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[SOLVED] MSCONFIG problem

I figured I should confirm this first... here's the MSCONFIG display:

1678333467296.png

Here's the DISKPART "list volume" results:

1678333524500.png

At present I have booted from the SSD (C:). Te first line of the MSCONFIG list says "Current OS" which I assume is the one I selected
to boot from and is indeed the SSD.

The second line says "HarddiskVolume5"; from DISKPART you can see that volume 5 is ALSO the SSD (C:).

I am guessing that deleting an entry from the boot list doesn't affect the volume itself (i.e., I won't REALLY be deleting C:), it will just ensure
that at boot, there is only one selection not two.

However - I just wanted to confirm before I did that, thanks!
 
I figured I should confirm this first... here's the MSCONFIG display:

View attachment 84764

Here's the DISKPART "list volume" results:

View attachment 84765

At present I have booted from the SSD (C:). Te first line of the MSCONFIG list says "Current OS" which I assume is the one I selected
to boot from and is indeed the SSD.

The second line says "HarddiskVolume5"; from DISKPART you can see that volume 5 is ALSO the SSD (C:).

I am guessing that deleting an entry from the boot list doesn't affect the volume itself (i.e., I won't REALLY be deleting C:), it will just ensure
that at boot, there is only one selection not two.

However - I just wanted to confirm before I did that, thanks!

Harddiskvolume5 should be called harddiskpartition5, it is not the volume 5.
You could try the "mountvol" command in the command prompt, just to do another check.
Anyway, yes, it will not delete the other partition, all files will remain there.
If you are sure the first line is your SSD c:, delete the other one.

Edit: when you listed the partitions in disk 0, partition 5 described your previous OS:
Code:
Partition 1 System 500 MB 1024 KB
Partition 2 OEM 40 MB 501 MB
Partition 3 Reserved 128 MB 541 MB
Partition 4 Recovery 10 GB 669 MB
Partition 5 Primary 56 GB 10 GB

For curiosity, I would check how msconfig calls your SSD os when you starts your system with the old os. :rolleyes:
 
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MSCONFIG if I boot from original OS image on HDD:
1678422360177.png

MSCONFIG if I boot from cloned OS image on SSD:
1678422318095.png

Looks like whichever it boots from it calls C:, and the other one becomes D:

You also mentioned "MOUNTVOL", I assume this is the info you are wondering about:
Possible values for VolumeName along with current mount points are:

\\?\Volume{445598c3-55fe-4cf3-8bee-15c44f960dd4}\
*** NO MOUNT POINTS ***

\\?\Volume{ca3c5724-6737-4762-877f-50331b518233}\
D:\

\\?\Volume{70f6527b-ae9e-4f25-ac1d-564569ff2eb1}\
C:\

\\?\Volume{00aba1d9-fd02-4793-8388-fe8921108dc7}\
*** NO MOUNT POINTS ***

\\?\Volume{d1e22a28-b751-461e-99d2-8bface7aebe6}\
*** NO MOUNT POINTS ***

\\?\Volume{0263b6db-229c-11e5-87bb-806e6f6e6963}\
E:\
 
Well, THIS is interesting...

MSCONFIG does not report a "cannot find the path" error anymore (!).

However, if I delete the "harddiskvolume5" boot option, the GENERAL tab changes from "normal boot" to "selective boot".

If I change the GENERAL tab to "normal boot", then the harddiskvolume5 option REAPPEARS on the BOOT tab and still
offers me two Win7 boot options after BIOS init finished.

I tried it a few times... "normal boot" adds the 2nd boot option, and removing the 2nd boot option forces MSCONFIG
into "selective boot".
 
And you don't like it? 🤔

Did you notice the active ESP is now the one in disk 0?
Try to create the windows repair disc (this was another error, right?).

Then launch bcdedit (from command prompt) and post its result.
 
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Heh, I wouldn't say I don't like it... more like "I really don't understand it" :-)

Repair Disk:
1678487722543.png

BCDEDIT:

1678487757763.png
 
This may have finally done it - boot up doesn't ask which image to boot from, and MSCONFIG doesn't complain when changes are made.
I saw one incident where changes didn't appear to "stick" in MSCONFIG, but all subsequent tries looked good.
 
Let's see if we can repair the "Windows repair disc could not be created"...

