CorruptBootSector

[TimFawcett]

Vista SP1, 500GB disk, 3 partitions: system, data & other
Used Paragon Parition Manager 8.5 to resize partitions (shrink system,
expand data), rebooted and now can't boot. In System Recovery options get
"Operating System: Unknown on (Unknown) Local disk". Open a command prompt
and can only see the data partition. If I run Startup Repair, I get the
following output:
Problem Event Name: StartupRepairV2
Problem Signature 01: System Disk
Problem Signature 02: 6.0.6000.16386.0.0.0.0
Problem Signature 03: 1
Problem Signature 04: 65537
Problem Signature 05: unknown
Problem Signature 06: CorruptBootSector
Problem Signature 07: 0
Problem Signature 08: 1
Problem Signature 09: FixBootSector
Problem Signature 10: 1168
OS Version: 6.0.6000.2.0.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1033

Looking at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392/en-us, if I try 'bootrec
/scanos' I get 'Total Identified Windows Installations: 0'. Should I try the
/FixMBR or /Fixboot options? If not, what else can I try?

 

[Kris]

Yes, you can always do that.

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

Bootrec.exe options
/FixMbr
/FixBoot
/ScanOs
/RebuildBcd

 

[TimFawcett]

Hi - perhaps I wasn't clear, which option should I use, fixmbr or fixboot -
or will it not matter?

 

[Not Me]

I would try /fixMBR then, if needed, /fixboot

 

[TimFawcett]

Thanks, before I try that, when I run a Startup Repair, the detail output is:

Root Cause Found
------------------
Boot sector for system disk partition is corrupt

Repair action:Boot sector repair
Result: Failed. Error code = 0x490

Is the Startup Repair trying a different method to bootrec.exe? If bootrec
doesn't work, can anyone recommend / suggest something to repair the boot
sector?

 

[TimFawcett]

Hi - neither option worked, anything else I can try?

 

[pupick]

If you can boot into XP and read the Vista disc I presume you have copied
all necessary documents, images etc off the Vista drive.
I presume you have run the drive manufacturer's software tests to see if the
hard drive itself has failed.
If you have backed up your data and tested the hard drive you can see if the
Vista installation routine can repair your Vista drive, otherwise reinstall
the OS.
What's the big deal?

 

[webster72n]

It's a pain in the @$$.. I mean honestly. RE-installing and getting the
drivers and all my programs back together is going to take forever!
Besides i have checked the disk and it's not the hard Drive. When I ran
"bootrec.exe /ScanOs" The result comes up as "Total identified Windows
installations: 0" While on the other hand you got
"
Test Performed:
Name:Target OS test
Result:Completed successfully. Errorcode =0x0.
Timetaken = 374ms:
"
It would be best to avoid reformatting and reinstalling. However if it
is absolutely necessary I'll do it.

If the drive is ok. and there's enough space available, why not install the
entire system again, without formatting and try to work from there, if its
at all possible?