How to fix MBR

Hi,

Just wonder how one can u fix MBR if he has only recovery CD rather than full XP CD( recovery CD has no option for fix mbr ofcourse).

If I have only OEM recovery CD and I use some friend,s XP installation CD to do the job of fix mbr is it Ok ethically/ according to EULA etc-- any thoughts.

Thanks.

 

Hello,

You're forgetting one thing - Linux.

Super Grub Disk
http://adrian15.raulete.net/grub/tiki-index.php

Mrk

 

Sounds interesting, never heard of it. Have you ever tried it?

 

Hello,
Yes I have, not on MBR though. On GRUB.
Mrk

 

You should be able to install the recovery console.
After you installed that, you will be able to boot into it and do the required maintenance.

 

That is my understanding too, Peter.
Usually when you restore from a recovery CD, you find in your system partition a folder named \i386.
And when you launch \i386\winnt32 /cmdcons, the console will be installed.

 

And does that restored partition not contain a \i386 folder?

 

i386 folder is there but nothing like winnt32 /cmdcons.
There is an installer package winnt32 in it.

 

So I need to run this exe file to install recovery console. BUt i don,t understand two things.

Use the Winnt32.exe utility with the /cmdcons option

1- What is /cmdcons option.
2- If it will be installed in windows start up folder, then if MBR is corrupt I can,t access recovery console either.

Thanks.

 

Please read the url that I provided in my first reply.

Please take the following actions:
1. Format a floppy
2. copy from the root of your system partition the hidden system files ntldr, ntdetect.com and boot.ini.

After these actions you will be able to magically boot from the just created emergency floppy, give it a try!

 

This is what I read.
Laptop has no floppy otherwise there is option to use Windows Setup floppy disk( if I understand correctly). I know nothing here and MS help articles are way too technical for me. I think they don,t write these for ordinary users.

Thanks.

 

How about this:
http://ebcd.pcministry.com/

 

Ok, will have a look on it.
BTW I have made a BartPE with fix MBR and MBR Wiz plugins.

 

Until now I never had to fix the MBR. If I ever have to fix the MBR, I would restore the MBR, using Acronis which allows me to recover the MBR separately or am I missing something ?

 

Supposed to work!

 

A discussion on XP fixmbr at the link below.

http://www.techzonez.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3975

I know you can't use a floppy but just for general info.

Sometimes I set my slave drive as master which has a ghost clone of C and it won't boot.

I use a win98 boot floppy and at the A prompt type "fdisk /mbr" ,no quotes and space between fdisk(s)/

Have read where some say this can stuff things up but has worked no probs here.