Is there a way to recover from "fixmbr" and "fixboot"?

Had a problem on startup that induced me to use "fixmbr" and "fixboot". Now
I can't boot up at all and cannot reinstall XP Pro. I have some important
files on the drive that have not been backed up - consequently, I would hate
to have to format and re-install! Any suggestions?
--
GeorgeT

Boot from the XP CD and do a repair install, everything will be as it was
once it repairs things.

"George" <George@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:4485EBCE-BB14-4584-B9AB-8B3761AC2EA2@microsoft.com...
> Had a problem on startup that induced me to use "fixmbr" and "fixboot".
> Now
> I can't boot up at all and cannot reinstall XP Pro. I have some important
> files on the drive that have not been backed up - consequently, I would
> hate
> to have to format and re-install! Any suggestions?
> --
> GeorgeT

Forgot one thing.

If your CD is original or SP1 and you've installed SP2 then the repair
install should not be done; things will be reverted back.

"George" <George@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:4485EBCE-BB14-4584-B9AB-8B3761AC2EA2@microsoft.com...
> Had a problem on startup that induced me to use "fixmbr" and "fixboot".
> Now
> I can't boot up at all and cannot reinstall XP Pro. I have some important
> files on the drive that have not been backed up - consequently, I would
> hate
> to have to format and re-install! Any suggestions?
> --
> GeorgeT

Thanks, Jerry ...
I've already tried using the installation disk but when given a choice,
(actually 2), on which partition to install XP on, one partition consists of
almost the entire 80 Gig drive (on which it will NOT install the OS) and the
2nd, 8 - 9 Meg on which there is not enough room!
George

"Jerry" wrote:

> Forgot one thing.
>
> If your CD is original or SP1 and you've installed SP2 then the repair
> install should not be done; things will be reverted back.
>
> "George" <George@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:4485EBCE-BB14-4584-B9AB-8B3761AC2EA2@microsoft.com...
> > Had a problem on startup that induced me to use "fixmbr" and "fixboot".
> > Now
> > I can't boot up at all and cannot reinstall XP Pro. I have some important
> > files on the drive that have not been backed up - consequently, I would
> > hate
> > to have to format and re-install! Any suggestions?
> > --
> > GeorgeT
>
>
>

Boot up with the XP CD and try running the recovery console and doing
another fixmbr.


>Had a problem on startup that induced me to use "fixmbr" and "fixboot". Now
>I can't boot up at all and cannot reinstall XP Pro. I have some important
>files on the drive that have not been backed up - consequently, I would hate
>to have to format and re-install! Any suggestions?

Thanks again for hanging with me, Jerry.
I re-ran "fixmbr" but - no go. The error message I get is as follows:

"Windows XP cannot recognize the partition selected. Cannot install on this
partition. You can go back to the previous screen, delete the partition and
then select the resulting unpartitioned space. Setup will then create a new
partition on which you can the install XP."

Unfortunately, this would make me lose my data - I know of no way I can then
recover it. I even purchased ScanSoft's ERD hoping to at least get the data
back, but unless I'm doing something wrong, this was no help either!

Any further suggestions would be greatly appreciated! ... And thanks again!
George


"Jerry" wrote:

> Boot up with the XP CD and try running the recovery console and doing
> another fixmbr.
>
>
> >Had a problem on startup that induced me to use "fixmbr" and "fixboot". Now
> >I can't boot up at all and cannot reinstall XP Pro. I have some important
> >files on the drive that have not been backed up - consequently, I would hate
> >to have to format and re-install! Any suggestions?
>
>

I forgot to include some additional information that might be significant:
The "Partition1" that it will not install to is "NTFS - 38154 MB (10629
free); the 2nd partition is about 8 MB.
George

"Jerry" wrote:

> Boot up with the XP CD and try running the recovery console and doing
> another fixmbr.
>
>
> >Had a problem on startup that induced me to use "fixmbr" and "fixboot". Now
> >I can't boot up at all and cannot reinstall XP Pro. I have some important
> >files on the drive that have not been backed up - consequently, I would hate
> >to have to format and re-install! Any suggestions?
>
>

You didn't happen to have an encrypted filesystem, did you? You would
need your backup signature if you did, otherwise.... YEESH!
-=[PsyB]=-

George wrote:
> I forgot to include some additional information that might be significant:
> The "Partition1" that it will not install to is "NTFS - 38154 MB (10629
> free); the 2nd partition is about 8 MB.
> George
>
> "Jerry" wrote:
>
>
>>Boot up with the XP CD and try running the recovery console and doing
>>another fixmbr.
>>
>>
>>
>>>Had a problem on startup that induced me to use "fixmbr" and "fixboot". Now
>>>I can't boot up at all and cannot reinstall XP Pro. I have some important
>>>files on the drive that have not been backed up - consequently, I would hate
>>>to have to format and re-install! Any suggestions?
>>
>>

Thanks, PsyB...
.... no encrypted file system involved!
GeorgeT

"PsyB" wrote:

> You didn't happen to have an encrypted filesystem, did you? You would
> need your backup signature if you did, otherwise.... YEESH!
> -=[PsyB]=-
>
> George wrote:
> > I forgot to include some additional information that might be significant:
> > The "Partition1" that it will not install to is "NTFS - 38154 MB (10629
> > free); the 2nd partition is about 8 MB.
> > George
> >
> > "Jerry" wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Boot up with the XP CD and try running the recovery console and doing
> >>another fixmbr.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>Had a problem on startup that induced me to use "fixmbr" and "fixboot". Now
> >>>I can't boot up at all and cannot reinstall XP Pro. I have some important
> >>>files on the drive that have not been backed up - consequently, I would hate
> >>>to have to format and re-install! Any suggestions?
> >>
> >>
>

This could probably help - http://www.partition-recovery.com/partition.htm

Did you have software such as GoBack or Partition Magic/Boot Magic
installed? Both of those play around with the sectors and you have to
create an offset to correct it. Using Fixmbr will wreck havoc on both.

Did you simply try a chkdsk c:\ /r?

Is your hard drive an IBM "Deathstar"? If it is, it has probably
corrupted and you simply need to do a chkdsk from the r.con. If you have
that and a chkdsk doesn't work, you can try turning your system off
completely. Remove the hard drive from the computer (the cables anyway).
Start the computer without a hard drive and go into BIOS and detect the
hard drives (or lack thereof). Save changes. Plug the HD back in and see
if that worked. I don't know if the Hitachi Deskstar work the same as
the IBM Deathstar, but since I have first hand seen at least 25 bad IBM
variety, in my opinion I would say that the Hitachi branded ones are not
any better.

-=[PsyB]=-

George wrote:
> Thanks, PsyB...
> ... no encrypted file system involved!
> GeorgeT
>
> "PsyB" wrote:
>
>
>>You didn't happen to have an encrypted filesystem, did you? You would
>>need your backup signature if you did, otherwise.... YEESH!
>>-=[PsyB]=-
>>
>>George wrote:
>>
>>>I forgot to include some additional information that might be significant:
>>>The "Partition1" that it will not install to is "NTFS - 38154 MB (10629
>>>free); the 2nd partition is about 8 MB.
>>>George
>>>
>>>"Jerry" wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Boot up with the XP CD and try running the recovery console and doing
>>>>another fixmbr.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Had a problem on startup that induced me to use "fixmbr" and "fixboot". Now
>>>>>I can't boot up at all and cannot reinstall XP Pro. I have some important
>>>>>files on the drive that have not been backed up - consequently, I would hate
>>>>>to have to format and re-install! Any suggestions?
>>>>
>>>>