Fix MBR - Comments Page 5

i unknowingly cleared mbr. can i use this fixmbr

EDITOR'S NOTE: Seems like it can't hurt...

I have windows xp sp 2. I'm getting the MBR error message. The internal cd/dvd drive that came with the computer doesn't work anymore. I have and external cd/dvd drive/burner. I changed the BIOS settings so that the removable device is first. I put the Windows XP disc in the burner. When I reboot, I'm getting another message: PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable. Any suggestions?

can someone help me how to fix the MBR of an external hardrive??? and if i dont have an os installed?? how can i fix the MBR otr that disk??? please help!

EDITOR'S NOTE: The process of repairing the MBR should be no different for an external drive. But I'm not sure if you even have an MBR for a drive with no OS installed.

You can fix a corrupted MBR with a product called DriveRestore Professional. Run a boot sector analysis and it will detect all the drive errors... the product will then auto-repair the errors for you. It can be downloaded at: www.pcrecovery.com/driverestore

I have used fixmbr and fixboot many times for myself and others, usually succesfully.

for those with some of the problems listed above there is an excellent option called UBCD for Windows. (google it- one works for XP, but for vista you need the Vista specific version- google UBCD for Vista). It can boot you into Windows recovery console without the need for a Windows disc. You do need to build the CD and have a bit of know-how, but I taught myself to use it succesfully. It includes many other tools, such as partition managers and recovery.
there are many good guides to explain how to build and burn the CD as there are to use it.
I wotk on the thory that if my drive is innaccessible, and I can't afford professionalhelp, what have I to lose?
Be aware though, if you have critical data any attempt at home recovery can make professional recovery very much more expensive if you corrupt the data further or overwrite it.

I have a DELL Inspiron 1545 Laptop with Windows XP SP2 installed in it.I was trying to format a drive using GParted tool.While doing so, i created a new partition table, by mistake. Now it is showing as the entire 250GB as unallocated.I have not partitioned or formatted anything.I guess i have deleted the MBR and the remaining part of the disk is still intact. Am i right? If so, will the solution provided in this article work? If not, what would have happened? Kindly suggest me a solution.
When i switch on the laptop, i get the following error:
"No bootable devices--strike F1 to try reboot, F2 for setup utility.Press F5 to run on board diagnostics"

The freeware tool "offline nt password & registry editor" can be used if you do not know the administrator password. It is a boot iso, menu-driven, very simple to use.

Hi my laptop's nvidia chip was changed and so i'd been using my hard drive as an external usb drive. The technician got my laptop to boot with his hard disk. Now when i connect my hard disk back i get only a blinking cursor in the left top corner of the screen. However all the folders seem to be intact when i use the same drive as an external drive on other pcs.

Hi my laptop's nvidia chip was changed and so i'd been using my hard drive as an external usb drive. The technician got my laptop to boot with his hard disk. Now when i connect my hard disk back i get only a blinking cursor in the left top corner of the screen. However all the folders seem to be intact when i use the same drive as an external drive on other pcs.

Hi my laptop's nvidia chip was changed and so i'd been using my hard drive as an external usb drive. The technician got my laptop to boot with his hard disk. Now when i connect my hard disk back i get only a blinking cursor in the left top corner of the screen. However all the folders seem to be intact when i use the same drive as an external drive on other pcs.

"Seems like it can't hurt..." NO NO NO. It CAN bloody well hurt. FIXMBR is vile because it will destroy partition information and effectively wipe the C drive (which is usually the one with the MBR) clean and you will lose all your files and programs. DONT USE IT UNLESS YOU BUY ANOTHER HDD - COPY YOUR FILES TO IT FROM THE RECOVERY CONSOLE - (EASIER SAID THAN DONE) AND THEN FIXMBR, followed by FORMAT followed by a clean install. 1 days' worth of fun which, if you are not too careful, will cost you your files.

EDITOR'S NOTE: It's extreme to say that FIXMBR *will* destroy your partitions. In some rare cases, it may. But that sure isn't the norm.

