After running startup repair, the details state the root cause to be "No OS files found on disk. Repair action: Partition table repair. Result: Failed. Error code = 0x3f8"
I have Partition Wizard and have a funny feeling that might help, but I'm not 100% sure how to use that software for this case.
Thank you.
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Work through these steps for Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Boot
offline defender couldn't start up - saying something about not being able to access the system files. i booted up with partition wizard and at first it kept stopping me, giving an error about not working on windows server (except i don't have windows server, i have windows 7 32b), but after i changed the boot order and hard booted, it came up and i rebuilt the MBR. the 100mb is set to active and the c: was also set to active (however it didn't say c: for the description....was just blank, but gave the correct filesizes for the drive). i am now in the process of startup repair x3, and it looks like this might take a while.
If System Reserved is on the same HD as C then they can't both be marked Active. Mark SysReserved Active. Unplug any other HD's. If they're on separate HD's, mark C Active and remove the other hD to repair.
Please post back a camera snap of the PW drive map with listings. Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums - Windows 7 Forums
Is this your only HD or did you already unplug one? If so plug it back in and take another snap to post back. I'm wondering why there are no flags on what should be the OS partition. Have you done anything to it at all?
CLick on HD in PW to highlight it, from Disk tab select REbuild MBR, Apply. Does it start now?
If not try running Startup Repair 3 separate times with reboots the way it is.
i am giving you the new snapshot first, before i go and rebuild MBR again
It's very unusual there are no flags on the Win7 partition and hence no evidence it's even installed there. Did you do anything with the PW CD or otherwise that might have affected the OS?
So if you try to repair it with Rebuild followed by 3 Startup Repairs and it won't Repair, browse in with the rescue disk to see if you can rescue your files. If so then you might want to try more of the steps in Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Boot. If not you can skip to Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7
i might have used the move/resize partition command, but not sure exactly what - if any - steps were taken. this was when the issue originally happened....which was again very odd. computer was up and running, when i came back from my shower, i had an error on the screen and i have attached a snapshot of it.
so now that i've given you an update, how should i proceed with PW?
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