MBR Problem

[Guest]

I installed Vista over XP on a 300 GB HD with 4 partitions (C, D, E, F) where
C drive is the partition I installed the OS on. I formatted the C drive that
XP was on through the Vista setup disk and setup went fine. I needed to
regain the functionality of my peripheral devices, and since most
manufacturers replied they would not be writing any vista drivers until it is
no longer a 'beta' I had to go back to XP.

Seemed easy enough, just as I installed Vista over XP using the setup disc,
I put in the XP setup disc to overwrite Vista. Problem was that in XP setup
it only shows the hard drive as one partition (C. I aborted that setup
using the 'cancel' feature fearing a format would in fact format the entire
hard drive and I don't want to lose the data on the othe partitions. Now
Vista will not boot. I have not attempted to use the recovery console on the
XP setup disc, specifically fixmbr, yet. When I run the auto disc repair
feature on the Vista setup disc, it says it is unable to repair it. I
suspect the MBR has been corrupted from the XP setup disc being installed.
Is there any way to fix the mbr so as either vista or xp will again recognize
the partitions? At this point I would be happy if Vista would boot again so
I could get some of the data back off the other partitions.

 

[Guest]

I would try to boot with a windows boot cd if you have one and attempt to
copy your data files to a CD or other removeable device. Did you have your
data on a separate partition? If it is on a separate partition, you could
even use an imaging program to create an image of your data partition to
reinstall after you get WinXP back and running.

It is also possible, from what you say, that your Vista install reformatted
your drive so you only have one partition, now. Did you install from a boot
of the CD? I haven't tried it yet, so I don't know what options you were
given. It is ALWAYS important to back up your data before doing anything
with a new os, especially a beta! Good luck. I hope your data partitions
are still there. (I use Terybyte's Image for DOS to do my imaging. You
could search for it and give it a try, though you'll need another computer to
make the boot floppy or CD. If you still have the other partitions on your
drive, it will find them and give you a chance to image them to CD's or a USB
hard drive.)