Fixboot made my computer not boot

[Nollie]

I ran fixboot from the Recovery Console on a healthy WinXP SP2 system
(out of curiosity). Now my computer won't boot. I don't know where to
begin fixing because I don't know what fixboot did. After the BIOS
Loads, at the screen where the Windows XP usually appears, there's just
a black screen with a flashing cursor prompt at the top left of the
screen. No messages or anything.

I've booted with ERD Commander 2003, and I can access all my files on
all the drives, so I know at least my data is still all intact. So my
guess is that fixboot "unfixed" only my boot sector. How do I restore
it and keep all my data intact?

Thanks,
Nollie

 

[Guest]

use recovery console and type: fixmbr !!

 

[Jim]

Try starting up from a DOS bootdisk and typing "format /mbr" when the
prompt comes up...that'll clear your master boot record and should let
Windows come up again.

 

[Nollie]

Thanks for the help. When I run fixmbr I get this warning:

** CAUTION **

This computer appears to have a non-standard or invalid master
boot record.

FIXMBR may damage your partition tables if you
proceed.

This could cause all the partitions on the current hard disk
to become inaccessible.

If you are not having problems accessing your hard drive,
do not continue.

Are you sure you want to write a new MBR?


I'm not taking any chances at losing my data. Does this warning message
occur for everyone or should I take it seriously? Is there a way I can
do something so that fixmbr won't give me this warning?

Thanks,
Nollie

 

[Guest]

it's a standard warning.

didn't you get similar when using fixboot?

anyway , it won't make computer any worse than it is already.

 

[Steve N.]

Try starting up from a DOS bootdisk and typing "format /mbr" when the
prompt comes up...that'll clear your master boot record and should let
Windows come up again.

No no no. It's fdisk /mbr .

Steve

 

[Jim]

No no no. It's fdisk /mbr .

Oh yeah, silly me.

 

[Rock]

I ran fixboot from the Recovery Console on a healthy WinXP SP2 system
(out of curiosity). Now my computer won't boot. I don't know where to
begin fixing because I don't know what fixboot did. After the BIOS
Loads, at the screen where the Windows XP usually appears, there's just
a black screen with a flashing cursor prompt at the top left of the
screen. No messages or anything.

I've booted with ERD Commander 2003, and I can access all my files on
all the drives, so I know at least my data is still all intact. So my
guess is that fixboot "unfixed" only my boot sector. How do I restore
it and keep all my data intact?

Thanks,
Nollie

You have a full and complete backup right? You wouldn't go playing
around with something like this without it?

 

[Nollie]

it's a standard warning.

didn't you get similar when using fixboot?

anyway , it won't make computer any worse than it is already.

No, fixboot didn't give me nearly as serious a warning. I ran fixmbr
with no luck. Still a black screen and cursor where the Windows XP
logo should be.

I then ran fixmbr \Device\Harddisk0\Partition1.

Now, instead of the Windows XP logo, it says "Invalid partition
table."

I can still access my data with ERD Commander 2003. What should I do
now to fix my partition tables?

Thanks,
Nollie

 

[Nollie]

No no no. It's fdisk /mbr .

Steve

fdisk /mbr didn't seem to do anything. After trying it, I still get a
black screen and cursor where the Windows logo should be. I then ran
fixmbr from the Recovery Console with the same result.

I then ran fixmbr \Device\Harddisk0\Partition1 from Recovery Console
and now when I boot it says "Invalid partition table." How can I fix
this?

Thanks,
Nollie

 

[Andy]

Install Windows XP into another partition.
Make the old installation the default OS to boot from.
Edit boot.ini and remove the entry for the new installation.
Delete the new installation from the hard drive.

 

[Plato]

Edit boot.ini and remove the entry for the new installation.

Help on editing boot.ini

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314081
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=289022