Fixing windows MBR without Vista Recovery CD

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I had Windows Vista + Ubuntu running on my system. I deleted the ubuntu partitions from Windows. However, when I start the system, GRUB throws up an Error 22 (missing partition) and does not let me boot into Windows.

The CD ROM on my laptop is fried and therefore I tried installing Ubuntu again using a USB install. However, the version Ubuntu 9.10 justs hangs in the load screen and does nothing. I do not have windows Vista Recovery CD (as it was a recovery partition in my laptop).

What are the options I have? How do I fix this?

Aditya Sehgal

Posted 2010-03-30T17:36:03.510

Reputation: 163

Answers

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I have also found using Trinity Rescue Kit and the test disk application that comes with it great in this type of situation. test disk is ran from the command line, but not to difficult to understand just make sure to read everything before making choices, but it can fix your MBR, partion tables, boot sectors, etc.

Cory

Posted 2010-03-30T17:36:03.510

Reputation: 136

i tried this, and didn't see any explicit "vista" or "mbr" options, but this did seem like a useful cd.... i found another boot cd that does have mbr options, and would boot my "hidden" vista partition straight up (mbr tools in "Dos Programs") section... http://www.hirensbootcd.org/

– Brad Parks – 2012-08-27T11:53:09.870

as a follow up, i found a boot cd that definitely had the option to restore the Vista MBR, and is derived from hirensbootcd, but has way more in it too.... See this post on SU for more info: http://superuser.com/a/467161/38941

– Brad Parks – 2012-08-28T19:33:44.793

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  1. Download Universal USB Installer: http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/
  2. Create an Ubuntu LIVE USB - [GOLDEN WORD - LIVE]
  3. Boot from the USB and shoot up gparted, play with the partition, the rest is easy.

adeelx

Posted 2010-03-30T17:36:03.510

Reputation: 1 248

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You can also download a copy of the windows vista recovery cd, burn it and recover your MBR with bootrec.exe

  1. Get a torrent client
  2. Get your disk from here.
    • There are disks for x86, ia64 and windows 7
  3. Burn it
  4. Boot from the Recovery CD (it's also a vista installation disk)
  5. Choose keyboard Layout and press Next
  6. Press 'Repair Computer'
  7. Press 'Command Prompt'
  8. Execute bootrec /mbr
    • more info on bootrec.exe in Microsoft's kb.

Voilá

theist

Posted 2010-03-30T17:36:03.510

Reputation: 321

Anti spam prevented me to add link to microsoft knowledge base article

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392/en-us2

– theist – 2010-09-02T17:13:08.377

I did this to recover a laptop mbr. It was from a vendor who gave me disc to recover it to a factory default state but no to fix mbr. – theist – 2010-09-02T17:14:59.510

Asked: 2010-03-30T17:36:03.510

Viewed: 14 365 times

Active: 2010-09-02T17:12:12.660