Restore MBR. HELP!

[Med]

Hi,
I have a laptop preinstalled with XP. Later I installed 98 to make it dual
boot. I use bootmagic to do the dual boot. Today I installed Linux but it
screwed up my MBR. Now I can't boot into any of the OS.
I haven't got startup diskette for XP, because I haven't got a floppy drive
on my laptop. I haven't bootmagic recover diskette either for the same
reason. I heard that the XP disk can be used to boot the system, then use
fdisk /mbr command to restore the MBR. The XP recovery cd came with the
laptop doesn't help.

Can someone send me an image of the XP startup disk, so that I can burn it
on a CD to boot my laptop, hence repair my MBR.

If you have any other ideas, please feel free to tell me. I really need it
now! Thanks very very much..

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

How to obtain the Windows XP Setup boot disks:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310994

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Dana Brash]

Hi Med,

You can boot to the XP CD, and boot into a recovery console.
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/.../all/proddocs/en-us/recovery_run_console.mspx

From recovery console you can use the fixmbr command
Recovery Console commands
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...all/proddocs/en-us/recovery_console_cmds.mspx

This should have you back up in Windows in 5 minutes.

HTH,
=d=


Dana Brash
MCSE, MCDBA, MCSA

(e-mail address removed)

 

[Bob Harris]

When you say that the XP CD that came with the PC does not help, do you mean
that the PC will not boot from it? If so, you may need to enter the BIOS
setup and change the allowed boot devices to include the CD drive, and then
make that the first boot device. The second boot device should be your
internal hard drive.

However, some PCs do not actually come with an XP CD. Instead, they come
with a recovery CD, which simply restores them to the original configuration
(and erases all your files). Worse, some recovery CDs do nothing but copy
an image that is (or was) on a hidden partition on the hard drive. Check
with your PC makers for details as to exactly what sort of CD you have. Of
course, if the CD says XP on it and has the Microsoft logo, then it is
probably a real XP CD (OEM version).

Also, many modern PCs can boot from a USB floppy drive. You might want to
check whether your's can. If it has the ability, you might want to change
the BIOS to boot from floppy first, then CD, then hard drive. And, then you
can download the floppy recovery/installation set directly from Microsoft.

 

[Fred]

When you say that the XP CD that came with the PC does not help, do you
mean that the PC will not boot from it?

Make a guess. **** me dead. How hard is that?

If so, you may need to enter the BIOS setup and change the allowed boot
devices to include the CD drive, and then make that the first boot
device.

Would your mother have allowed that?

The second boot device should be your internal hard drive.

If you were given a dollar for every time the thought of sex crossed your
mind in one day, would you need a bigger wallet?

Instead, they come with a recovery CD, which simply restores them to
the original configuration (and erases all your files).

It depends.

Worse, some recovery CDs do nothing but copy an image that is (or was)
on a hidden partition on the hard drive.

Nothing at all?

Check with your PC makers for details as to exactly what sort of CD you
have.

What is it you are getting at?

You might want to check whether your's can.

Do you find food desirable?

If it has the ability, you might want to change the BIOS to boot from
floppy first, then CD, then hard drive.

How thrilling.

 

[JSMir]

Today I installed
Linux

Just so you know linux, linux makes you stupid and gay!
JSMir

 

[relic]

Hi,
I have a laptop preinstalled with XP. Later I installed 98 to make it
dual boot.
Mistake.

I use bootmagic to do the dual boot.

Sheer idiocy.

Today I installed
Linux

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! Beyond all hope, just go neck yourself.