall windows. While a clean install of windows is more time consuming, you know you're going to have less driver issues with the new hardware =)

[Kerm]

I don't mind doing a clean install, I would prefer to fix it but having no luck.

I have copied all the content from my Windows 7 disk onto usb and tried to boot from that but it's a no go.

I can get to the part (on my damaged windows 7 hdd boot) where it tries to fix the problems, fails, then offers system restore and the like.

I can get command prompt up there but don't know how to direct it onto my USB drive with windows on to repair. Or even to tell it to do a fresh install from my USB?

Bit stuck now.

[insanelyapple]

You need to use special tool for creating bootable Windows USB dongle etc. - simply copying content from optical disk doesnt work cause there are some bootable files. USB drive partition needs to be set as active partition.

And yes, simply connecting hdd from old computer with Windows on new computer bring you just trouble - same trick with Linux works fine (i did this weeks ago with Ubuntu 12.04 and everything works so far).