Another Missing Bootmgr FUBAR

Have you tried Data Lifeguard DOS download burned to CD with ImgBurn at 4x speed? HD Diagnostic

Some have had probs with the download lately so if necessary I can briefly upload GWScan which is a better version of Lifeguard.

You can run Disk Check from command line if it will see the HD. Check with Diskpart List Disk command. DiskPart Command-Line Options

This of course is dependent upon whether you want to try to repair the HD, perhaps enough to copy the files off. You might just want to chuck it and reinstall to new HD, or a nice new SSD for real performance gain.

gregrocker said:

Have you tried Data Lifeguard DOS download burned to CD with ImgBurn at 4x speed? HD Diagnostic

Some have had probs with the download lately so if necessary I can briefly upload GWScan which is a better version of Lifeguard.

You can run Disk Check from command line if it will see the HD. Check with Diskpart List Disk command. DiskPart Command-Line Options

This of course is dependent upon whether you want to try to repair the HD, perhaps enough to copy the files off. You might just want to chuck it and reinstall to new HD, or a nice new SSD for real performance gain.

I dunno... The fact that

1. I see that Western Digital Diagnostics are pretty much the same as Seagate
2. It failed the Seagate Diagnostic and was unable to repair
3. When I just tried to install Win 7 (from an ISO CD I'd downloaded) it just hung on the setup is starting screen

That's all making me think that the HDD is done for. Everything's already been backed up, so maybe I should stiop wasting time and just install a new drive.

Will I be able to use the Windows 7 ISO disk to reinstall the OS on an HP machine? Will the product key work?

Yes, you can install the same licensed version from a Win7 retail installer using the Product Key on COA sticker.

Follow these steps to get a perfect clean reinstall of factory OEM: Reinstalling Windows 7

I would replace the HD.

How to make HP Recovery DVD disks:
Recover Windows Vista Operating System Using HP Recovery - HP Customer Care (United States - English)

How to make HP Recovery USB disk:
Creating a Recovery Disk on a USB Flash Disk HP Pavilion dv6700z CTO Entertainment Notebook PC - HP Customer Care (United States - English)

or
You can Order HP Recovery Disks from here:
Compaq Mini CQ10-500 PC series - HP Notebook PCs - Order Recovery Discs for Windows 7, Vista, or XP - c00810334 - HP Business Support Center

Would truly LOVE to close this thread and mark it 'Solved'. But I've got about 4 Windows Seven Forum tasks open

• Getting a Perfect Reinstall of Factory OEM
• Clean Install : Factory COA Activation Key
• How to Create a Windows 7 Universal Installation Disc
  
• Extract an ISO File to the Windows Desktop
  

and I'm confused. Do I need to do any of this stuff? I have a downloaded ISO disk of Windows 7 Home Premium, and an HP PC with a Windows 7 Home Premium COA.

I'm also confused by the instructions under the Windows 7 Universal Installation Disc

1. WAIK (Windows Automation Installation Kit) Download WAIK
2. Windows Windows 7 x86 and Windows Windows 7 x64 DVDs.

I have one Windows 7 disk, not 2. What does it mean?

Everything you need is here: Perfect Reinstall

You shouldn't need to make a Universal Installation disk if you have the same-version ISO as on your COA sticker.

Just burn it to DVD using ImgBurn at 4x speed.

But all of that is in my perfect install steps above.

Feel free to ask back any other questions.

boweasel said:

When starting the Win 7 PC I get the Bootmgr is missing. Press ctl, yadda, yadda, yadda.

It's an HP Pavilion All in One machine, and I can't get the F11 for restore or F9 for Diagnostics to work - it just ignores my input and gives me the bootmgr msg.

When I boot using a Windows 7 CD and select repair it takes me to the System Recovery Options screen, but no OS is listed, and as soon as I move the mouse pointer inside the box (to select Next or Load drivers), I get the little blue circle rotating clockwise. It's been rotating this last time for over an hour. I keep trying, expecting a different result (is that not the definition of 'insanity'?), but it never varies - no Operating System, and it won't let me do anything but press the power button.

There are a couple of things you might wish to try.

If you can get to the command prompt from the booted DVD, launch DISKPART. When that is finished loading, issue LIST VOLUME and it will show you all volumes that it finds in your PC.

DISKPART is very powerful, so make friends with issuing HELP inside its environment. You will find many command to use, and HELP will work with each sub-command.

The second suggestion is to create, on another PC, a LiveCD which contains both GParted and TestDisk.

They are both very powerful in their own rights.

Info/How-to for TestDisk: TestDisk - CGSecurity
GParted info: GParted -- About
Create a bootable Live GParted CD that also has TestDisk (right-click on CD's desktop to find TestDisk) GParted -- Live CD/USB/PXE/HD

Good luck!