The MBR is corrupt - how do I fix it?

khelben1979 · May 25, 2008, 10:40 AM

Hi,

I have a serious problem over here and I hope to be able to fix this today. The problem is that the MBR has been corrupted because the Linux Grub bootloader has been unable to correctly identify Windows XP during the installation which has been located on a second harddisk.

The Linux MBR has been written to the Windows disk and because of this I am unable to have the Windows disk up and running. I need to fix the Windows MBR somehow without reformatting the drive. What is your recommendations?

Help is greatly apprecitated! Thanks!

RoyBatty · May 25, 2008, 10:55 AM

Boot from the Windows XP installation CD, enter the Repair console and use the fixmbr command. That should fix it.

khelben1979 · May 25, 2008, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoyBatty

Boot from the Windows XP installation CD, enter the Repair console and use the fixmbr command. That should fix it.

Already tried that and it doesn't fix the problem.

It reports that it has been able to succesfully alter the MBR, though, but it don't work.

**temeteus82** · May 25, 2008, 03:23 PM

Did you specify the drive? I think you should do it like that since the XP is located in the second disk. If it won't work then it's reinstallation of windows.

khelben1979 · May 25, 2008, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by temeteus82

Did you specify the drive? I think you should do it like that since the XP is located in the second disk. If it won't work then it's reinstallation of windows.

Okay, but I'm curious about something here. Can fixmbr or fixboot destroy data on the harddrive? Do you know?

So far I have tried fixmbr and fixboot without giving any parameter or specified any drives it is going to fix. Does this mean that nothing has been written to the MBR?

Any good link for a f.a.q regarding these programs would be apprecitated, b.t.w. but since this forum contains specialists I haveto ask. (Time to sleep soon.

)

**temeteus82** · May 26, 2008, 07:48 AM

It just fixes the MBR. If there is XP installation it will repair that disc's MBR.

CDsDontBurn · May 26, 2008, 03:51 PM

what about just doing a direct windows repair? like, you press F8, go to install windows, etc. and then when you see the windows partition, select it and select the option of "repair." that should bring you to a prompt asking you to repair windows. it may have some tricky wording saying something along the lines of, "if you do this, you may lose your data" but you really won't, i've done that a bunch of times and it worked every time i ran the repair installation of windows.

KillerAce_NL · May 26, 2008, 04:31 PM

Start the recovery console.
type the next command: bootcfg /rebuild.
this will repair your XP bootloader, you will be then able to start XP again.

khelben1979 · May 26, 2008, 07:24 PM

I would do a F8 and do a Windows repair if I was able to access the dvd-rw drive. Unfortunately for me, there is something wrong with the BIOS so it can't find the dvd-rw drive at the present. It's an old PC where I must configure master and slave with the plastic pins.

Currently I have given up on this machine and he is going for a new motherboard, hopefully, in 2 weeks. It's just too much hassle getting it to work, but thanks for all the replys.

May 25, 2008, 10:40 AM	#1
khelben1979 DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sweden Posts: 72 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	The MBR is corrupt - how do I fix it? Hi, I have a serious problem over here and I hope to be able to fix this today. The problem is that the MBR has been corrupted because the Linux Grub bootloader has been unable to correctly identify Windows XP during the installation which has been located on a second harddisk. The Linux MBR has been written to the Windows disk and because of this I am unable to have the Windows disk up and running. I need to fix the Windows MBR somehow without reformatting the drive. What is your recommendations? Help is greatly apprecitated! Thanks!

May 26, 2008, 03:51 PM	#7
CDsDontBurn Lurking DriverHeaven Join Date: May 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 22,806 Rep Power: 235 System Specs	what about just doing a direct windows repair? like, you press F8, go to install windows, etc. and then when you see the windows partition, select it and select the option of "repair." that should bring you to a prompt asking you to repair windows. it may have some tricky wording saying something along the lines of, "if you do this, you may lose your data" but you really won't, i've done that a bunch of times and it worked every time i ran the repair installation of windows. __________________ Her First Day \| A year later

May 25, 2008, 10:55 AM	#2
RoyBatty HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 1,941 Rep Power: 122 System Specs	Boot from the Windows XP installation CD, enter the Repair console and use the fixmbr command. That should fix it.

May 26, 2008, 04:31 PM	#8
KillerAce_NL DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 0	Start the recovery console. type the next command: bootcfg /rebuild. this will repair your XP bootloader, you will be then able to start XP again.

May 26, 2008, 07:24 PM	Thread Starter #9
khelben1979 DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sweden Posts: 72 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	I would do a F8 and do a Windows repair if I was able to access the dvd-rw drive. Unfortunately for me, there is something wrong with the BIOS so it can't find the dvd-rw drive at the present. It's an old PC where I must configure master and slave with the plastic pins. Currently I have given up on this machine and he is going for a new motherboard, hopefully, in 2 weeks. It's just too much hassle getting it to work, but thanks for all the replys.