Windows 7 Clean Install- No Boot Sector Error Message

I feel stupid for asking this, but it has been so long since I've done a Clean Install on anything other than a new HDD/SSD.

I need to reinstall Windows 7 Professional on a friend's Dell Latitude E5400. I've already wiped the hard drive but I didn't create any partitions. I had the opportunity to do so when I wiped the hard drive clean, but for some reason I seem to remember creating any partition(s) during the Windows reinstall process.....like I said, it's been a long time!

I attempted to boot the system from the CD/DVD drive with the clean hard drive installed. A few seconds into loading Windows, I get an error message "No Boot Sector on Hard Drive" or something to that effect.....

If I go back and partition the hard drive, will that fix my issue and allow me to reinstall Windows 7 on the drive?

Thanks!

 

Usually, you get to partition when you select the type of install you want, go to customize the install, can't remember if it's advanced or custom and then you should see the drive. Partitioning it before installing should also work.

 

If you are sure you have an existing Windows partition you could try fixing the Boot Sector by performing a startup repair. On the disc there should be an option to "Repair Your Computer", click on that and see if Windows can fix it for you by performing a "Startup Repair". You can alternatively perform this manually by going to Command Prompt in the same menu and enter "bootrec.exe /FixMbr" and "bootrec.exe /FixBoot".

Or if you're willing to start again you can have a read of my Windows 7 guide, while it is for ThinkPads in general the principles is the same for any make. You can skip to the Install phase of my guide and start from Step 2.

 

I created a primary partition and tried to start a Clean Install. Now I'm getting an error message saying "BOOTMGR is missing"!?!?

Even booting from the CD/DVD drive with the Win7 disc, that error message is as far as I can get! I've booted from a Windows disc in the optical drive countless times before- regardless of the state of the hard drive. I know I've used that to boot into Windows to repair issues preventing Windows from booting from the hard drive.....but that's not happening this time???

 

Check the Boot Order in your BIOS and double check to see if your CD drive is on top of the list.

Then try rebuilding the BCD instead, again go to the Command Prompt on your installation disc and type the commands:

- bcdedit / export C: \ BCD_Backup
- c:
- boot cd
- attrib bcd-s-h-r
- ren c: \ boot \ bcd bcd.old
- bootrec / RebuildBcd

Then follow with "bootrec.exe /FixMbr" and "bootrec.exe /FixBoot.

See if that helps with the "BOOTMGR is missing" issue.