Bootcamp partition not bootable anymore.

I partitioned my OS X drive earlier to a small partition to try and install Windows 8 to it. The Bootcamp partition was not touched and now it doesn't show on my screen when holding down Alt at startup and I cannot choose to boot from it at the System properties menu. In disk utility, it also has no blue (used) space on the Bootcamp partition and I am unable to undo the size change I did to the OS X partition. I removed the partition I made for Windows 8 and now it just shows a grey space. Any help is appreciated. If anyone tells me I lost my Windows 7 partition, I'm selling this thing and building a Windows PC.

Thanks,

ImageX

P.S. - "BOOTCAMP" drive still appears on my desktop in OS X and still has all the files in it.

You probably destroyed the Windows 7 boot sector when you created the additional partition for Windows 8. (That changes the partition table.) You may be able to get it back by repairing Windows 7 with your Windows 7 install DVD.

Follow the steps given by the following Microsoft article: LINK If that doesn't work, you'll probably have to use Disk Utility to remove the Boot Camp partition and the dead Windows 8 partition and then start over.

Thanks, I'll try that right now. Also, if this doesn't work, is there a way I can backup my windows file and programs just from the disk on my desktop? Then re-install and restore from the backup I made? Thanks.

If you can access your Windows files from OS X you can try copying everything to another drive. Even though you can't boot from the Windows partition you may be able to access the files themselves. You won't be able to use something like WinClone because it would have to have boot access to the Windows partition.

So, startup repair said it was fixed successfully and that Windows would start normally. I reboot and hold Alt and can see Windows now, but when it tries to boot, it just shows that black screen with the blinking cursor in the corner and doesn't move beyond that. I've even left it for about 20 minutes with no success. Any more ideas? I'd really like to not have to re-install Windows 7. Thanks

Try booting Windows 7 in safe mode. Hold down your F8 key as soon as you select the Windows partition to boot from. Let's see if it starts in safe mode. The black screen and blinking cursor usually means Windows either can't find its boot files or the video driver is messed up.

Well, it usually showed the black screen and cursor for a few seconds before booting anyways. Now it just doesn't get passed it. Does not boot to safe mode or anything. Holding F8 even at a couple different times after selecting Windows, does nothing. Still goes to black screen and cursor. Is this when I re-install? Thanks chscag for all of your help. I am going to be hating life if I have to re-install...

Yeah, I'm sorry to say but it looks like a reinstall is needed. Let us know how it goes and if you need any more help with it, post back.

Pretty much done with the fresh install at this point. Just takes time putting all my games back on. I keep my pictures and music and most of my documents on the OS X partition, so there wasn't too much to backup from the disk before formatting. Thanks for trying to help me get it running though. I think this is better anyhow because it's running a bit faster now. I'm going to keep this install organized with folders and not just files laying around on the desktop and everywhere.