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Booting from USB on new build; BOOTMGR is missing
http://www.mediasmartserver.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=11359		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  jdomi [ Fri Sep 16, 2011 5:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Booting from USB on new build; BOOTMGR is missing
Colleagues,

I have a new build with an NZXT case and a Gigabyte GA-H67M-D2-B3 motherboard. Have created a bootable USB drive with the steps below and copied the contents of WHS 2011 OEM DVD I purchased, have told the server to boot from the USB and the server gives me a message saying "BOOTMGR is missing". I know I can always get a cheap DVD drive to do it but not if I can use a USB drive. What am I missing?

1. Insert your USB (4GB+ preferable) stick to the system and backup all the data from the USB as we are going to format the USB to make it as bootable.
2. Open elevated Command Prompt. To do this, type in CMD in Start menu search field and hit Ctrl + Shift + Enter. Alternatively, navigate to Start > All programs >Accessories > right click on Command Prompt and select run as administrator.
3. When the Command Prompt opens, enter the following command:
DISKPART and hit enter.
LIST DISK and hit enter.
Once you enter the LIST DISK command, it will show the disk number of your USB drive. In the below image my USB drive disk no is Disk 1.
4. In this step you need to enter all the below commands one by one and hit enter. As these commands are self-explanatory, you can easily guess what these commands do.
SELECT DISK 1 (Replace DISK 1 with your disk number)
CLEAN
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY
SELECT PARTITION 1
ACTIVE
FORMAT FS=NTFS
(Format process may take few minutes)
ASSIGN
EXIT

Don’t close the command prompt as we need to execute one more command at the next step. Just minimize it.
5. Insert your Windows DVD in the optical drive and note down the drive letter of the optical drive and USB media. Here I use “D” as my optical (DVD) drive letter and “H” as my USB drive letter.
6. Find where the \boot folder is in the Windows DVD. Go back to command prompt and execute the following commands:
D: and hit enter.
(Where “D” is your DVD drive letter.)
CD BOOT and hit enter.
(Where BOOT is the path to where the Windows DVD \boot folder is.)
BOOTSECT.EXE /NT60 H:
(Where “H” is your USB drive letter)

7. Copy Windows DVD contents to USB.

Best regards.
Author:  walkabt [ Fri Sep 16, 2011 5:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Booting from USB on new build; BOOTMGR is missing
Are you creating the USB on a 32 bit system?

To be specific, did you notice a message after you entered Bootsect.exe /nt60 <drive letter>?
Author:  msawyer91 [ Fri Sep 16, 2011 8:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Booting from USB on new build; BOOTMGR is missing
Please see this article: http://www.mediasmartserver.net/2010/04 ... ash-drive/

Step 2 will send you here tells you to download this little tool (Windows 7 USB Download Tool): http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/mss ... vd_dwnTool

I have a 4 GB flash drive, but the image is a hair bigger than that, so I had to use my 8 GB flash drive. What the download tool does is copies the files over "correctly" and ensures the Windows Boot Manager (BOOTMGR) is put in the correct spot on the flash media, so it should boot correctly. I used this very tool to set up a WHS 2011 unattended installer to build my EX487.

In the past, I have not had good experiences with just copying files from Microsoft ISOs directly to flash drives and have them work. I believe it's because the BOOTMGR is not put in the right spot. The aforementioned download tool will ensure this is done correctly. The link I sent you to originally has the step-by-step guide for building an unattended installer. If you want to build a hands-on install, the steps are still valid; just skip the part of building the configuration file.
Author:  jdomi [ Fri Sep 16, 2011 9:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Booting from USB on new build; BOOTMGR is missing
walkabt wrote:
Are you creating the USB on a 32 bit system?

To be specific, did you notice a message after you entered Bootsect.exe /nt60 <drive letter>?


I created the USB on my Win 7 64 bit laptop, and honestly, I don't remember any message when I ran the bootsect.exe... command, I can try again though and see.

Regards.
Author:  jdomi [ Fri Sep 16, 2011 10:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Booting from USB on new build; BOOTMGR is missing
msawyer91 wrote:
Please see this article: http://www.mediasmartserver.net/2010/04 ... ash-drive/

Step 2 will send you here tells you to download this little tool (Windows 7 USB Download Tool): http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/mss ... vd_dwnTool

I have a 4 GB flash drive, but the image is a hair bigger than that, so I had to use my 8 GB flash drive. What the download tool does is copies the files over "correctly" and ensures the Windows Boot Manager (BOOTMGR) is put in the correct spot on the flash media, so it should boot correctly. I used this very tool to set up a WHS 2011 unattended installer to build my EX487.

