help re-creating dual-boot

I had a power outage that left my PC unbootable. It was a dual-boot 'Windows 11'/'Windows 11 test.' Each one was hidden from the other (no drive letter when the other was active) and my D: is shared with both. The 100GB partition is the test one.

I was able to get into the important one by booting from a USB that had Macrium on it & running the option to fix boot issues. The built-in Windows boot repair didn't work. But Macrium did not see the test installation. So then I ran a program called EasyBCD, gave the test installation a drive letter and added it as an option. Then I removed the drive letter. And that worked, but only once. On the next boot I was able to go into the test installation, but when I rebooted out of it, I was back where I started with an unbootable PC that Windows couldn't fix. I am now back in my primary again thanks to Macrium's boot fix option.

So I have a few questions I'd really appreciate some guidance with:
1) how do I add that second installation back so that I have 3 boot options -- primary, Macrium, test -- that will keep on working? I have primary & Macrium now. Would restoring the EFI System partition from a couple of days ago resolve this or totally trash things?

2) Once I do have things working, how can I back up the boot configuration? EasyBCD has a backup option, but when you first run it pops up a warning about using UEFI, so I'm not sure how reliable it would be.

3) Is it safe to delete these multiple Recovery partitions? Is it possible to have one Recovery partition that works for both installations? I'm honestly not really sure what they even do unless it's the useless 'Troubleshooting' options you get when your PC won't boot. I'm pretty certain I've never had any of the Recovery options work.



Thanks!

Am I missing something obvious by asking if you have Macrium why can't you restore an image from before the problem and it should all be ok

The-Hive said:

Am I missing something obvious by asking if you have Macrium why can't you restore an image from before the problem and it should all be ok

Click to expand...

I could, but I'd rather not since it's a hassle and it's only the boot configuration that got screwed up, all data is intact. I needed it up quickly this AM because of work. I know from experience it will take at least 2 hours to restore.

kjlkjadfasdfasd said:

I could, but I'd rather not since it's a hassle and it's only the boot configuration that got screwed up, all data is intact. I needed it up quickly this AM because of work. I know from experience it will take at least 2 hours to restore.

Click to expand...

Can you use your rescue disk to restore your boot configuration question? 6

Are you trying to add the unlettered 100gb partition labelled as Windows 11 Pro to the boot menu ?

assign it a letter in diskmgmt, e.g. E

then from an admin cmd prompt type:

bcdboot e:\windows
(then press enter)

you can remove the letter afterwards if you must.

or you could use the device path instead of having a letter as the alias, but can't tell what it is from diskmgmt screenie.

SIW2 said:

Are you trying to add the unlettered 100gb partition labelled as Windows 11 Pro to the boot menu ?

assign it a letter in diskmgmt, e.g. E

then from an admin cmd prompt type:

bcdboot e:\windows
(then press enter)

you can remove the letter afterwards if you must.

or you could use the device path instead of having a letter as the alias, but can't tell what it is from diskmgmt screenie.

Click to expand...

This is the correct solution.

I think the full command should be in your case cd e:\windows\system32
bcdboot e:\windows /s S: /f UEFI

(in diskpart command allocate letter s to the 100M or whatever size you have made it to the EFI partition -- boot any windows install / macrium etc with option to get into command line)

Add the same command for any other windows systems on that disk (or other disks).

you can delete surplus boot entries via bcdedit.

Cheers
jimbo

jimbo45 said:

I think the full command should be in your case cd e:\windows\system32
bcdboot e:\windows /s S: /f UEFI

(in diskpart command allocate letter s to the 100M or whatever size you have made it to the EFI partition -- boot any windows install / macrium etc with option to get into command line)

Add the same command for any other windows systems on that disk (or other disks).

you can delete surplus boot entries via bcdedit.

Cheers
jimbo

Click to expand...

Nah - so long as OP boots into Windows, assigns a drive letter, then simple command as per @SIW2 is all that is needed.

Your command is when booting in winpe mode.

cereberus said:

Nah - so long as OP boots into Windows, assigns a drive letter, then simple command as per @SIW2 is all that is needed.

Your command is when booting in winpe mode.

Click to expand...

cheers
jimbo

SIW2 said:

Are you trying to add the unlettered 100gb partition labelled as Windows 11 Pro to the boot menu ?

assign it a letter in diskmgmt, e.g. E

then from an admin cmd prompt type:

bcdboot e:\windows
(then press enter)

you can remove the letter afterwards if you must.

or you could use the device path instead of having a letter as the alias, but can't tell what it is from diskmgmt screenie.

Click to expand...

I tried this, and I ended up with the exact same result as when I added a letter and let Macrium boot fix do it -- I could boot into the test installation once, but then I got an unbootable machine afterwards. I just nuked the test installation. It wasn't important.

kjlkjadfasdfasd said:

I tried this, and I ended up with the exact same result as when I added a letter and let Macrium boot fix do it -- I could boot into the test installation once, but then I got an unbootable machine afterwards. I just nuked the test installation. It wasn't important.

Click to expand...

It sounds like your test installation got corrupted.