No F11 option, new computer dead now!

[phochief]

Acronis True Image Home version 11 Build 8,101

I installed TI on my new Windows Vista 64 bit machine after bringing it home from Best Buy. I spent two days moving and tweeking everything from my old computer to my new 64bit Vista machine. I decided it would be a good idea to activate the Acronis Statup Recovery Manager, so I did that. Before going to bed I set TI to do a full backup. When I got up the next morning, the backup was finished and successful. I turned off the computer and a while later started it back up again. But now, the computer only gets just past the Bios screen and stops with a black screen and a blinking cursor in the top left corner! I've rebooted several times and same thing. I'm assuming the Startup Recovery Manager is the problem and that it trashed my master boot record. Supposdly it was supposed to show me a screen by pushing F11, but that doesn't work. There is nothing on the black screen but the blinking cursor. Can't believe I spend twenty hours of getting my new computer set up to have it messed up by Acronis.

I guess I "could" use the Full backup and my Acronis Boot disk to restore the computer but I'm hesitant to do that after this experience. I would much rather restore the MBR to what it was before Acronis messed it up. Unfortunately, Asus doesn't provide a full Vista installation disk with the computers they sell so I can't put the Vista disk in to restore the MBR. I'm in a real pickle now and will probably have to buy a full version of Vista 64bit just to get my new computer working again! Unless someone out there has some other clue how to restore the MBR back to it was without a Vista disk? Any advice is appreciated.

Since these forums are closing to posts, I would appreciate an email to globalstoresdirect@gmail.com
Thanks,
David

[K0LO]

David:

Do you have a Windows XP disk? You can restore an XP MBR to the disk and it will work (providing that you are not using BitLocker on Vista). You can also borrow a Windows Vista DVD from a friend; any edition, and use it to fix the MBR.

Use either of these two methods to write a standard Windows MBR to the disk to replace the Acronis custom MBR.

[phochief]

Originally Posted by K0LO

David:

Do you have a Windows XP disk? You can restore an XP MBR to the disk and it will work (providing that you are not using BitLocker on Vista). You can also borrow a Windows Vista DVD from a friend; any edition, and use it to fix the MBR.

Use either of these two methods to write a standard Windows MBR to the disk to replace the Acronis custom MBR.

Yes, I have an old WinXp disk. You mean I can use a totally different OS disk to fix the MBR of a 64 bit Vista OS? I figured I would need the exact same OS as is installed on the computer. Are you sure?

Thanks,
David

[K0LO]

David:

Yes. The fixmbr command from XP will only replace the boot loader code in the Master Boot Record. This little piece of code is OS independent; it only searches the partition table to find the active partition, then transfers control to the next little piece of code in the beginning of the active partition.

The code used by Vista is slightly different from the code used by WinXP in that a few more bytes were added to handle communication with a Trusted Platform Module (Security Chip) when you have the drive encrypted with BitLocker. If you're not using BitLocker on your Vista partition then WinXP's boot loader code will get the job done.

[phochief]

Originally Posted by K0LO

David:
The code used by Vista is slightly different from the code used by WinXP in that a few more bytes were added to handle communication with a Trusted Platform Module (Security Chip) when you have the drive encrypted with BitLocker. If you're not using BitLocker on your Vista partition then WinXP's boot loader code will get the job done.

Wow...that's great info Mark! I just found an old WinXP Professional disk so I guess I'll give it a shot and hope it works.

Thanks again,
David, K4ZZR
... _._

[K0LO]

If the forum hasn't closed, let us know how you make out.

You can always borrow a Vista DVD from a friend and use it to write an "official" Vista-style MBR later on, if you wish.

73!

[phochief]

Running out of time on here....

So the WinXP FIXMBR command will fix it and then once I get her going I should probably do the FIXMBR command again with a Vista CD, right?

After this happened I immedately ordered a Vista 64 bit installation disk (OEM) from Newegg so I'll have one in the futue. It won't be here until middle of next week, but I really want to play with my new toy this weekend.

Appreciate your valuable help.

73,
David, K4ZZR

[phochief]

Mark...you still up? I tried the WinXp disk. Click R, Click 1 for my disk, asks for the Administrator password and I just hit enter because I left the password blank for my User. It says password is wrong. I try a couple more password attempts using PWs I've used in the past, but it doesn't accept any password and boots me out.

What the heck? Is there some default password, or what now?

David