Repair F8 Repair Your Computer Option

sgage said:

gregrocker said:

You're lucky this is all the corruption GRUB caused since we see cases where it makes Win7 irreparable.

In 15 years of active use of Linux dual booted with Windows, with I don't know how many dozens/hundreds of Linux installs, I have never seen a case where GRUB (or LILO before it) caused Windows to be irreparable.

Ditto. I have been dual (and multi up to four) booting Linux / Windows for 12 years and never had a GRUB caused corruption of Windows.

Regards,
GEWB

sgage said:

In 15 years of active use of Linux dual booted with Windows, with I don't know how many dozens/hundreds of Linux installs, I have never seen a case where GRUB (or LILO before it) caused Windows to be irreparable.

Over three years since before Win7 release we dealt with this here almost daily, where Win7 which would normally repair will not repair despite all efforts for Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Boot. GRUB bootloader was either on the HD or had been.

For awhile we would have 2-3 cases or GRUB corruption per day often requiring special regimens of wiping the HD to rid it from the boot sector just to get Win7 reinstalled. Lately however with GRUB 2 the cases have tapered off..

Perhaps you help out in a Linux forum where the emphasis is not on imposing the GRUB boot loader on Win7. My expertise is Win7 installation and repair and this was a chronic problem before GRUB 2 which occupied way more of my time than I cared to spend, on an OS I have no interest in. So we have different points of view, granted. But do not tell me that I have not experienced this while grappling with the heaviest workload in the busiest tech forum online.

Previously this was the best way to Dual Boot Win7/Linux on the same HD: Dual boot Ubuntu-Win7.
With GRUB 2 this is now the recommended way: Dual Boot Ubuntu - EasyBCD - NeoSmart Technologies Wiki

Stick around.

I'm not done cloning this drive yet but, I'll weigh in on this Linux vs. Windows debacle. I'll by saying I am a huge fan of Linux systems especially in it's freeware harmony, lack of viruses etc. written... The only issue is the fact it doesn't play too nice with Windows. But, the question is, who's picking the fight? GRUB or Window's MBR which can just as well be re-written? Is there an ultimate owner of the blame? Seriously answer. I want to know. I mean can't Microsoft also contribute to some re-writing? They know their customers just love multibooting & phreaking systems. At the very least, there should be more harmony in boot code.

Damn that sucks. I guess that may be what happened to my Recovery partition. I will be ordering those discs from Acer or this other site with good reputation. I'll post the link when this cloning is done.

Also, last I checked the F8 tools stopped working again...

I believe it's code in the GRUB 1 bootloader that can block Win7 boot and even sometimes reinstall until the boot sector is wiped. So before running Recovery Disks or Clean Reinstalling I'd wipe the HD with Diskpart Clean Command .

If Advanced Boot Options have stopped working again, then we look at the latest Disk Mgmt output to see that there is no System partition and Recovery is marked Active instead of the System Reserved partition which by it's presence means it is intended to be the System Active partition booting the OS. We've already confirmed it holds the boot files.

Your OEM may want Recovery marked Active but it is interfering with the correct configuration of Win7 in the System Reserved and C partitions.

To resolve this I'd mark System Reserved Active and run three Startup Repairs until Win7 boots and the System flag appears on SysReserved partition.

After cloning, the F8 tools worked again so, there's definitely something funky there. I'll try those steps after I check to see if the cloned disk will boot properly. I'll check to see the F8 tools etc. works on there then I'll post the results.

I thought you were considering a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7
then saving a Win7 backup image externally to use as your own customized Recovery.

This is greatly superior to the factory pre-install and is the first choice of most tech enthusiasts, which you appear to be.