Capture/save bootsector to file (Win2k/NTFS)

[Bjorn Simonsen]

How can I capture/save the *active* bootsector and MBR to files when
running Win2k (sp4/NTFS volume)? Or if not possible under Win2k - then
how to capture/save any bootsector - including from a NTFS partition -
when booting from plain DOS or Win9x?

I have seen commandline tools/utils that will save MBR and bootsector
under plain DOS (FAT)and Win9x (FAT32), but not sure if any of these
can capture my Win2k (SP4) NTFS bootsector while booting from Win9x
(or plain DOS).

I need to capture the MBR and then the bootsector of my main Win2k
setup (second primary) to file. I have a dual boot setup with the
following partition layout:

1. primary partition Win9x/FAt32,
2. primary partition Win2k/NTFS (main system)
3. primary partition Win2k/NTFS (barbone installation for rescue)
4. extended partition ( w/several logical, mix of NTFS and FAT32)

I use XOSL (www.xosl.org) as my boot manager (installed on Win9x
partition).

Any 3'd party utils or existing Win2k/res.kit cmdline tools I can use
- and if so how?

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen

 

[Bjorn Simonsen]

Take a look at http://winimage.com/bootpart.htm.

Thank you very much - runs under Win2k and seems to copy bootsector
from both NTFS and FAT32 volumes just fine! I can use a DOS util to
grab the MBR when booting from Win9x/Dos, will try
<http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA003009/mbrscane.html>.

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen

 

[Bjorn Simonsen]

Thank you very much - runs under Win2k and seems to copy bootsector
from both NTFS and FAT32 volumes just fine! I can use a DOS util to
grab the MBR when booting from Win9x/Dos, will try
<http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA003009/mbrscane.html>.

Just in case someone is searching and finds this tread: the latter DOS
utility mbrscan does not seem to offer saving off the Master Boot
Record (MBR), just display content it seems. I used sbabr.com instead
<http://www.nikosystems.com/index2.htm>, ran it from Win98 commandline
to copy the MBR to file.

Otherwise I used bootpart as suggested by Helge Wunderlich
<[email protected]> to copy the active
bootsector from Win2k. Bootpart 2.50 runs under NT/Win2k/XP.

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen