What annoys you?

[panais]

Emperor Panais of Antarctica?

Panais the Penguin is more like it!

Αcceptable

 

[noobvious]

Emperor Panais of Antarctica?

Panais the Penguin is more like it!

 

[gregrocker]

How many thousands of boot repairs do we need to do before badged members who help in these threads pick up the basic steps?

When the System flag - which signifies where the boot files have been placed - is on a data partition it has been incorrectly derailed there during install or repairs, likely because it was the first partition marked Active. The installer or Startup Repair will (re)write the System boot files to the first Active partition.

To correct this, mark the Win7 partition (or it's System Reserved partition if it is present) Active in Disk Mgmt or using Diskpart: Partition - Mark as Active

Then to write the System boot files to the Active partition run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times until Win7 starts and holds the System Active flags.

If it will not mark Active it is likely a Logical partition which needs conversion to Primary first using Partition Wizard CD. PW also has a cool new feature on Disk tab to Rebuild MBR which may preclude the need to run Repairs x3.

If it will not repair it may have corruption requiring leaving it the way it is (wrong) or reinstall.

 

[zigzag3143]

Should I be annoyed that I have done 18 out of the last 20 analyses in the crashes and debugging forum?

Before anyone takes that personally, I want to say that I have the utmost respect for everyone who helps in that forum. Just venting a little...

Sorry about that.

But it seems that I'm rarely online when the waves of Crashes and Debugging posts come. I live in Australia which means I'm quite a few hours ahead of America. A fair amount of Windows 7 users are American so if any American users post BSOD threads then I'll most likely be asleep (or busy). I might also note that Jan (JMH) is Aussie too but she's usually up late so it might not affect her as much as me.

I do try and post where I can though.

No problem. As I said, I was just looking to vent a little. I wasn't really mad at anyone; I was feeling the pressure of helping for so many hours straight. I appreciate all the work you do and understand the time difference. I imagine there are times when you still get quite a few threads from that part of the world or from night owls in the US.

Thanks for caring. Also, thank you for all you do to help on these forums.

Mike

You get used to the long hours and not knowing if they are fixed or not.

 

[JMH]

Sorry about that.

But it seems that I'm rarely online when the waves of Crashes and Debugging posts come. I live in Australia which means I'm quite a few hours ahead of America. A fair amount of Windows 7 users are American so if any American users post BSOD threads then I'll most likely be asleep (or busy). I might also note that Jan (JMH) is Aussie too but she's usually up late so it might not affect her as much as me.

I do try and post where I can though.

No problem. As I said, I was just looking to vent a little. I wasn't really mad at anyone; I was feeling the pressure of helping for so many hours straight. I appreciate all the work you do and understand the time difference. I imagine there are times when you still get quite a few threads from that part of the world or from night owls in the US.

Thanks for caring. Also, thank you for all you do to help on these forums.

Mike

You get used to the long hours and not knowing if they are fixed or not.

Voluntary work at any Forum is just that.
We CHOOSE to do what we do.{ and one has to accept the consequences}

 

[Layback Bear]

Greg did I do this correct?

 

[gregrocker]

Spot on

We know that it's correct because System Active flags are together on the System Reserved partition which is meant to boot Win7, thereby confirming that's where the boot files reside.

The actual Boot label is on C to show us which OS is booted now.

Had the System flag been derailed to another partition, by marking SysReserved Active and running 3 Startup Repairs it should rewrite the System boot files there.

If you wanted to cut out the SysReserved partition, you could mark C Active and run the 3 Repairs and C would take the System Active flags and boot itself. But I wouldn't.

 

[chris1neji]

guilty of charge gregrocker,
Personally I know mine is wrong,
I will take care of it when it's time to install Windows 8.

 

[gregrocker]

No prob. What's important is that these fundamentals are remembered to help others.

 

[mjf]

I have to disagree that running system repair x3 is the only or best solution to a boot problem. I have had occasion where it got it's knickers in a knot and eventually (after a long time) came back with a "cannot repair this computer". If you know you want to fix boot files then I recommend the "bootrec" sequence first and when it works as it generally does, it's a very quick process.

 

[gregrocker]

Those of us who have worked intensely in this area here for years have evolved to use Startup Repair because it is less threatening to the average User than line commands which must often be tailored for each specific case, and it also screens for other problems at the same time since corruption is always a real possibility in these cases.

I did not say this is the only way, Michael, but simply am putting it forward as a Best Practice. I have not seen you working through these boot cases day after day, but always count on your oppo if I lift my head up out of the trenches for air or to share notes.

So feel free to put your line commands out there. I am always open minded and learning.

 

[mjf]

I have not seen you working through these boot cases day after day, but always count on your oppo if I lift my head up out of the trenches for air or to share notes.

Excuse me. I may not be as prolific poster as you but
1) Have given quite a bit of boot problem advice and know what I'm talking about
2) Fact: Startup Repair can fail
3) Your comment is offensive

 

[gregrocker]

Yes, I remember that you informed me last year that you are just as knowledgeable as I am. Fine by me.

Line commands can also fail. Most end consumers don't like using them.

What is offensive? Even before I finished my comment, I saw you in the thread and knew you'd object because you've never had a nice word to say to me or anyone else that I've seen. That's not offensive. That's predictable.

 

[Britton30]

When two respected and knowledgeable members argue about the same thing. Any Windows issue nearly always can be fixed in at least 2-3 ways, both work and are right.

 

[panais]

Emperor Panais of Antarctica?

Panais the Penguin is more like it!

:focus:

Flies,when i am ready to eat something very nice and a fly appears from nowhere.

 

[Jonathan_King]

I have to say I prefer having the OPs run Startup Repair because it is more foolproof, and, as Greg said, often addresses problems Bootrec commands alone won't solve.

2) Fact: Startup Repair can fail

True, but in my experience, when that is the case, the bootrec commands don't work either. After all, one of the first things the Startup Repair does is automatically run the Bootrec commands. Usually, when Startup Repair fails to write the boot files in the proper location, it's because the wrong drive is set to Active (which can be corrected with Diskpart).

Yet:

Any Windows issue nearly always can be fixed in at least 2-3 ways, both work and are right.

+1

Keep it civil guys.

 

[mjf]

Technical Civil Comment.

2) Fact: Startup Repair can fail

True, but in my experience, when that is the case, the bootrec commands don't work either.

Well I have recent practical experience were this wasn't the case.
I don't now what the sequence of automatic repairs the "Startup Repair" carries out.
My comment again was that I suggest using bootrec if your are quite sure that you simply need to move boot files around. Take it or leave it.

My comment was civil but I had the audacity to disagree with a one size fits all policy that was being put forward.

 

[Jonathan_King]

Without bothering to find links to the technical details of Startup Repair, I'll just say that this is the Chillout Room, where anyone with an internet connection can access.

 

[Layback Bear]

Mr King

 

[JMH]

mjf & gregrocker,

Opinions differ & there is more than one "road" to each destination.
There are times when we have to agree to disagree & move on.
Nothing is gained by personal remarks & imputing motives that may or may not exist.

A Forum divided is a Forum diminished.