Missing Boot Manager can't be repaired – How to, please.

Thank you very much for the feedback.

I just found SIW2's post. I'll do it soon, but I would like to ask if it wouldn't be better to delete all files on the Windows 7 root and also the BCD files in the Boot directory.

Let me tell you something not exactly related with this issue, but its undirect cause. Before XP there was nothing easier than working with the registry; we could even wipe it all in Regedit by just deleteing each hive, import a full backed one and reboot. After XP it became so difficult that I simplt gave up using registry backups. Now, I just use the registry for very little and simple trticks or replacing some sections with other previously saved settings that are long do set or else. That is why I used to make registry backups reguralarly but I don't have any now. I had already found the recommended tutorial. It is excellent, as Bare Foot Kid says, but I just can't use it without the *.reg files, and as Windows 7 doesn't boot I couldn't import the files with any of that ways if I had them. Like with many other things with Windows, changing the simple way we could manage the registry was very silly because there are other ways to protect the registry.

When SIW2 spoke about replacing the files, I remembered having read about that years ago, shortly after XP appeared, but didn't do anything as I just said. Reading him, I thought that following his guide lines I could do it without problem, but then I found that either three of the required files were missing or they were not necessary and I expected clarification before proceding.
I was just typing on Winword when tthe screen turned black, the computer suddently stopped responding and the red light stayed on, nothing changing after rebooting. I had to clear the BIOS to make it reboot, but Windows didn't even got to the logo. As I have over 100 programs installed and configured, reinstalling the OS means ove one month work.

It is easy to notice that the OS is very close to boot now, and any helping suggestion will be very welcome and tried out.

I replaced the config files, I did the repair for three times with the DVD, and then tried to boot Windows 7, but no way, very disappointing.

The only diference is that after trying to start Win7 the config files that I had replaced and were dated form September 25 and August 8 (SAM only) were now dated with tomorrows date, November 1!

Anyway, it could be from here, but it doesn't seem. When I tried to repair with Win7 DVD the repair log kept mentioning the same old lines:

Root cause found:
Boot status indicates that the OS booted successfully. (Not true)
and
Root cause found:
Unexpected changes to system configuration might have caused the problem.

Very disappointing.

Alright, let me see if I can get some clarification here.

You are dual booting windows 7 and XP, with the XP drive as the boot drive (and the XP bootloader?).

Can you describe exactly what happens when you just try to boot normally?

~Lordbob

I think there are multiple points in your descriptions of attempted repairs - starting with using Vista Boot Pro which is so outdated the correct Windows 7 tool EasyBCD 2.0 is something like nine generations older - that missteps were made that cannot be undone now in the aggregate.

Had you asked for help before running these random assorted repairs we could have walked you through the standard repairs that will normally recover a Dual Boot that hasn't been jumbled too badly.

Now you are getting errors and results commonly seen when things have been hashed up too badly to repair.

Maybe SIW2, LordJim or someone else can think of something to try but I have given you the fixes which should repair it if is reparable, and cannot make much sense out of the rambling responses.

I would try to boot XP CD to see if you can do a Repair Install to salvage it, then boot it separately from reinstalled Win7 via BIOS. http://pcsupport.about.com/od/operat...txprepair1.htm Be sure to unplug it during Win7 reinstall.

What happens if you unplug the backup and XP drive and boot?
What if you just plug in the XP drive?

As Greg says, can you see the files on the Seven drive with XP? If not, could you grab a Ubuntu live CD and look from there?
If you can get any information off of it, that would be good.

~Lordbob

gregrocker

Every time I use the Win7 DVD (for the Win7 OS, of course) I have to load drivers because, as I have not enough motherboard sockets for my older drives (3 HDDs + CD + DVD = 5) I had to connect two HDDs through an adapter. Because of this I have to go through the Load drivers step, but I never thought it would be possible to use copy and paste there. That is a wonderful possibility and bews for me, and because we can also rename folders there, it makes Lordbob's tutorial about using Windows.old much easier. Thanks for the tip that I may well use if I can't repair the booting issue. I am awaiting for his opinion.

I take the opportunity to ask a question about installation, if you don't mind.

I have this configuration as you know:

Disk # . . Size . . . . . [Name] . . . . . . . . . . . [Mounted type]
-------- . ----------- . ---------- . . . . . . . . . . -------------------
Disk 0 . . 112 GB . . . Windows 7 . . . . . . . . .ATA on adapter
Disk 1 . . . 72 GB . . . Backup . . . No OS . . . ATA on adapter
Disk 2 . . 963 GB . . . Windows XP & Base . . SATA3 directly to MBoard

How do I keep the same configuration if I reinstall, but locate the MBR on Disk 0 instead of Disk 2 as it is now? Can this be done installing XP first or must I install Win7 before? (Disk 2 is the only one directly plugged to the motherboard, not through the adapter.)

Neophile said:

Lordbob

Lordbob75 said:

What happens if you unplug the backup and XP drive and boot?

After the shrinking/growing logo it reboots right away by itself. Does not finish booting. The Bacup (Disk 1) is a "dead drive" with no OS and no files on the root.

Lordbob75 said:

What if you just plug in the XP drive?

With either the XP alone or all drives plugged in it boots on XP correctly. This is as it became and stayed after the issue described on my first post.

Lordbob75 said:

As Greg says, can you see the files on the Seven drive with XP? If not, could you grab a Ubuntu live CD and look from there?
If you can get any information off of it, that would be good.

Yes, they are all there, I can see everything just as if all were normal and no issue. I can read and write on all disks (I have replaced the System32\config files on Win7 as suggested by SIW2). The only problem is the boot that doesn't complete.

Ah. Ok, at least we know sort of what the problem is.

Unfortunately, this would be very easy to fix with an upgrade install, but you want to keep your programs and settings.

Could you unplug all but the Seven hard drive, and then run startup repair?
Perhaps you could reinstall the bootloader onto the Seven harddrive?

~Lordbob