Boot Problem

[Bassman212]

I have 3 systems loaded on my computer. I started with Win XP and later added Ubuntu. I recently added Win 7 (64 bit ) on a seperate hard drive and had the choice of booting any system.
Now the problem.
Everything worked fine for 2 months and then when I started my computer, I got the message, "Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in select boot device". I loaded the Win 7 disk and did the repair several times. It then stated "The partition table does not have a valid system partition". It also stated that it repaired it but came back with the same error each time I tried to re-boot.
Can anything be done so I don't have to install again and lose all my data?

 

[richc46]

go to search from administrators account

type cmd

in cmd type sfc /scannow

Let us know

then you can try this from an adminisrators account

in cmd type Fixmbr /Device /HardDisk0

Before you try anything be sure to have an image of your HD.

 

[Bassman212]

I'm sorry but I'm not sure what you mean. I can get to the system repair and into dos. Is that what you mean? How do I connect as Administrator? Thanks

 

[richc46]

I forgot to mention, Try using safe mode. Then see if you can follow any of the instructions.

 

[Bassman212]

I can't get into windows load. It is wanting to know what system to use and I don't have a choice.

 

[Saltgrass]

Do you know of anything that might have messed up your boot? Did you change anything or add another drive or anything that might have messed up your boot sequence?

Please don't start doing random things to fix this, give us some time to fix iit,

It sounds like something changed that messed up your boot files. Maybe some update changed what was working. Did you change the disk priority in the bios or change the disk connections, or add another drive?

 

[richc46]

If you can install the windows dvd, I can tell you how to fix the MBR.

 

[gregrocker]

What messed up the boot is likely GRUB.

It needs to be uninstalled before Win7 is installed and then reinstalled to manage the boot.

“How to” Dual boot Ubuntu and Windows 7 (Ubuntu installed first) - Ubuntu Forums

 

[Bassman212]

What messed up the boot is likely GRUB.

It needs to be uninstalled before Win7 is installed and then reinstalled to manage the boot.

“How to” Dual boot Ubuntu and Windows 7 (Ubuntu installed first) - Ubuntu Forums

I didn't do anything to cause it. It worked the night before and no changes were made. I just checked email.
At least I'm learning Windows 7. Not the way that I wanted to. I have already tried creating a new BCD and it didn't help. I've done the MBR things too. No luck there either. I have decided that it is the Grub that was doing the boot and somehow it quit working. I amy in the process of formating another drive and I am going to put another install of Win 7 on it and then move my files off of the other drive unless I can get to it and fix it from windows.
Any suggestions?
Thanks

 

[SIW2]

Make sure the partition containing the windows boot critical files is marked active.

Use a bootable partition manager , or the command prompt with Diskpart.

 

[gregrocker]

“How to” Dual boot Ubuntu and Windows 7 (Ubuntu installed first) - Ubuntu Forums

Any suggestions?

Follow the tutorial.

Wipe the GRUB partition first with DBAN.

 

[Bassman212]

“How to” Dual boot Ubuntu and Windows 7 (Ubuntu installed first) - Ubuntu Forums

Any suggestions?

Follow the tutorial.

Wipe the GRUB partition first with DBAN.

I couldn't load the system on the other drive after formating. Should I use DEBAN on it first and then format? I had used it before with Ubuntu.

Is there some way of getting my Win 7 system to run from dos bypassing the boot loader?

Will DEBAN let me select which drive? I don't want to erase the wrong drive.

Thanks

 

[gregrocker]

Bassman -

Can you get a second HD? Then your problems are gone since there is no need for a Dual boot manager.

Set the preferred HD to boot first in BIOS, then when you want to boot the other use the Boot Menu F-key to trigger it.

No GRUB, no grief.

 

[Bassman212]

Bassman -

Can you get a second HD? Then your problems are gone since there is no need for a Dual boot manager.

Set the preferred HD to boot first in BIOS, then when you want to boot the other use the Boot Menu F-key to trigger it.

No GRUB, no grief.

You're right. I got a second drive that's got 2 partitions on it and I tried to load my Win7 64bit on it and it won't load. I think it stated that it couldn't load on a dynamic partition.
Do you know the dos command to format it for 64bit and wipe it totally?

 

[gregrocker]

You can delete and format by booting Win7 DVD to Custom install with Drive Options to delete all, create New partition(s) as you wish, then format before install. It will offer you the 100mb System reserved boot/repair partition to hold the MBR and put Repair console available at F8 at bootup. If you dont' want that, then preformat this way:

Boot Win7 DVD>Repair console>Recovery tools, open Command Line, type:

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK # (for Windows 7 disk)
clean
create partition primary
select partition 1
assign letter=c: (or whichever letter you want it)
active
format
exit

Remember to unplug the Ubuntu drive during install so both HD's remain fully independent booted only throught BIOS boot order or BIOS Boot Menu shortcut key.

Others can check this over since I do not use Ubuntu but know this works well for Windows dual boots where you want to keep the HD's totally independent.

 

[Bassman212]

You can delete and format by booting Win7 DVD to Custom install with Drive Options to delete all, create New partition(s) as you wish, then format before install. It will offer you the 100mb System reserved boot/repair partition to hold the MBR and put Repair console available at F8 at bootup. If you dont' want that, then preformat this way:

Boot Win7 DVD>Repair console>Recovery tools, open Command Line, type:

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK # (for Windows 7 disk)
clean
create partition primary
select partition 1
assign letter=c: (or whichever letter you want it)
active
format
exit

Remember to unplug the Ubuntu drive during install so both HD's remain fully independent booted only throught BIOS boot order or BIOS Boot Menu shortcut key.

Others can check this over since I do not use Ubuntu but know this works well for Windows dual boots where you want to keep the HD's totally independent.

The second hardrive that I have has had Ubuntu installed on it and for that reason, I couldn't get windows to install on it. It said that it was a Dynamic drive and that it couldn't use it. It would not let me format it or do anything to it.

By going to dos and following your instructions, I was able to clean and format it. Windows was then able to install on it. I am now in the process of transfering all the files from my other disk drive and when finished, I will format it again and be back to normal.

I hope that my experience with this will help otherw and I appreciate the support that you have given me. You are the only one that actually answered what I asked and didn't presume that if I was on here that I must be able to access windows and gave me windows commands. You did what I been trying to do for 4 days. I can't think you enough.
Thanks again

 

[gregrocker]

Glad it helped.

Google will assure it helps others too because of the Ubuntu dual boot references throughout.