Windows 7: No Boot sector main hard drive

FliGi7 · 11 Oct 2011

Quote: Originally Posted by theog

Quote:

I had been receiving the error message about no boot sector for about 3 months

That is a sign of a bad HD Drive.

This is true. Sounds like more serious problems are occurring with the hard drive itself rather than just a singular booting issue.

gregrocker · 11 Oct 2011

You should boot the Windows 7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD to run Startup Repair. All bootrec, bootsect and other repair commands, tests and fixes are automated in Startup Repair. Run it several times then post back what it reports.

Next make sure Windows 7 or its 100mb System Reserved partition (preferred) are still marked Active: Partition - Mark as Active (Method Two). You can also use free Partition Wizard bootable CD to mark Active, then click on HD to highlight it, from Disk tab select Rebuild MBR, Apply steps, reboot. This may preclude the need to run Startup Repair.

If these repairs fail then after confirming HD is good you'll need to run full Factory Recovery from its partition at boot, or from Recovery disks you have made or order. Or find a Windows 7 installation DVD to clean reinstall using the Product Key on COA sticker: Reinstalling Windows 7

GMadd · 11 Oct 2011

Quote: Originally Posted by theog

Quote:

I had been receiving the error message about no boot sector for about 3 months

That is a sign of a bad HD Drive.

Ok I'll try to Fix the MBR again and see what happens.

theog · 11 Oct 2011

Quote: Originally Posted by theog

Have you run the Dell diagnostic tool?
If NO, Press F12 at boot, & run the Dell diagnostic tool.

Quote: Originally Posted by GMadd

Quote: Originally Posted by theog

Have you run the Dell diagnostic tool?
If NO, Press F12 at boot, & run the Dell diagnostic tool.

I ran Dell diagnostic and it did not find anything wrong.

1) Make sure the HD Drive is showing in BIOS.
2) Check all the cables.
3) Check the hard drive with the manufacturer's diagnostic tools.
Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp.
HD Diagnostic

Quote: Originally Posted by GMadd

Quote: Originally Posted by theog

Quote:

I had been receiving the error message about no boot sector for about 3 months

That is a sign of a bad HD Drive.

Ok I'll try to Fix the MBR again and see what happens.

Trying to fix MBR will not make the BIOS see the HD. As your HD turning on/off.

GMadd · 11 Oct 2011

Quote: Originally Posted by gregrocker

You should boot the Windows 7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD to run Startup Repair. All bootrec, bootsect and other repair commands, tests and fixes are automated in Startup Repair. Run it several times then post back what it reports.

Next make sure Windows 7 or its 100mb System Reserved partition (preferred) are still marked Active: Partition - Mark as Active (Method Two). You can also use free Partition Wizard bootable CD to mark Active, then click on HD to highlight it, from Disk tab select Rebuild MBR, Apply steps, reboot. This may preclude the need to run Startup Repair.

If these repairs fail then after confirming HD is good you'll need to run full Factory Recovery from its partition at boot, or from Recovery disks you have made or order. Or find a Windows 7 installation DVD to clean reinstall using the Product Key on COA sticker: Reinstalling Windows 7

The only disks I have for this computer are the ones I made using the Dell Data safe back up. I did this just before I started messing with this drive. I know I can use it to install Windows back on the computer because I tried it once already but did not try to use the repair console. I am not sure I saw that as an option. I have my Windows 7 professional 64 bit from my new computer; can I use it to get the repair console up?

gregrocker · 11 Oct 2011

You can use any Windows 7 installation DVD for repairs as long as it is the same 32- or 64-bit version.

Try also rebooting and tapping the F8 key to see if Repair console is on Advanced Boot Options menu

theog · 11 Oct 2011

Quote: Originally Posted by GMadd

Quote: Originally Posted by gregrocker

You should boot the Windows 7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD to run Startup Repair. All bootrec, bootsect and other repair commands, tests and fixes are automated in Startup Repair. Run it several times then post back what it reports.

Next make sure Windows 7 or its 100mb System Reserved partition (preferred) are still marked Active: Partition - Mark as Active (Method Two). You can also use free Partition Wizard bootable CD to mark Active, then click on HD to highlight it, from Disk tab select Rebuild MBR, Apply steps, reboot. This may preclude the need to run Startup Repair.

If these repairs fail then after confirming HD is good you'll need to run full Factory Recovery from its partition at boot, or from Recovery disks you have made or order. Or find a Windows 7 installation DVD to clean reinstall using the Product Key on COA sticker: Reinstalling Windows 7

The only disks I have for this computer are the ones I made using the Dell Data safe back up. I did this just before I started messing with this drive. I know I can use it to install Windows back on the computer because I tried it once already but did not try to use the repair console. I am not sure I saw that as an option. I have my Windows 7 professional 64 bit from my new computer; can I use it to get the repair console up?

Quote: Originally Posted by gregrocker

You can use any Windows 7 installation DVD for repairs as long as it is the same 32- or 64-bit version.

Try also rebooting and tapping the F8 key to see if Repair console is on Advanced Boot Options menu

Trying to fix MBR will not make the BIOS see the HD. As your HDis turning on/off.

gregrocker · 11 Oct 2011

If the HD is confirmed good then these are the repairs needed first to know that Windows 7 is bootable.

theog · 11 Oct 2011

Quote:

I am getting an error message while booting up it states
"No boot sector on internal hard drive"
"No bootable devices--strike F1 to retry boot"

Quote:

I had been receiving the error message about no boot sector for about 3 months

Are all signs of a bad HD Drive.

Hopefully not a bad MOBO.

GMadd · 12 Oct 2011

Quote: Originally Posted by FliGi7

Quote: Originally Posted by theog

That is a sign of a bad HD Drive.

This is true. Sounds like more serious problems are occurring with the hard drive itself rather than just a singular booting issue.

Can anyone suggest a good tool to check and see if the hard drive is actually bad?? I have a program called HD Tune 2.55 that has an Error scanner on it but I am not sure if that is what I need to use.

Windows 7: No Boot sector main hard drive

No Boot sector main hard drive problems?