NiK_0_0

Alright, I've managed to corrupt my MBR on my main windows drive, and cannot normal boot (straight to STOP 0x0000024), safe mode (same), or Last Good Config (loads window bars for a few second, then bsod).

I have downloaded a trial version of BootMaster and it has identified that my MBR is corrupted, but wont fix it unless I buy it for 30$.

I can boot off my XP Pro Disk into recovery console, but cannot do a repair because the disk format is viewed as "Unknown". However, once in Recovery Console I can do a fixmbr.

Fixmbr gives a warning about possible loss of data when using it, and since I can see my files and I know they are there with an NTFS reader on BootMaster, I was wondering if there were any reliable programs that fix a corrupted MBR, or if the DOS fixmbr is not as bad as windows says.

Thanks,

Nick

__________________
Next Upgrades:

1. Zalman 9500 or Tuniq Tower
2. C2D/X2 (eventually)

jmm112769

Fixmbr in the Recovery console should work fine for what you need to do. The warning is standard, but I've never really had any trouble with it. If you experience any other issues after using it, try going back into the RC and try this. when you get to the recovery console and are at the windows installation you want. type bootconfig / rebuild enter when the windows installation is located you should see...add installation to boot list ? y/n/all . type y enter load indentifier type what ever your system is windows xp professional or windows xp home edition enter os load options ( /fastdect) and just press enter. restart and select the first item on the boot menu.

If you don't want to see the boot menu at startup after you rebuild, right click My Computer/Properties/Advanced/Start Up and Recovery and uncheck the first box.

Hope this helps...

__________________
XFX 680i LT SLI, Intel Quad Core QX6600(2.4Ghz), 4Gb Crucial Ram, 2 HD's 1-Maxtor 250Gb 16Mb cache- 1 200Gb WD 8Mb cache, Nvidia 8600GT 512Mb PCI-x, 2-SATA DVD-RW(DL) Lightscribe drives, 2-IDE DVD-RW Lightscribe drives, Cooler Master 600w SLI Ready Power supply, SB Audigy 2

NiK_0_0

Thanks JMM, but fixmbr or fixboot didn't fix the harddrive, it would just revert to the old boot sector afterwards or something :S

Anyway, a good old chkdsk /p in the recovery console fixed all. Only 14 hours of downtime! (including sleep)

And I dont think I'll be doing a "boot-time defragmentation" with Diskeeper again any time soon.

__________________
Next Upgrades:

1. Zalman 9500 or Tuniq Tower
2. C2D/X2 (eventually)

Zeus

mmm.... I've never had a problem with Diskeeper. What version are you using?

__________________

4870HD 1GB scores to come

DigitalPhreak

"chkdsk /p" Invalid parameter?

__________________

NiK_0_0

Yeah invalid in CMD apparently, but it works in Recovery Console :S

__________________
Next Upgrades:

1. Zalman 9500 or Tuniq Tower
2. C2D/X2 (eventually)