Rufus you are an IDIOT and clearly un-informed!.

fixmbr does not remove all your freeking file doos - f%$#$!@ing learn more about a commands before commenting next time - idiot!

@Rufus: The master boot record is not "on the C:\ drive;" it does not belong to any mapped partition. If anything, it "belongs" to the hard-drive itself (sector #0, to be specific)

@Rufus

fixmbr does not wipe your files, but formatting clearly will. Follow the advice in the article. Obviously, it's always a good idea to have a backup.

I desperately need help!!!

Two days ago Microsoft started the automatic updates. A box came up saying that the computer would restart in 8 minutes and gave me the option to Restart Now or Restart Later. I chose Restart Later. I went to bed & when I got up the next morning the computer was froze on the Windows is shutting down screen. I had to turn off with the switch. When I turned back on, the computer won't start and gives the error "Disk Boot Failure, insert system disk and press enter. At the top of the screen it states:

Diskette Drive B: None
Pri. Master Disk: None
Pri. Slave Disk: None
Sec. Master Disk: CD-ROM, UDMA 2
Sec. Slave Disk: CD-ROM, UDMA 2

In BIOS at the Main Screen it shows:

Primary Master [AUTO] (My only other option is NONE)
Primary Slave: [AUTO] (My only other option is NONE)
Secondary Master: [MATSHITADVD-ROM SR-8588]
Secondary Slave: [_NEC CD-RW NR-9100A]

On the BOOT Screen it shows:

1. IDE Hard Drive [None}
2. ATAPI CD-ROM [MATSHITADVD-ROM SR-8588]
3. Removable Device [Legacy Floppy]
4. Other Bootable Device [Disabled]
Silent Boot [Enabled]

I don’t know why the above sees my floppy drive as “B”. It was “A” prior to this problem. Or at least showed “A” in Windpws Exployer.

I have a second hard drive in this computer and they are connected with the same cable. I thought maybe the cable went bad so I changed it out but didn't help. The master and slave/cable select switches have not been changed since the second drive was put 5 years ago. It appears that the computer cannot find either hard drive so would it be logical to think that it’s not a bad hard drive but something else?

I have a Sony Vaio PCV-RX850 and do have the Recovery CD's that came with the computer. I'm afraid to use them without trying something else first. I have some important files that I really need to try and keep if at all possible. I have done a lot of reading on the internet where there have been several suggestions but I don’t know what to try first since none of the problems were exactly like mine.

I will gladly kiss the feet of the one(s) that can save my data!!

Hi, I had the blue screen issue with "unmountable boot volume. I put in the windows xp disc, pressed f12 to boot from dvd, the files loaded and now my screen is light blue. The screen is light blue and looks like the normal screen that you would choose which user you are to start windows. I have done this twice and this is as far as I can get. If I turn the computer off I will then go back to the blue "unmountable boot volume" screen. Can you please help? Thanks.

When my system boots it show my Maxtor hard drive size is 0 Meg. The system was run and it locked up. After a system restart it asked for a system disk. After another restart is when the system no longer recognized a hard drive. The drive is spinning and a old drive does work in the computer which eliminates other computer hardware. With out a hard drive being recognized I am have trouble booting Windows XP system disk. What would you suggest? I am electronically inclined. I was thinking off trying a new hard drive control board from a exact duplicate drive.

me juz installed norton goback on my computer
adn it say never install any parttion software
but i go installed linux OS when i log in computer it say bla bla bla error driver file goback.sys
norton go back is a good utilities start with the boot to restore driver depanding on ur HDD size

tried all of these, problem could also be bad hard drive. i ran a HDD read test on my problem machine to find out the hard drive itself is bad

I used the recovery console to create a new hard drive as follows:
diskpart
list disk
select disk 0
clean all (was taking two long so I stooped it and started over with out it)
create partition primary
select partition 1
Format fs=ntfs
active
exit

Then I put in Win XP Pro and my programs

NO MBR

I was able to bring up the system with a floppy disk
The system worked great BUT
The main partition was up against the first track of the HD!
No master boot record?

What command did I leave out of the recovery console?

I could move the entire partition 1 GB down,
Than what is the best way to add the MBR?