From command prompt:
Code:
dir c:\recovery /a /b /s & dir d:\recovery /a /b /s
(And post its results here)
 
During the C: "dir", I get many scrolling pages of this:

The directory name c:\ProgramData\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application D
ata\Package Cache\{B74E65FD-CC47-41C5-4B89-791A3F61942D}v8.100.25984\Installers is too long.
The directory name c:\ProgramData\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application D
ata\Package Cache\{BCF7CA0F-E53C-2A4F-B128-A751EC9A1016}v10.1.19041.685\Installers is too long.
The directory name c:\ProgramData\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application D
ata\Package Cache\{BD75F257-50A4-E0CD-9942-C3550CA3E66A}v10.1.19041.685\Installers is too long.

The files found for both the C: and D: search are attached.
 

Attachments

I'm sorry, I was too optimistic and I didn't test the command on my pc (I was writing from my smartphone).
Read More:


Hence, for the moment, to "keep it simple", launch only these commands:
Code:
dir /a /b c:\
dir /a /b d:\
dir /ad /s /b c:\windows\recovery
dir /ad /s /b d:\windows\recovery
And post their results.
 
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Here's the results; note that I omitted several folders that have client project names in them; they're not germane to what we're looking at:

c:\>dir /a /b c:\
$RECYCLE.BIN
Apps
bcdbackup
bcdbackup.LOG
bcdbackup.LOG1
bcdbackup.LOG2
bcdboot files
Config.Msi
Documents and Settings
EFI
Intel
Program Files
Program Files (x86)
ProgramData
System Recovery
System Volume Information
Users
Windows

c:\>dir /a /b d:\
$RECYCLE.BIN
pagefile.sys
Program Files
Program Files (x86)
ProgramData
System Volume Information
TEMP
Users

c:\>dir /ad /s /b c:\windows\recovery
c:\windows\System32\Recovery
c:\windows\SysWOW64\Recovery

c:\>dir /ad /s /b d:\windows\recovery
The system cannot find the file specified.

Note that the D: (HDD) folders such as "Program Files (x86)" exist to unload the smaller SSD; the C: SSD has
junction links into those folders in D:
 
Ok, another exploration:
Code:
dir /a /b /s c:\efi
dir /a /b /s "c:\System Recovery"
dir /a /b /s c:\windows\System32\Recovery
dir /a /b /s c:\windows\SysWOW64\Recovery
dir /a /b /s c:\reagent.xml
 
c:\>dir /a /b /s c:\efi
c:\efi\Boot
c:\efi\Microsoft
c:\efi\Boot\bootx64.efi
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgr.efi
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\BOOTSTAT.DAT
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\cs-CZ
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\da-DK
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\de-DE
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\el-GR
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\en-US
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\es-ES
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\fi-FI
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\Fonts
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\fr-FR
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\hu-HU
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\it-IT
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\ja-JP
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\ko-KR
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\memtest.efi
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\nb-NO
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\nl-NL
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\pl-PL
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\pt-BR
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\pt-PT
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\ru-RU
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\sv-SE
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\tr-TR
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\zh-CN
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\zh-HK
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\zh-TW
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\cs-CZ\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\cs-CZ\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\da-DK\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\da-DK\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\de-DE\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\de-DE\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\el-GR\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\el-GR\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\en-US\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\en-US\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\en-US\memtest.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\es-ES\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\es-ES\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\fi-FI\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\fi-FI\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\Fonts\wgl4_boot.ttf
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\fr-FR\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\fr-FR\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\hu-HU\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\hu-HU\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\it-IT\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\it-IT\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\ja-JP\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\ja-JP\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\ko-KR\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\ko-KR\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\nb-NO\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\nb-NO\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\nl-NL\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\nl-NL\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\pl-PL\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\pl-PL\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\pt-BR\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\pt-BR\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\pt-PT\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\pt-PT\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\ru-RU\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\ru-RU\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\sv-SE\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\sv-SE\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\tr-TR\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\tr-TR\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\zh-CN\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\zh-CN\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\zh-HK\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\zh-HK\bootmgr.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\zh-TW\bootmgfw.efi.mui
c:\efi\Microsoft\Boot\zh-TW\bootmgr.efi.mui

