Setup Installation :: Can't Set Old Hdd Inactive But SSD Runs Perfect By Itself

done this many times on many systems. . SSD on many systems. never an issue w7. how to set 2nd hdd boot inactive, given HP BIOS EFI is brick dumb. (intractable)

I am aware that GPT EFI is setup to block booting from "unauthorized media" but secureboot, turns that off.

GPT doomed. But SSD runs perfect by itself. Ok windows, 8 and 8.1 64bit, Brand new laptop, hp 17.3 e-0067cl (for wifey)

I did's:update Windows 8 , 100 updates, took 16hrs. (crashes it,endlessly) good now ( i did 10 upates, 10 times for 100) magic of MS.

update to 8.1 ok.

backup to external hdd , using Paragon Windows 8.1 backup (hp make recovery disk to 32gb sandisk extreme flash, fails, and HP forum all others too.....a bad

rebecca.exe.)

Kick to curb the DVD drive install a new caddy and new SSD. (in same , it works) mirror old hdd to new ssd, using farstone, (the best and free) moved, ssd to hdd, main location. hdd out of system. Boots and runs fast as lighting,now I put in the HDD to the caddy, yes, i know that only one disk can be active. but how do you flip that bit, not plugged in, sure.'?now the dumb, BIOS EFI in the HP can not select boot sequence at all, it has just this boot manager, that is not accessible..at all.it runs a while then wants to boot to hdd, i can't stop it nor fix bios, but (esc+f9) force boots work to SSD. as expected.So i try partition-wizard, it shows HDD as active and can not set to inactive, (it's not fully gpt aware? but works great all other modes)i hide all those partitions and the boot up ignores hidden flag....

i run from elevated CMD.exe, MS- DISKPART and select (old windows (my label) vol 2. i command Inactive to old windows part. vol2 it errors out, saying,can only be used no MBR disk.i read up on that and it meant, GPTs don't have active flags (bits) ok, im game...odd how windows 8 DISKPART is not up to the task for GPT, or I dont know Diskpart anymore....?

I want to keep the HDD in the system. for the D:recovery partition, that HP needs. and will not fit on SSD.

BIOS set to NON secure boot, for all this. testing.did not try SATA legacy mode, (it gives warnings in BIOS not to use that) i moved this hdd to non efi bios system desktop, with win 8.0 and same deal. I wonder what my win7 Desktop would do?, wreck the GPT , structures? i'll not do that.

My guess is there is new procedure to render the GPT EFI , inactive, but is not documented?, (tons of format it from scratch, i tried, my Windows 8 startup repair STICK (PE) same Diskpart error. How to control this GPT disk, (drive 2) is there a DISPART2(gpt)?