Solved Another Missing Bootmgr FUBAR

[boweasel]

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.

 

[seavixen32]

You could try the repair-install described in this tut:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

 

[boweasel]

You could try the repair-install described in this tut:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

From the link you just sent
You can only do a repair install from within Windows 7.

Since I can't get past the missing Bootmgr, I'm pretty much disqualified from doing a repair install from within Windows.

I do have an update... The circle finally stopped and brought up a box saying it was searching for Windows installations. Ultimately that box went away, and I chose Next even though there was no OS listed. Hitting next just made the Recovery box disappear, and now I have just the blue background that originally surrounded that box. No circle. Just the blue background.

Okay, now I got a box saying it wanted me to insert a disk that had an image I had created. I got out of it, since I never created such a disk, and was able to get to the 'Choose a Recovery Tool' screen.

Startup Repair said it could not fix the problem, and command prompt seems to be useless since I cannot get to any drive but F: - which is the DVD drive containg the Windows disk.

 

[Gabriel69]

try changing the channel of your boot drive in the bios, worked for me

 

[Ztruker]

Hard drive failure? Does the hard drive show up in BIOS Setup?

Try running the drive manufacturers diagnostic:

Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp.

[url="http://www.carrona.org/hddiag.html]HD Diagnostics[/url]

 

[boweasel]

Hard drive failure? Does the hard drive show up in BIOS Setup?

Try running the drive manufacturers diagnostic:

Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp.

HD Diagnostics

Yes, the HDD show up in the BIOS, but it fails the SMART Extended self-test. The complete text is
WDC WD3200AAJS-65M0A0.
Failed.
Completed with the read element of the test failed.

 

[boweasel]

try changing the channel of your boot drive in the bios, worked for me

If only I knew what that meant or how to do it....
In the Phoenix Bios Setup Utility I can change the boot order, but I see nothing about changing a channel.

 

[gregrocker]

Run the Extended HD test. It's possible it can repair the HD. Afterwards from the Repair command line run Disk Check with the /f flag.

If you regain some functionality, copy out your files immediately this way: Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console

Then boot again into Startup Repair, see if it finds an installation. If not from Command line run bootrec /fixmbr and bootrec /fixboot to try to jumpstart finding the installation. Then run Startup Repair.

Make sure HD is plugged into DISK0 with no other HD's or peripherals attached, set to boot after DVD drive in BIOS setup.

If Repairs fail you can try running full Factory Restore from partition or boot the Win7 DVD to clean reinstall. If it agrees, after reinstall test the HD and Disk Check again and frequently.

 

[boweasel]

Run the Extended HD test. It's possible it can repair the HD. Afterwards run

Uhhh, I must be misunderstanding you. I already posted this:
'... the HDD show up in the BIOS, but it fails the SMART Extended self-test. The complete text is
WDC WD3200AAJS-65M0A0.
Failed.
Completed with the read element of the test failed. '

Are you talking about some other diagnostic tool? Specifically one I download for Western Digital?

 

[boweasel]

Run the Extended HD test. It's possible it can repair the HD. Afterwards from the Repair command line run Disk Check with the /f flag.

If you regain some functionality, copy out your files immediately this way: Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console

Then boot again into Startup Repair, see if it finds an installation. If not from Command line run bootrec /fixmbr and bootrec /fixboot to try to jumpstart finding the installation. Then run Startup Repair.

Make sure HD is plugged into DISK0 with no other HD's or peripherals attached, set to boot after DVD drive in BIOS setup.

If Repairs fail you can try running full Factory Restore from partition or boot the Win7 DVD to clean reinstall. If it agrees, after reinstall test the HD and Disk Check again and frequently.

Greg,
Since it doesn't find any OS, I don't think it'll allow me to run a chkdsk, with or without the f parameter. I have to actually get to the drive that has Windows installed to run a chkdsk if I remember correctly. Since I can't get to any drive but the X: and F: (neither of which have Windows).

I did run a Seagate Hard drive diagnostic, which ran for a hour, found 13 errors, but corrected nothing. 'Course, this is a WD drive, not Seagate.

 

[gregrocker]

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.

 

[boweasel]

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?

 

[gregrocker]

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

 

[theog]

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

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello mate.


Have a look through the information in this tutorial linked below.

Clean Install : Factory COA Activation Key

​

 

[boweasel]

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?

 

[gregrocker]

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.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

You don't even have to burn an Installation DVD, have a look at this tutorial linked below.

Clean Install Windows 7 from the Windows 7 Desktop


​

 

[MarkAtHome]

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!