c:\>dir /a /b /s "c:\System Recovery"
c:\System Recovery\Repair
c:\System Recovery\Repair\Param.XML
c:\System Recovery\Repair\SDS.XML

c:\>dir /a /b /s c:\windows\System32\Recovery
c:\windows\System32\Recovery\ReAgent.xml

c:\>dir /a /b /s c:\windows\SysWOW64\Recovery
c:\windows\SysWOW64\Recovery\ReAgent.xml

c:\>dir /a /b /s c:\reagent.xml
[Many scrolling pages of "c:\Users\All Users\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\... is too long"]
ending up with:

c:\Windows\System32\Recovery\ReAgent.xml
c:\Windows\SysWOW64\Recovery\ReAgent.xml
c:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_microsoft-windows-winre-recoveryagent_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.17514_none_18f2a35386830449\ReAgent.xml
c:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-winre-recoveryagent_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.17514_none_bcd407cfce259313\ReAgent.xml
 
Last set of commands (to be run in an elevated command prompt):
Code:
bcdedit
reagentc /info
type c:\Windows\System32\Recovery\ReAgent.xml
diskpart
select disk 0
detail disk
select partition 4
detail partition
select disk 1
detail disk
select partition 3
detail partition
exit
And post their results.
 
c:\>bcdedit

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume1
path \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-us
inherit {globalsettings}
default {current}
resumeobject {4132c0f7-1c7f-11e5-9a03-f8b156fecaed}
displayorder {current}
toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}
timeout 30

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \windows\system32\winload.efi
description Windows 7
locale en-us
inherit {bootloadersettings}
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \windows
resumeobject {4132c0f7-1c7f-11e5-9a03-f8b156fecaed}
nx OptIn
detecthal Yes


c:\>reagentc /info

Extended configuration for the Recovery Environment

Windows RE enabled: 1
Windows RE staged: 0
Setup enabled: 0
Custom Recovery Tool: 0
WinRE.WIM directory: \\?\GLOBALROOT\device\harddisk0\partition4\recovery\windowsre
Recovery Environment: \\?\GLOBALROOT\device\harddisk0\partition4\Recovery\WindowsRE
BCD Id: a9e30dc8-1c6a-11e5-923b-f8b156fecaed
Setup Files:
Recovery Operation: 4
Operation Parameter:
Boot Key Scan Code 0x0
REAGENTC.EXE: Operation successful

c:\>type c:\Windows\System32\Recovery\ReAgent.xml
<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<WindowsRE version="1.0">
<WinreBCD id="{a9e30dc8-1c6a-11e5-923b-f8b156fecaed}"/>
<WinreLocation path="\Recovery\WindowsRE" id="0" offset="701497344" guid="{3f8d2e9a-2795-45c4-a30b-d5d9ff84b6fb}"/>
<ImageLocation path="\recovery\windowsre" id="0" offset="701497344" guid="{3f8d2e9a-2795-45c4-a30b-d5d9ff84b6fb}"/>
<OsInstallLocation path="" id="0" offset="0" guid="{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}"/>
<InstallState state="1"/>
<OsInstallAvailable state="0"/>
<WinREStaged state="0"/>
<OperationParam path=""/>
<OsBuildVersion path="7601.18798.amd64fre.win7sp1_gdr.150316-1654"/>
<OemTool state="0"/>
<BootKey state="0"/>
<IsServer state="0"/>
<ScheduledOperation state="4"/>
</WindowsRE>

(appears to be some garbage characters at the start of the XML)

c:\>diskpart

Microsoft DiskPart version 6.1.7601
Copyright (C) 1999-2008 Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: BILL-PC

DISKPART> select disk 0

Disk 0 is now the selected disk.

DISKPART> detail disk

TOSHIBA DT01ACA200 SCSI Disk Device
Disk ID: {3F8D2E9A-2795-45C4-A30B-D5D9FF84B6FB}
Type : SATA
Status : Online
Path : 1
Target : 0
LUN ID : 0
Location Path : PCIROOT(0)#ATA(C01T00L00)
Current Read-only State : No
Read-only : No
Boot Disk : No
Pagefile Disk : Yes
Hibernation File Disk : No
Crashdump Disk : Yes
Clustered Disk : No

Volume ### Ltr Label Fs Type Size Status Info
---------- --- ----------- ----- ---------- ------- --------- --------
Volume 1 OS NTFS Partition 56 GB Healthy
Volume 2 D Data NTFS Partition 1795 GB Healthy Pagefile
Volume 3 ESP FAT32 Partition 500 MB Healthy System
Volume 4 RECOVERY NTFS Partition 10 GB Healthy Hidden

DISKPART> select partition 4

Partition 4 is now the selected partition.

