1-4 eXPerts: fixmbr

[Guest]

I have a question for the MVP's and any other eXPerts. Let me explain. This
is an of the problem. A computer has two log on options. 1 is windows XP Home
Edition 2 is Windows XP Home Edition Install. Now we know that the second one
is a corrupt or bogus boot option. We also know that this can be removed by
using the start\msconfig\boot.ini\check all boot paths method to detect the
bogus entry and remove it. It can also be removed by editing the boot.ini and
highlighting and removing the entry. What I need answered is if invoking the
fixmbr in the recovery console would also have removed this bogus entry? I
can't seem to find a definitive answer whether invoking the fixmbr and having
it check the partition table, if the bogus entry or nonstandard boot path
would reside there and thus fixmbr would be able to note this and remove it?
Any answers or links to resources would be appreciated. I have attempted to
resolve this discussion for 5 days now and we still can't seem to agree.

 

[Guest]

If the fixmbr command detects an invalid or non-standard partition table
signature, fixmbr command prompts you for permission before rewriting the
MBR. The fixmbr command is supported only on x86-based computers.

Raj

 

[Guest]

Thankyou Raj for your quick reply. This doesn't answer my question though.
Will using the fixmbr remove the bogus boot option offered at the time of
booting the machine up. I am aware where the mbr resides as well as how it
check the partition table for bootable partitions. I need to know
specifically if there is a bogus boot option at time of booting will the
fixmbr remove that bogus option?

 

[Guest]

Yes

 

[Alex Nichol]

I have a question for the MVP's and any other eXPerts. Let me explain. This
is an of the problem. A computer has two log on options. 1 is windows XP Home
Edition 2 is Windows XP Home Edition Install. Now we know that the second one
is a corrupt or bogus boot option. We also know that this can be removed by
using the start\msconfig\boot.ini\check all boot paths method to detect the
bogus entry and remove it. It can also be removed by editing the boot.ini and
highlighting and removing the entry. What I need answered is if invoking the
fixmbr in the recovery console would also have removed this bogus entry?

No it won't. FixMBR rewrites the code in the very first section of the
disk, that looks up the Active partition and passes the buck to that
partition's first sector (which might not even use Windows as the
system). The partition's sector in the case of XP loads ntldr - it is
that which starts looking up entries in boot.ini. Probably that extra
entry got left when the Setup of the system crashed out *just* before it
had finished tidying up - I think deleting that is about the last action
it does

So FixMBR followed by Fixboot which fixes the next stage, if you have
some 'No Operating system' message. To rebuild boot.ini you should use
three lines

ATTRIB -H -R -S C:\boot.ini
DEL C:\boot.ini
(to delete the old, presumably damaged one)
BootCfg /Rebuild