(1) Both System Reserved (SR) & Windows have BootMGR in its root folder...
11/21/2010 03:23 AM 383,786 bootmgr <<<SR
09/01/2022 08:35 AM 415,530 bootmgr <<<Windows
I'm somewhat surprised BootMGR doesn't have an .exe filetype. But I am sure it is an executable. It is the Windows Boot Manager that ultimately looks into the BCD to determine which OS to load. In a dual-boot, it would give you a menu. It looks like you should never want to boot from the smaller, ancient one that is in SR. Did you check whether SR was marked Active? If so, make it Inactive this way...
DiskPart <<<Enter DiskPart
List Vol <<<Show volumes & letters
Select Vol=x <<<Select the Volume number that belongs to SR, not x
Detail Part <<<Show its Details -- does it say Active?
Inactive <<<Make it Inactive
Detail Part <<<Should now say Inactive
Exit <<<Leave DiskPart
Then hide SR again, whatever that involved. I guess you changed its Type/ID code. Removing its letter (if it has one) would only hide it from File Explorer. I guess changing its Type might hide it from the Bootstrap. But make it Inactive to be sure. That should also take it out of the Bootstrap.
(a) Is the Windows partition marked Active?
(b) Can DiskPart show whether the eCS partition is Active?
I'm still unsure whether the computer should boot using the BootMGR on C, or whether there is a boot manager (maybe named something other than BootMGR) on the eCS partition that should get control. Then that would offer the boot menu, & know which partition needs to load.
(c) You say you looked at it, can you show me the BCD that is at C:\Boot?
(d) Does it appear to have an entry for what looks like it might be the IBM Boot Manager?
(e) If so, does it identify the Windows & eCS partitions correctly?
I want to see the device/path to the partitions in the BCD & the order of the partitions on the disk...
DiskPart
List Vol
List Disk
Select Disk 0
List Part <<<Shows the order of the partitions
Exit
I'll answer the rest separately.