Bootmgr is missing...

Hi.

My problem is similar, yet different.
I also have message "Bootmgr is missing ..." but:

Let me start from the beginning:

I work on Dell Inspiron 14z which has 500GB HDD + 32GB SSD and they work in some kind of RAID or sth like that with DELL's software which moves mostly used software to that SDD.

Yesterday I wanted to install Linux Mint 16 to take a look at it.

I went into Manage Drives in Windows 7 resized my partition to get around 30 GB of unallocated space (I had a bit over 100GB of free space) and saved it. Than I clicked few other things there after not being able to see the unallocated space under Linux installation. One of things I remember clicking on was Set as Active my main partition (C: ).

After that:
- I get the "Bootmgr is missing..." message
- in BIOS I can see both drives with correct sizes (HDD and SDD)
- under Linux Live CD I see those drives as well, although I can only access the HDD (but I see 3 partitions there: DellUtility, RECOVERY, System)
- when I run Windows 7 x64 from bootable USB I do not see any drives - not when I enter Repair mode and not when I enter Install mode
- when I run Diskpart it can not see any drive neither

Any ideas?

EDIT:
Here's how the drives look like under linux (attachments)

Your system reserved partition has to be set active, when you made c active, you botched it.

On Dells, the recovery partition is usually the active partition. That is a bit strange, but that's how all Dell systems I ever saw were set up.

However, your matter is complicared by Linux. The Linux bootloader (Grub) usually takes over and controls the Windows booting also. That has apparently not happened in your case.

Next time you want to test Mint, install it in a virtual partition. That is a lot easier, nothing bad can happen and it is a lot more fun to operate - see here.

In order to get you going again I suggest you set the recovery patrition as 'active'. For that you need the bootable CD of Partition Wizard.

Free download Magic Partition Manager Software, partition magic alternative, free partition magic, partition magic Windows 7 and server partition software - Partition Wizard Online (Last box on the webpage)

How to Set Active/Inactive partition with partition magic? Partition Wizard Video Help.

Then get rid of Linux in the bootloader. You may try this but I am not sure whether that will remove the Grub in your case.

Dual Boot - Delete a OS

You can assume that your bootmgr is on the recovery partition.

I don`t think he ever got the chance to install Linux Wolfgang, he`s running off the cd there.

AddRAM said:

I don`t think he ever got the chance to install Linux Wolfgang, he`s running off the cd there.

But something messed his bootloader up. I wonder from where he got that message to set the C partition active. That is his main problem. It has to be the recovery partition. Dell is odd.

Well If his recovery partition is supposed to be set active instead of C, as you said, wouldn`t it cause the message, or would he just have to run startup repair ?

He can set it active with the Partition Wizard CD. But if the bootmgr is defunct, he has to run startup/repair 3 times and reboot each time. First though I would see whether the system boots after activating the recovery partition.

Greg, this is a Dell. The bootmgr is on the recovery partition.

Hi guys, thanks for Your input.

@whs
I will try today evening (I have a long day today -> work+school) with Partition Wizard as You had suggested and come back with feedback how it went.

@gregrocker
I was trying to do this 3 times repair thingy yesterday but the funny stuff is when I enter Diskpart and go with "list disk", I get message saing that there are no fixed disks or sth like that.

EDIT: I came back home so late yesterday that I didn't have any energy left to fight with this problem ;-)
I'll try it out today.