CREATE MBR

[Brucemc]

Dear Forumers,
During the installation of my new computer somehow Windows 7 wrote the MBR to disc 1 instead of disc 0 where the Windows operating system resides. In as much as this is not a problem for me, disc 1 is now starting to show signs of failure. Chkdsk /f is unable to repair this disc and diagnostic software from Western Digital confirms that the drive is failing.
Now I need to write the MBR to disc 0.
I did come across a tutorial on how to create an MBR but for the life of me I can’t locate it. Any help in this regard would be appreciated in order that I get this right the first time.

 

[Maguscreed]

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/26193-convert-mbr-disk-gpt-disk.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/20864-mbr-restore-windows-7-master-boot-record.html

Those two links should be of assistance.

 

[rvbfan]

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/26193-convert-mbr-disk-gpt-disk.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/20864-mbr-restore-windows-7-master-boot-record.html

Those two links should be of assistance.

Just remember to unplug your failing drive when you fix the MBR.
Move your page file to the primary partition as well.
You can always move it back after.

 

[fafhrd]

You need to set Disk 0, partition 1 active then write the boot configuration data, fix the mbr and fix the bootsector and rewrite the BCD record

Here's the manual way it should be done, I think:

Boot from the Windows 7 DVD, SHIFT-F10 from the first menu to bring up a command prompt window
Type DISKPART
from the prompt:

DISKPART> select disk 0
Disk 0 is now the selected disk

DISKPART> select partition 1
Partition 1 is now the selected partition
DISKPART> active
Partition 1 is now active

Reboot, startup Windows 7 DVD again and at the Windows Recovery console, shift-F10 at the first dialog again.
Now for the Boot Sector:
The Windows installation is on C:\Windows on an active partition. There is no boot information, no master boot record (MBR) and no Boot Configuration Data (BCD.)
From the recovery command line prompt, type:
BCDBOOT c:\windows
Then
BOOTREC /FIXMBR
BOOTREC /FIXBOOT
BOOTREC /REBUILDBCD
reboot by typing SHUTDOWN /r
That should reboot you back to windows

 

[gregrocker]

As Win7 is already marked Active, just unplug DISK1, set Win7 HD as first HD to boot in BIOS setup (after DVD drive), boot the Win7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD to run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots until Win7 starts on its own. Startup Repair - Windows 7 Forums

Afterwards you can plug Disk1 back in to delete the 100mb partition in Disk Mgmt or using DIskpart "Force Delete override" command - just make sure it doesn't get set to boot first in BIOS.

 

[mjf]

I think you may be confusing the MBR with other things. This may help
http://www.sevenforums.com/software/139658-reflect-updates-3.html#post1207608
You have two options
a) Move the system reserved partition to drive 0
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/119151-system-reserved-create-using-disk-management.html
OR
b) Incorporate the booting functions in system reserved boot functions including the MBR into drive 0.

I suggest you go with b)
Simply:
1) Disconnect drive 1 (the one currently with system reserved)
2) Using the System Repair Boot disk run the System Repair (repair my computer) 3 times.

 

[Brucemc]

thanks all for the help. I will try this today and see if I can get this done. One thing I did notice yesterday was when I went t the repair/restore console on the Win7 DVD, my operating system was not reflecting.

 

[gregrocker]

If Win7 doesn't show up in the Repair Console, choose from Recovery Options to open a Command Line, type:

bootrec.exe /fixmbr
bootrec.exe /fixboot

Then boot back in to see if it can find the installation to run the Repairs.

While these commands are automated in Startup Repair along with all other boot repair commands, sometimes one or both of them is required to cause the OS to be discovered by the Repair console.

 

[Brucemc]

Thanks all for the help. All sorted and working

 

[Brucemc]

Thanks Gregrocker. I followed your suggestion and all is sorted

 

[gamemasterjd]

You need to set Disk 0, partition 1 active then write the boot configuration data, fix the mbr and fix the bootsector and rewrite the BCD record

Here's the manual way it should be done, I think:

Boot from the Windows 7 DVD, SHIFT-F10 from the first menu to bring up a command prompt window
Type DISKPART
from the prompt:

DISKPART> select disk 0
Disk 0 is now the selected disk

DISKPART> select partition 1
Partition 1 is now the selected partition
DISKPART> active
Partition 1 is now active

Reboot, startup Windows 7 DVD again and at the Windows Recovery console, shift-F10 at the first dialog again.
Now for the Boot Sector:
The Windows installation is on C:\Windows on an active partition. There is no boot information, no master boot record (MBR) and no Boot Configuration Data (BCD.)
From the recovery command line prompt, type:
BCDBOOT c:\windows
Then
BOOTREC /FIXMBR
BOOTREC /FIXBOOT
BOOTREC /REBUILDBCD
reboot by typing SHUTDOWN /r
That should reboot you back to windows

Literally created an account to say thank you. this fixed me. You are awesome.

 

[acryllium]

Thanks @fafhrd, worked with windows 10 x64

Literally created an account to say thank you. this fixed me. You are awesome.

Haha, same!