DISKPART> detail partition

Partition 4
Type : de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac
Hidden : Yes
Required: Yes
Attrib : 0X8000000000000001
Offset in Bytes: 701497344

Volume ### Ltr Label Fs Type Size Status Info
---------- --- ----------- ----- ---------- ------- --------- --------
* Volume 4 RECOVERY NTFS Partition 10 GB Healthy Hidden

DISKPART> select disk 1

Disk 1 is now the selected disk.

DISKPART> detail disk


Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250G SCSI Disk Device
Disk ID: {001C5889-F477-47FF-B0AB-CC593A705E8C}
Type : SATA
Status : Online
Path : 3
Target : 0
LUN ID : 0
Location Path : PCIROOT(0)#ATA(C03T00L00)
Current Read-only State : No
Read-only : No
Boot Disk : Yes
Pagefile Disk : No
Hibernation File Disk : No
Crashdump Disk : No
Clustered Disk : No

Volume ### Ltr Label Fs Type Size Status Info
---------- --- ----------- ----- ---------- ------- --------- --------
Volume 5 C OS NTFS Partition 222 GB Healthy Boot
Volume 6 ESP FAT32 Partition 500 MB Healthy Hidden
Volume 7 RECOVERY NTFS Partition 10 GB Healthy Hidden

DISKPART> select partition 3

Partition 3 is now the selected partition.

DISKPART> detail partition


Partition 3
Type : 796badd3-6bbf-4d9f-b631-466eb71a4965
Hidden : Yes
Required: No
Attrib : 0000000000000000
Offset in Bytes: 659554304

There is no volume associated with this partition.
 
From an elevated command prompt:
Code:
bcdedit /set {current} recoverysequence {a9e30dc8-1c6a-11e5-923b-f8b156fecaed}
bcdedit /set {current} recoveryenabled yes
bcdedit /set {current} bootstatuspolicy DisplayAllFailures
bcdedit /set {current} quietboot no
reagentc /boottore
1) Reboot and see if the boottore option ("Configures the system to start Windows RE next time the system starts up.") works.
I think it should bring up the Advanced Boot Options.
2) Check if the Repair Your Computer option appears. And if it works...
3) Start windows normally and try to create the Windows 7 system repair disc.
 
Last edited:
All the commands above worked successfully.

However, upon reboot the PC did indeed boot in a "repair" mode... however, the AlienWare Recovery application inserts itself
into the process. One of the options is to return to the Windows boot screen, but selecting that simply shuts down the machine.
I did not walk through the AlienWare automated repair steps as they can spend a very (!) long time doing disk scans, memory
tests, and all the usual checks.

Here's an interesting side note... I can now F8 into the Windows boot screen from the front USB ports. If you recall, I was unable
to interrupt the Win boot with F8, but found 2 USB ports on the rear panel that worked. Whatever we've done here, somehow the
front ports now work... and work well (i.e., just a single tap of F8 instead of rapid-fire banging on it hoping to catch it).

The MSCONFIG issue seems to be fixed... and the machine appears to be working without any issues, so given the fact that I do
have the AlienWare boot CD and given that it's an older machine, I don't think the additional work of figuring out a Windows
Recovery Disk is worth the effort. I don't mind trying things, but it's more learning than not right now (given that it's Win7).

I appreciate the efforts on this issue... I don't know what issues may have been lurking related to the MSCONFIG issues, but
regardless, having it working makes me feel like something that could have been a lurking issue is no longer.

Thanks again!
 
Perfect!
I'm glad you are glad! ;)

I'm marking this thread as solved.

Remember: your PC is now using the efi system partition (ESP - volume 3, partition 1, BUT harddiskvolume1 is displayed in bcdedit) and the recovery partition (volume 4, partition 4) in disk 0, i.e. your hdd.
Therefore, you could remove their clones (if you want to do so) in your SSD.
 
Last edited:

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