can't recover the MBR after starting factory restore and erasing linux


  1. Posts : 3
    Windows 7 Starter 32bit
       #1

    can't recover the MBR after starting factory restore and erasing linux


    Hello there

    I have a net book accer with Windows 7 starter which I bought in Italy while I was there.
    Since I'm not a windows user, I instaled ubuntu on it but kept windows because this netbook isn't stay with me.

    So once I came back I start the recovery proccess. But, surprisingly for me, the recovery didn't rewrote the MBR and now I'm unable to continue it.

    Since it is a netbook, it doesn't had a opctical drive neither I had any instalation disk.
    I've tried to recovery it with a pen drive with recover console for win xp, to no results.
    fixmbr and fixboot didn't work. It say the proccess was successful but at the restart the grub recover continue to show.

    So, I'm without option but to try and put a Lilo just to make it boot to windows, but I don't want such 'by-pass' solution.

    Any clues?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 11,408
    ME/XP/Vista/Win7
       #2

       Information
    We always assume you have made your Recovery Disks using the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Media Creator app the first day you had your new PC.
    & made the Startup Repair CD.
    startup repair disc-create


    Did you make the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Disks?


    can't recover the MBR after starting factory restore and erasing linux-capture-usb.png
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 3
    Windows 7 Starter 32bit
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Nops, never did any recovery disk. Besides, the only media I had was a 1gb pen drive I used to install linux later. So even if I had it would be erased.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 11,408
    ME/XP/Vista/Win7
       #4

    All Linux code must be deleted using the CLEAN ALL command.As you have had linux on the HD you need do a Clean all & full format.

    Type in command line
    DISKPART
    LIST DISK
    SELECT DISK # (win HD)
    CLEAN ALL
    CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY
    SELECT PARTITION 1
    ACTIVE
    FORMAT fs=NTFS
    ASSIGN
    EXIT
    EXIT
    SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation
      My Computer

  5.    #5

    First try tapping F8 key at boot to see if you have System Recovery Options on the Advanced Boot Options menu. If so boot into Command Prompt to mark Win7 partition Active using Diskpart: Partition - Mark as Active (Method Two)

    Next run Startup Repair repeatedly up to 3 separate times to write the System Boot files to Win7.

    If no Repair console on F8 menu, you'll need to find a Win7 Repair CD ISO to try writing to flash stick using WinToFlash, order your Acer Recovery Disks from Tech Support with help to write to flash stick, or locate Win7 starter version ISO to write to 4gb flash stick to use for Repairs or possible reinstall using Universal USB Installer .

    Before booting Recovery or Installation stick to reinstall, use Theog's link to wipe the HD of GRUB corruption as this may block all repair attempts anyway.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 3
    Windows 7 Starter 32bit
    Thread Starter
       #6

    After contacting (without any good) Acer support I finally managed to solve the problem, using RescaTux (here if anyone would need it in the future Rescatux - Super Grub Disk) plus TestDisk (sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install testdisk).

    But this problem was really awkward. I had a notebook with Windows Vista which once had dual boot with Ubuntu, when I did factory restore on it, it resized the partitions and rewrote the MBR) but with Windows 7 was different. It remove two logical partition, kept the extended and swap and did not rewrote the MBR.

    Anyway, the problem was solved. So thank you everybody for your support.
      My Computer


 

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