Non System Disk Error After Recovery From USB Hdd Back-up

Two Points to tell you about:

1. I ran FIXBOOT before I ran the FIXMBR command. CCasey spoke of running them in reverse order than I actually did.

2. I was helping someone to rebuild her computer and had a virus transfer to my WINNT and System32 folders. I have isolated and deleted these infected files from my system. This deletion of the virus probably was after I had tried the FIXMBR command. Could the virus have created my existing boot problem and/or the FIXMBR negative result that I got?

 

Well, I think so - I have seen this behavior before - the "press any key" and it continues to boot. I can't remember it not being a bad MBR. I suppose the MBR is pointing to the wrong partition in this case. I'd admit that I don't work on many systems with Acronis running on them. My systems just don't crap out like this, but I see plenty that do.

I think booting from the Acronis recovery disk and removing the ASRM is the right way to go about it.

The only thing that concerns me is why FIXMBR failed the first time. It's supposed to locate the Active Partition and recreate it as such, the FIXBOOT then recreates the first sector of that partition. The only thing I can think of is that the presence of the ASRM fouled it up. So in this proposed process is the MBR really going to be recreated correctly? The only times I've seen FIXMBR/FIXBOOT fail is when there is other corruption - like in the Partition Table.

So it's worth a try - of course Dolfin backup and validate before you try it, since we do have a yet to be explained failure.

And Dolfin, did you do the FIXMBR, then FIXBOOT in THAT order, without rebooting in between? Not sure from your postmortem on that one....

CC

 

Dolfin, we were posting at the same time and you answered the question that delayed my post.

If you did run FIXBOOT first, then it would have fixed the Boot Sector in the wrong partition if in fact the supposition that the MBR is pointing to the Acronis partition is correct.

Then running the FIXMBR might have corrected the MBR, but if the issue is the Boot Sector on your Active Partition, then it would not have been repaired.

Sequence is very important with these two commands.

And did you boot in between these commands when you did them?
CC

 

CCasey

I ran FIXBOOT first and rebooted to see if that fixed the problem. It did not. I got a hang at a black screen during the boot process.

Then I rebooted, went back into the Emer. Console and ran FIXMBR. That is when the disk became totally unbootable.

 

CCasey:

Thanks, I will note that order is important when running these two commands.

Yes, I did reboot in between these commands. Is that proper or do you run both commands, in correct order, before leave the Emer. Console and reboot?

 

Dofin,

OK, then I think that would explain why you got a blank screen after running FIXBOOT, then rebooting, if it was still trying to boot from the Acronis partition.

But, it wouldn't explain why FIXMBR hosed your drive.

Another way to go about it would be to backup/validate ONLY the primary/active partition; format your drive; restore the partition; then
from the recovery console FIXMBR/FIXBOOT (yes, both together); then reboot.

I'd try Mark's appoach first though. Of course backup/validate first!

What do you think Mark?

You got a strange one alright...

CC

 

I don't think FIXBOOT is necessary - the PC does boot correctly after "hitting any key". That sequence originates in the Acronis boot loader code in the partition boot record of the Acronis partition. After hitting a key, control is passed to the Active partition, which then boots correctly, so the boot code in the Windows 2000 partition boot record is OK.

The real problem is that the PC boot process starts with a jump to the Acronis partition. This must occur in the Acronis MBR boot code. The standard MBR boot code checks the partition table to find the partition with the active flag set, and jumps there. This isn't happening or else the PC would boot directly to the first partition (Windows 2000).

I would try de-activating the ASRM from an Acronis boot disk. If that doesn't work, then I'd try fixmbr from a Windows CD. Either one should do the job but I still can't explain why fixmbr didn't work the first time, or why it caused damage.

 

Thanks to both you folks. I have to sign off for now.

Good Weekend,

Dolfin

 

Mark,

Right, the Boot Sector must be ok - no need to perform FIXBOOT.

You know, I think the Partition Table must have got whacked somehow.

I'm thinking there is corruption in the Acronis partition (it is empty?), so that
fouled up the FIXMR and Partition Table.

Hopefully your suggested method works - which it would probably if the bad partition is removed and THEN the MBR is recreated.

If not, then I'd bet the method I mentioned would.

Ahhh, the wonders of windows...

CC

 

I just finished solving a problem similar to yours on my machine, and I found you because I was experiencing the same issue. I fixed the problem. The reason you are getting the non system disk error is because of the Acronis secure zone. You should not need to do another FIXBOOT or FIXMBR. You are very close to solving this problem: as others have posted, the solution is as follows:

[1] ensure that the fresh acronis image that previously worked is loaded and no boot repairs were attempted on that restored image.

[2] create an acronis boot disk from acronis 11 from within windows on any computer. If you dont have acronis 11 you can download a trial from acronis.com

[3] put the acronis boot disk into the computer with the nonsystem disk error and load up acronis outside of windows.

[4] click manage acronis secure zone, then remove acronis secure zone. The space will be allocated to the other partition.

[5] after you take the disk out and reboot you should be good to go.

cheers

 

Phpguru's post worked and verified the solutions of CCasey and K0lo: Boot from the Acronis CD (outside of Windows), Remove the Acronis Security Zone Partition (in Manage Acronis Security Zone), Reboot and let Windows rewrite whatever it needed to rewrite. This, I assume, allows the boot process to properly point to the Windows partition.

Please note that Acronis 9 had whatever I needed for this solution process.

All three people, please accept my "Saved The Bacon" award,

Dolfin

 

Great - that's good to know. Looks like Acronis removed it's partition and then it recreated a correct MBR. Then Windows "just worked". No telling how it got this way in the first place.

Helping is not a problem, as is usually the case the helper learns a couple of valuable tidbits for down the road.

Regards to all,
CC