Fix Vista MBR without installation CD?

[Cheryl_27]

Never got an installation CD for Vista - just HP OEM recovery partition, so no Vista recovery console.

On startup post screen, see a brief "MBR error 3" message. This doesn't prevent Vista from booting, but may be affecting some prgms like Norton Ghost (not positive).

I've done a little research - supposedly some utilities that will fix MBR, boot sector, etc. (one example Trinity Rescue Kit). Know nothing about them - if likely to create worse problem than trying to fix.

Maybe there are better, well known tools to do this (besides having Vista install CD)?

I'm sure I could d/l a torrent copy of Vista, but I've got more than a couple of reservations on what (bad) it might actually contain. Since I'd only be using it to repair, not install Vista, I wouldn't feel like I was pirating it. Doesn't mean it's safe to do.

Thanks.

[+BudMan MVC]

Do you have to have acronis installed? Ghost prob could have the same issue.

Here read this thread - do a search on mbr error 3 and you find lots of info about it. Seems has to do with boot optimization from a quick read of some of the threads.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/w7itproinstall/thread/402a70e9-119b-43ba-8363-e72360713b15

[gdodson]

If all you want to do is reset the MBR push F8 after the HP screen before Windows starts loading. Then select "Repair your computer." Follow the prompts to select your language and sign into a user account. Then click command prompt and when it opens type "bootrec /fixmbr" This will probably break Acronis or Ghost or whatever you have installed, but it will do what you were asking.

[Cheryl_27]

Thanks.

Budman wrote:

Do you have to have acronis installed? Ghost prob could have the same issue.

Yes, but in dozens of posts about "MBR 3 error," that's the 1st one I've seen implicating True Image. It may be, but lots of others w/ same issue apparently don't have True Image. However, that error doesn't seem to affect Vista booting OR True Image from working.

At this point, I'm guessing it is related to Ghost's problems. Either way, it may/ may not be worth fixing.

If all you want to do is reset the MBR push F8 after the HP screen before Windows starts loading. Then select "Repair your computer." Follow the prompts to select your language and sign into a user account. Then click command prompt and when it opens type "bootrec /fixmbr" This will probably break Acronis or Ghost or whatever you have installed, but it will do what you were asking.

Thanks. Remember, I don't have an full installation of Vista - so no "repair options" - even from F8 boot selection.

But, if I were to fix the (supposed) MBR error by your method or other means, why do you say it will break True Image?

[+BudMan MVC]

"that's the 1st one I've seen implicating True Image."

Its the first hit and second I came across when searched MBR error 3 ;)

Why are you running ghost and true image might I ask?

If you do not have access to vista media, can you not borrow one from someone?

[Cheryl_27]

It's a known fact that the exact same search terms used on same search engine, from 2 different computers / locations won't return the same hits (certainly not in same order). You were probably using a diff search engine.

Well, I'm not trying to run them both. I'm only trying to see how one works vs the other (more reliable, more flexible, etc). Up till now, not an issue because Ghost isn't working at all.

Posted the errors on their help forum. Norton

So far, couple of "Gurus" (they may be) have said

The partitions on HD0 show bizarre CHS values. You have partition overlaps on HD1.

that they say may be leading to Ghost's complete failure - to do anything, even recognize drives.

Didn't specify why they thought Disk 0 had "bizarre CHS values."

I do see in Norton's "partinfo.txt" file (attached to linked post), generated by their (get) partinfo tool, for the 2nd (non booting) HDD, it says

G:\

On Disk Values: 0 0 0 294 64 2 07 688 254 63 21,173,671 105,049,034

Calculated: 1318 0 2 7856 254 63

WARNING: Partition above overlaps with primary partition # 2.

No partition overlap warnings on Disk 0. Just the supposed CHS problems. Have no idea how either occurred - probably restoring an image.

I doubt creating a new partition (windows disk manager or Disk Director) would overlap partitions. Not sure.

Before I spend hours waste hrs on phone w/ Norton's "Support," I'll use something else. If can't get any imaging prgm to work, buying another HDD as a spare & cloning / formatting / cloning every so often would be less time consuming than Symantec's support. :yes:

[+BudMan MVC]

You know what would be even less time consuming ;) Get yourself an copy of vista media and wipe the drive and reinstall.

I have had HP machines in the past, even came with Vista on them - first thing it continuously nags you to do is burn off your reinstall disks. Did you not do this? If so, wipe the freaking disk and just reinstall = problem solved ;) Or do it now, you said you can boot into your OS right?

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&objectID=c00882383

HP and Compaq Desktop PCs - Creating the Recovery Disc Set in Windows Vista

Or contact HP and get the media if your not wanting to get it from other sources.

[xendrome]

Just Google Vista Recovery ISO. There are copies out there, might even be a link from MS for the Recovery Disc ISO..

[Cheryl_27]

Budman, you're correct in that I burned a copy of Recovery (as in, Image) disks from HP's recovery disk creator. I can restore it to their factory Image - it's still not an installed copy, still has no recovery / repair console. Don't remember if the image had SP2 - so can't slipstream it on an image disk (that's a minor prob.).

If I was going to start over, I wouldn't use an OEM recovery image. I'd get a real copy, like you said.

Honestly, I don't yet know anything is really wrong w/ my Windows or partitions - except a flash by err msg that may mean nothing, and Ghost doesn't work. A Symantec product not working...huh! I'm not wiping my disk because Ghost doesn't work.

I honestly don't see how their partition info tool can be right about partitions G: and X: overlapping a primary partition.

G: and X: are next to each other (no space / partition between), and partitions on either side of them are logical. Any way, I can reformat those.

I don't know how to tell if a disk has "CHS problems." I know what CHS is / does, but don't know how to read Norton's partinfo log to see if there's a problem, or some other utility that may detect that sort of thing.

xendrome, I've followed a LOT of links in last few wks to pages that supposedly had a d/l a copy of Vista Recovery Console. All the d/l links were dead or missing. Like this one neosmart.net

Where they say, "Downloads have suspended pending copyright clarification." Maybe MS cracked down on them.

If you've seen a page w/ live d/l for it, please let me know.

[+BudMan MVC]

You can boot off a GPARTED DVD or CD and WIPE the drive clean = no partitions at all! And then boot your recovery "image" stuff from HP = problem fixed.