Can't rebuild the MBR XP.

[Seth]

Hey All,

I'm trying to rebuild a corrupt MBR. Fixboot didn't fix the issue, so I ran a bootcfg /rebuild (I've done it many times before).

Problem is, after running the bootcfg /rebuild and getting to the last prompt, I enter /fastdetect, but the system immediately returns to the command prompt without rebuilding anything.

Any ideas?

[Seth]

Forgot to mention that I ran fixmbr as well.

I just ran a chkdsk which shows fine. I'm currently running a chkdsk /r and will try the rebuild again after it completes.

[Tortanick]

Do you know how to create a floppy disk that will work instead of a MBR? if its truely unfixible that can be done as a band aid.

[Seth]

Thanks for the reply Tortanick.

Chkdsk /r was fine. Still, the mbr wouldn't rebuild.

I just don't get because I ran a repair install as well, and I'm pretty sure the repair install replaces the mbr. The repair install starts fine, but after the repair does it's first reboot, I still get "No operating system found".

Regarding the floppy: Are you referring to a fdisk /mbr? I tried that with an XP quick boot floppy, but the floppy won't load completely as I get "missing Hal.dll (or Hal whatever that is).

[Tortanick]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q305595

I hope this works.

[mylanta]

Seth,
Are you restoring from an Acronis or Ghost image file? Newest versions have mbr restore as well...every once and a while I have this unexplainably happen to me on a new hard drive and I cannot fix it, so I just install fresh XP, then wipe it out with a restore from image file.

[photolady]

Just FYI, hal.dll = Hardware Abstraction Layer

[Seth]

Thanks for the replies.

Background:

Had to replace a blown mobo for a customer. Replacement went fine. On boot, bios finds IDE0 and attempts to boot from it. Error at this point is "Error loading operating system". The drive is partitioned. 1st part is an inactive Compaq partition, 2nd part is xp etc. (it's active).

I've tried fixboot, fixmbr, bootcfg /rebuild, fdisk /mbr...to no avail. So I did a repair install (which should write a new mbr). Still, same prob:mad:.

Grasping at straws, I figured the boot.ini was corrupt, or maybe pointing to the wrong partition, so I tried to have a look at the attributes. No matter how I tried to check the attributes from the Recovery Console, I get "Parameter is not valid". But then again, if the boot.ini was the problem, then the repair install should have fixed that.

I get the feeling that the partition table is corrupt. This would explain why the repair install doesn't fix the problem. For obvious reasons, I really don't want to mess with the partition table unless someone knows of a program that can repair the partition automatically.

It looks like it's coming down to deleting the old partition, creating a new one, and performing a clean install. No big deal, I'll backup the important info and clean install. So I slaved the hard drive and explored it. The freakin' thing has six different users, with THOUSANDS of personal jpg's, xls's, tx's, tif's,wps's, and mpeg's. To add insult to injury, these are all scattered throughout various folders and users.

I think I'm gonna cry.

[mylanta]

Hey Seth that's why we have hourly rates, ya know?

[Seth]

Hey Seth that's why we have hourly rates, ya know?

That'll be $1000.00 please:D.

Anyway, I've had enough. I'm scrapping the partition and clean installing.

Damn. That's the first time I let a computer problem beat me:Cry:.

[Seth]

Just FYI, hal.dll = Hardware Abstraction Layer

...missed this post.

Yes, of course. What I meant by "Hal whatever that is", is that I wasn't sure I remembered the correct extension. Turns out, that missing dll was just a minor symptom of a much more complex problem (a corrupt partition table).

But, no need to worry about that now:smash:.

[golfmore]

Any virus issues?

[Seth]

Any virus issues?

Hi GM.

MBR malware is extraordinarily rare these days. In fact, destructive malware in general is very rare. Virtually all malware (in one way or another) is written to fatten the coder's wallet as opposed to destroying system files.

But anyway, even if the system did have an MBR virus, my steps would have overwritten it.

Thanks for the response.

[mylanta]

Seth,
I devote a half hour to "fruitless challenges" anymore, beyond that "wipe and load" is my solution. I have given up the 3 hour system cleans where you get down to the last task and then it fails to logon the internet anymore...if someone gets there system that badly whacked out, they have a problem, not I!!!!

[photolady]

Originally posted by Seth.......I think I'm gonna cry. After what you've been through....it's allowed. ;)

[mylanta]

Funny right after reading all this I restored an HP with an Acronis Image File and I cannot get it to boot for anything. I have done fixboot,fixmbr, fdisk /mbr and bootcfg /rebuild and forgetaboutit I cannot get the damn thing to boot. It's not the drive as I can install clean Windows 2000 on it.
I am starting to wonder if it is related to an old problem when Ntfs first came on the scene where an image file to an Ntfs OS, had to be created and stored in FAT32 to be restorable. When XP came along, all that disapperaed and I never read a word about it but this is the second time I could not restore a 2000 system with an image file that tested and verified working. Well I sent for the HP Recovery Disks now as easier...

[Seth]

Funny right after reading all this I restored an HP with an Acronis Image File and I cannot get it to boot for anything. I have done fixboot,fixmbr, fdisk /mbr and bootcfg /rebuild and forgetaboutit I cannot get the damn thing to boot. It's not the drive as I can install clean Windows 2000 on it.
I am starting to wonder if it is related to an old problem when Ntfs first came on the scene where an image file to an Ntfs OS, had to be created and stored in FAT32 to be restorable. When XP came along, all that disapperaed and I never read a word about it but this is the second time I could not restore a 2000 system with an image file that tested and verified working. Well I sent for the HP Recovery Disks now as easier...

Rich,

Make sure your hard drive is set to be the first boot device in your bios. If you need assistance with this, please post back.

Heh heh heh.

[dbarrow]

How about editing the boot.ini?
Is there a hidden partition on the HP?

There is a difference between how Windows names disks and partitions vs. the Acronis Linux kernel that confuses me to no end.
Where Windows sees disk0 partition2
Acronis sees disk1 and drive letters differ
I have made it a habit now to different (uniform) size so I can recognize them by that as the drive letter naming convention is most confusing when restoring.
Two identical size partitions can be perplexing.
With multi-partioned drives, Windows D may be seen as Acronis E. Only way to tell the correct one is by size.

[mylanta]

Seth,
Puleeeez the hard drive called for was the correct one, in fact that unit had only one with a separate partition holding the restore file.
Doug,
There was a hidden partition but some fool wiped it out prior to my getting this unit for service. I changed the boot ini...the restore was validated (and the drive is active,) and appeared to work...there was no logical reason I could see why it would not boot.

[Seth]

Seth,
Puleeeez the hard drive called for was the correct one, in fact that unit had only one with a separate partition holding the restore file.

Ummm Rich....that was a joke.

[mylanta]

Ummm Rich....that was a joke.

I knew that!