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Completely messed up boot loader

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Nightmare
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Completely messed up boot loader

Post by Nightmare »

So, I was removing my Windows 7 RC installation/partition using GParted, removed it all fine, and was using [url="http://www.techspot.com/guides/144-removing-windows7/page2.html"]this guide.[/url]

I decided to fix my boot loader right upon restarting after using GParted, so I went through the motions of using the XP recovery console just like the guide says. I followed the guide to the letter, and restarted my system.

Now, in the BIOS, I get a "There was a disk read error" message and it asks me to restart every time. Tried running the XP Recovery Console again, and this time, it won't even find any XP installation at all.

So...I'm unsure what to do at this point. I'm considering just installing Windows XP over my other installation without formatting the drive, I *should* be able to get my files, back them up, and then format completely and install my new Windows 7 copy. I'm also considering to remove the hard drive, load it up using another computer as a secondary hard drive so I can get at the files, back them up, and then format...

Or, is there an easier way to fix the boot loader? Make my machine RECOGNIZE that I have XP installed? Help. :(
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Tricky
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Post by Tricky »

Hm, my knowledge is falling a bit short here. I know that the boot load order is set in the BIOS and setting it to detect a bootable CD-ROM or USB stick/drive partition first is the first step in solving these issues. However, I have no experience doing this with a modern Windows boot disc or USB stick.

I can relate to only one workaround, but it requires a bit of dabbling into Linux. An [url="https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCD"]Ubuntu Live CD[/url] (<- guide) runs a copy of Ubuntu live from an USB stick or CD-ROM drive. This Ubuntu Live OS doesn't affect your hard drives in any way, but it detects and reads windows partitions without problems. The files on these partitions are then completely accessible. Ubuntu itself is designed to work more or less like Windows XP, so you shouldn't have any problems getting things done with it.

I lost my windows XP key during a move a little while ago and I eventually ended up with a more or less hacked installation that runs into trouble whenever something tries to install Windows Live on it (WGA detection). The first time I ran into serious problems with it, I managed to fix things with the Ubuntu Live CD - but only because it was the only tool at hand at the time.
[INDENT]'..tolerance when fog rolls in clouds unfold your selfless wings feathers that float from arabesque pillows I sold to be consumed by the snow white cold if only the plaster could hold withstand the flam[url="http://bit.ly/foT0XQ"]e[/url] then this fountain torch would know no shame and be outstripped only by the sun that burns with the glory and honor of your..'[/INDENT]
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Post by Nightmare »

A friend of mine also suggested using a Linux/Ubuntu Live boot and saving my data that way. Thanks for the guide, I may end up doing that. I have several other computers in the house, but one of them barely works and the other's motherboard has no SATA slots, so I can't hook up my hard drive to them.

Thanks for the suggestion!
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Post by Nightmare »

I tried a Live CD boot of Ubuntu, but I can't access my main HD or any of the files on it. When I used the GParted utility in Ubuntu, it tells me that it can't read the file system on the hard drive and I can't perform any kind of check/repair function for the file system. Guess all I can hope for is that Windows might be able to read it on another system...
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Post by Tricky »

Wow. It must me really messed up then.

There is software that can still recover files from a drive with a completely broken FAT table. I'm going to have to ask around a little for that, because I only know of a brand that is marketed toward businesses and is quite expensive for a single user. Perhaps some open source stuff has sprung up by now.

I'll get back to you later on this.

Edit: One thing just occurred to me. Did you rule out that all of this is not in spite of but because of the BIOS? Did you put the hard drive in another computer yet? << ah - that's exactly what you wrote in the last post.. it's just like me to miss lines like that ;)
[INDENT]'..tolerance when fog rolls in clouds unfold your selfless wings feathers that float from arabesque pillows I sold to be consumed by the snow white cold if only the plaster could hold withstand the flam[url="http://bit.ly/foT0XQ"]e[/url] then this fountain torch would know no shame and be outstripped only by the sun that burns with the glory and honor of your..'[/INDENT]
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Post by Tricky »

I say FAT when I'm probably supposed to say NTFS boot sector or something. I'm old school. ;)
Anyway, give this a shot:

TestDisk - CGSecurity

It seems to do more or less what you need. Recovery / Repair of both the boot sector and the partition table. Supports FAT, NTFS and even the superior ext2/3.

