MBR Error. I have gotten a few responses saying to boot from the XP Disk - Will this erase my data??

Question

MBR Error. I have gotten a few responses saying to boot from the XP Disk - Will this erase my data??
Question Details: Any easy instructions that I can attempt to fix this error that won't erase any of my data on the hard drive??

I've read and Have seen that there are different types of MBR errors such as 1, 2, 3 etc. Mine just says MBR error no number. I have someone that may be able to look at it for me but wanted to know if this is a do-it-yourself "easy fix", or should I just wait for him to take a look at it for me?

Thanks.

Answer 1

This is not a task for newbies. A wrong step could corrupt the file table, making the drive unreadable in Windows. If the file system is FAT32 then you could use fdisk /mbr command to create a new master boot record, but if the drive is formated NTFS (the normal WinXP configuration) can't be so easily fixed.



If you have access to a spare HDD you could try this:



1) Remove the defective HDD and replace it with the spare, setting it up as MASTER if the bus is ATA.



2) Install Windows



3) Now connect you original drive as a SLAVE. Reboot



4) You should now be able to transfer your personal files (documents, pictures, music, Outlook folders, etc.) from the original boot drive to the spare HDD.



5) Now reverse the process -- Spare out, original in as MASTER. Use a disk utilities diskette to FDISK the original drive, this will erase the data, but you've already saved your stuff to the spare by this time.



6) Install Windows.



7) Reconnect the spare as SLAVE and reboot. Now you can recove your files.

Answer 2

well as the first answer said running the mbr fix utility is a good answer, except you have to get an operating system up to execute the command, because as you have seen the hard drive is out of action. a couple of steps that I would do. first do you know how to start a cd up when you power on the s ystem. usally you hit the f12 key when you see the boot screen, this is the screen you see before windows starts loading, second do you have your xp installation disk. this disk has to allow you to reload xp just as the os, not like some companies send out, a complete overright when you put it in. If you have that then do the following



put the os reinstall disk in the cd drive. close door, power off system (hold down power button)



turn on power button and when you see the boot screen, tap f12 key or what ever key gets you into your alternate boot menu.



move with arrow key down to cd drive option. press enter and then press the space bar, you have about 3 seconds to do the space bar. if you miss it you will go back to the disk to load windows, if that happens hit the power button and restart.



if you get the cd started it will load a number of windows files first to memory. it will then offer you a start screen that says you can install - hit enter- or you can press R to repair. Hit R



you will then start the recovery console up, you will be asked what operating system you want, pick xp, you may be asked to provide a password to the system administrator user code. pray that you do not have one and have forgotten it. hit enter and see if it keeps going. if it does your ok, if it says wrong password, hope you can find one, or you are going to have to go to the second gate of hell.



if you do get thru, the prompt should be c:\Windows => if you get to that point, you can either type the command that the first person gave you or, you can type in chkdsk /r, this effectively will do the same plus try to fix anything else that may be corrupted on disk.



if it goes ok, your good, if it happens again in a week or two its time for a new drive.

Answer 3

It may. If the start up disk is a Microsoft Windows XP installation disk with the Microsoft Hologram on it then it will NOT unless during the install process you choose to format the drive. If it is a recovery disk that came with the computer it WILL erase everything and start over just as the computer came from the factory. If you do use the Microsoft disk there are two repair screens unless you are very familiar with DOS use the second one which comes up later in the install process. DO NOT FORMAT the disk.

Answer 4

did anyone suggest running the command:



fdisk /mbr?



This rewrites the MBR (master boot record) and no it should not lose your data