Bootmgr missing, won't boot from DVD drive

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  1. Posts : 9
    Windows 7 home premium x64
       #1

    Bootmgr missing, won't boot from DVD drive


    Hi, my father in laws PC started showing the message 'bootmgr is missing' after he installed something loaded with adware (binkiland land I think). I've created a few recovery discs that definitely work (I've tested them on my laptop which had the same version of windows 7) but the PC won't recognise them. I've checked the BIOS settings and changed the boot order but still no joy. The preinstalled repair manager runs after pressing F11 at startup but only gives the option to do a factory reset or scan the disc for errors and all the other repair options are greyed out. The scan option says the hard drive is fine but when I took it out and put it in an HDD enclosure I can't get it to work (it doesn't seem to turn one even tho the led on the enclosure lights up) Are there any other options for recovering the files from the hard drive before I run the factory rest and loose 6 years worth of holiday snaps :-(

    HP Pavilion p6300uk
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
      My Computer


  2. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #2

    I would try a Linux distro. Here is the one I made. Try that.

    Emergency Kit - save your files from a dead OS
      My Computer

  3.    #3

    Mainly because valuable files are at risk, I'm writing out everything I would do to get to them under the circumstances, at least one of which should work. Always back up your files as the HD can fail at any time.

    Your external enclosure might not be working correctly, so let's go with the HP Diagnostics which say the drive is OK. Can you install the laptop hard drive in another laptop to try rescuiing the files with a boot disk? Perhaps the Win7 repair disk will work on that PC, in which case you can Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console. You could even Adjust Win7 to boot on new hardware with Paragon Adaptive Restore CD for the purpose of repairing the install so it will start.

    Download, burn to CD with WIndows Image burner, Boot the HD Diagnostic extended CD scan
    which should autostart without user input.

    You could also boot Partition Wizard to Resize C Partition to make a space to do a rescue Clean Reinstall Windows 7 that will give access to your files on the other partition, provides all the steps to get and keep a perfect install. If you had to do this with the hard drive installed in another PC because you simply cannot get the Win7 disk to start, you'd at least be able to rescue your files, then use PW to delete all partitions which will force the Win7 installation disk to autostart in the HP.

    Make a bootable CD like was linked earlier or Paragon Rescue Kit Free Edition 11.0 Free to try to copy your files out to USB. If you can get the Win7 disk or Repair CD to boot on the HP then you can Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console

    If you can't boot a Repair disk then obtain the Win7 disk as discussed in Step 1 of Clean Reinstall Windows 7 to work through the steps for Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start.

    If disks continue to fail to boot, try resetting BIOS to defaults: Clear CMOS - 3 Ways to Clear the CMOS - Reset BIOS

    If you want to report back results on the various steps, we might come up with others. I know that unless the drive was completely bricked (which should show up in HP Diagnostics) I would get the files out if not repair the OS to boot. Then the consolation is you get an install that is tons better than the HP Factory install which is worst in the industry, as long as you stick with the steps, tools and methods in Clean Reinstall Windows 7 which has been used by over a million consumers without a single complaint or return with problems.
    Last edited by gregrocker; 18 Feb 2015 at 20:42.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 9
    Windows 7 home premium x64
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Thanks for the suggestions. I'll give them a try and post how I got on.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 9
    Windows 7 home premium x64
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Ok, so I've got an old XP machine and I've unhooked the cd drive and replaced it with the problem HD. When I boot the machine, it recognises the new HD and its partitions and has assigned them labels but the only folder visible in the main partition is 'rmtemp', which doesn't contain any data. Might this be something to do with incompatibility between the XP machine and how Win7 stores the files? I've also tried swapping the HDs but it refuses to boot from the CD still.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 13,576
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #6

    There`s no reason you shouldn`t see the files on the XP machine.

    But, I would put the drive back in the W7 machine, then install Linux Mint on a flash drive and boot from that, don`t install it just try Linux, it gives you the 2 options, Install or try. You should then be able to mount the W7 drive and explore it.

    Main Page - Linux Mint

    Universal USB Installer
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 9
    Windows 7 home premium x64
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Thanks. I was going to try putting the repair files on a USB but I couldn't find an option in BIOS to boot from USB. Is there a way to add it without upgrading BIOS?
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 13,576
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #8

    Are you saying you want to create a system repair disc, but put it on a usb drive ?

    Not sure if that`s possible.

    Why not just make the startup repair disc (CD)

    The bios might say boot from usb directly, it might say boot from another device or external device etc.

    Just use the 1 time boot menu key to bring up the boot menu then arrow down to the usb device.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 9
    Windows 7 home premium x64
    Thread Starter
       #9

    I'll try the Linux method but I just wasn't sure how to boot from the usb. Thanks.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 13,576
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #10

    I just made a Linux Mint 17.1 Cinnamon Edition usb stick using Rufus, took 5 minutes. Download the 32 or 64 bit version where it says Torrents, or try one of the HTTP mirrors, but I think the Torrent download is faster.

    The Linux Mint Blog » Blog Archive » Linux Mint 17.1

    https://rufus.akeo.ie/
      My Computer


 
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