Edit: I should note that this isn't exactly the kind of recovery software I meant in the previous post. I'm still asking/looking around for that. The big difference here is that that particular software doesn't do anything with the bootsector or partition table at all. It makes a surface scan of the entire disc and tries to recognize file headers without actually fixing anything. After recovering your files, you still have to reinstall the operating system.
[INDENT]'..tolerance when fog rolls in clouds unfold your selfless wings feathers that float from arabesque pillows I sold to be consumed by the snow white cold if only the plaster could hold withstand the flam[url="http://bit.ly/foT0XQ"]e[/url] then this fountain torch would know no shame and be outstripped only by the sun that burns with the glory and honor of your..'[/INDENT]
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Post by Nightmare »

I was asking around to some of my computer engineering friends, they steered towards a boot disk that has a ton of tool and utilities, among them MBR tools. They essentially think my MBR is just completely corrupted, so I pretty much need to restore one that will recognize my hard drive as using NTFS.

I'm still getting the same result as I did in Ubuntu with another XP install (on another computer) and even with the boot utilities: it still doesn't recognize the file system, so I can't do a search or scan of the hard drive. I'm...unsure how to go about exactly fixing my MBR, but I'm giving it a shot... According to one of my friends, if I can manage to fix the MBR enough that it recognizes that its an NTFS file system, I SHOULD be able to search it for my XP installation, and thus be able to fix the boot record.

I actually have TestDisk on the boot CD I made, so I'll give it a shot.
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Post by Nightmare »

I used TestDisk to try and write a new MBR, it didn't change a thing. I also used a program called MBRWizard, which will write a basic XP MBR, and it didn't work. I copied the MBR from my laptop (which runs XP) and copied it to the MBR on my desktop, didn't change anything.

The disk is still corrupted/unreadable and unsearchable in every single medium (Ubuntu, XP, Mini XP, DOS, XP Recovery Console). I'm sort of at a loss, so I might have to try to recovery the data using a program, or, worst-case, do a quick format and use a partition recovery program to find my data.
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Post by Tricky »

Hm, that sounds about right. My geekier friends told me I should look for opensource software of Disc Doctor and the likes that do surface scans and look for file headers, but I couldn't find any that looked trustworthy.

These things are quite expensive, I don't know of anyone who has legally obtained it. And if memory serves, you have to sacrifice a small, random portion of your HD to this software as well.

It's a real tough situation you're in, I wish I could be of more help.
[INDENT]'..tolerance when fog rolls in clouds unfold your selfless wings feathers that float from arabesque pillows I sold to be consumed by the snow white cold if only the plaster could hold withstand the flam[url="http://bit.ly/foT0XQ"]e[/url] then this fountain torch would know no shame and be outstripped only by the sun that burns with the glory and honor of your..'[/INDENT]
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Post by Nightmare »

Well, I managed to fix it using TestDisk! Thanks for your help! I really, really appreciate it. :cool:

After doing a deep scan with TestDisk, it found four partitions: the completely messed up boot, my XP partition with my files intact, and two for the Windows 7 beta that I'd been trying to get rid of (apparently, Win7 creates its own separate, small partition for system stuff). I marked all the partitions as deletable except for my XP partition, rewrote the partition table to include just that, and wrote a new MBR sector for it. Afterwards, I managed to boot off my hard drive into XP!

The install is a bit wonky and some programs have errors (my anti-virus didn't recognize the license key, for example) but my files are intact and I'm backing them up right now before I do a format and install Windows 7. Again, thanks for your help. :)
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Post by Tricky »

Heh, my pleasure. :)

Nice to know TestDisk helped, I'll keep note of it in the future.

Good luck!
[INDENT]'..tolerance when fog rolls in clouds unfold your selfless wings feathers that float from arabesque pillows I sold to be consumed by the snow white cold if only the plaster could hold withstand the flam[url="http://bit.ly/foT0XQ"]e[/url] then this fountain torch would know no shame and be outstripped only by the sun that burns with the glory and honor of your..'[/INDENT]
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