In the past, I have not had good experiences with just copying files from Microsoft ISOs directly to flash drives and have them work. I believe it's because the BOOTMGR is not put in the right spot. The aforementioned download tool will ensure this is done correctly. The link I sent you to originally has the step-by-step guide for building an unattended installer. If you want to build a hands-on install, the steps are still valid; just skip the part of building the configuration file.


I tried using the MS tool but it never finished properly, always at 99% and an error that says "Status: We were unable to copy your files. Please check your USB device and the selected ISO file and try again". The USB drive I am using is a SanDisk 8GB so I know there are no space problems.

Also, I did not copy from any ISOs since I have the OEM version sold by Newegg, I just copied all the files to the USB drive as explained in the first post (I did create an ISO of the DVD when I tried the MS tool but that failed, see my reply to walkabt).

Regards.
Author:  jdomi [ Sat Sep 17, 2011 3:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Booting from USB on new build; BOOTMGR is missing
Colleagues,

I have to be doing something wrong here. I got an external DVD drive (USB connection) and now the message says:
Loading Operating System...
Boot from CD/DVD : CDBOOT: Couldn't find BOOTMGR

This time I am using the WHS 2011 OEM disk I purchased. What am I doing wrong?

Regards.
Author:  walkabt [ Sat Sep 17, 2011 5:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Booting from USB on new build; BOOTMGR is missing
Maybe you are booting from the hard drive? I've had that happen; think I set it up to boot from CD or USB and it goes to the HD first...

The steps you posted are correct, I just installed Windows 7 from USB on a PC using that same method this AM. If you used a 64 bit OS you shouldn't have an issue with the bootsec message (only from a 32 bit system).
Author:  jdomi [ Sat Sep 17, 2011 7:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Booting from USB on new build; BOOTMGR is missing
Walkabt,

I even disconnected the HDD cables from the motherboard, so it's not trying to boot from the HDD. I can see the DVD or the USB drive spinning a few seconds until I get the messages.

All this is very strange and I am lost at this point.

Regards.
Author:  jdomi [ Sun Sep 18, 2011 12:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Booting from USB on new build; BOOTMGR is missing
Any more ideas, please?
Author:  jdomi [ Sun Sep 18, 2011 2:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Booting from USB on new build; BOOTMGR is missing
Colleagues,

I have narrowed it down a bit and I still hope someone more experienced in hardware can help.

With the external DVD drive attached and the OEM WHS 2011 disc in it, and the BIOS boot priority as USB-CDROM, it gives me a message saying "Loading Operating System... Remove disks or other media. Press any key to restart"; I see the HDD LED blinking but not the external DVD. But if I disconnect the HDD from the motherboard it gives me a message saying "Loading Operating System... Boot from CD/DVD : CDBOOT: Couldn't find BOOTMGR".

With the USB drive attached and a copy of the OEM WHS 2011 (that I created following the steps in a previous post, and I have tried in both NFTS and FAT32 formats) in it, and the BIOS boot priority as USB-HDD, it gives me a message saying "Loading Operating System... Remove disks or other media. Press any key to restart"; I see the USB LED blinking. But if I disconnect the HDD from the motherboard it gives me the same message.

Like I said before, this is a virgin system, the HDDs have not been formatted or loaded ever.

I am sure I am missing something, I just don't know what it is.

Regards.
Author:  jdomi [ Sun Sep 18, 2011 4:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Booting from USB on new build; BOOTMGR is missing
Colleagues,

I found it, and it is kind of embarrassing. I was actually using the OEM Preinstallation Kit disc instead of the Server Installation disc, which I did not see before until I opened the plastic case. Pretty dumb, but I admit it!

It's all installing now and issue closed.

Regards.
Author:  solvent211 [ Sat Feb 04, 2012 10:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Booting from USB on new build; BOOTMGR is missing
jdomi, I just wanted to thank you for admitting it and posting the resolution. You are not alone. I had the same problem and came across this post which described my situation to a T... sure enough, I had just grabbed the first DVD off the stack without looking at it too closely....

After I laughed like a lunatic for several minutes, I trashed the OEM ISO I made and proceeded using the install disc instead. Worked much better this time!

Cheers!
Author:  cjshaker [ Wed Nov 14, 2012 12:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Booting from USB on new build; BOOTMGR is missing
solvent211 wrote:
jdomi, I just wanted to thank you for admitting it and posting the resolution. You are not alone. I had the same problem and came across this post which described my situation to a T... sure enough, I had just grabbed the first DVD off the stack without looking at it too closely....

After I laughed like a lunatic for several minutes, I trashed the OEM ISO I made and proceeded using the install disc instead. Worked much better this time!

Cheers!



Me too. Started trying to do this late last night.
Chris Shaker
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