Windows repair disk: Invalid SO version.

[Seymour Kelburn]

Hi.

Scoring high for the "Rash of the Year" award, I started my laptop in RAID mode with the AHCI formatted system disk inside. And I did that BEFORE creating a Windows Repair Disk. Oh, yeah

So now I have a well earned "An error occurred while attempting to read the boot configuration data File: \Boot\BCD"

I need a Repair Disk to rebuild the BCD, but an istallation disk is fine too. I borrowed a Win 7 Home Premium x64 SP1 , the latest version I'll find here. Boots OK, but the recovery environment refuses to load saying "disk version not compatible" with OS. ?¿?¿

I tried other tools, different bootable recovery suites (Hiren's, Acronis,Disk Director, LiveBoot) but none of them had a BCD rebuild tool. At this point I learned my ASUS came with a GPT formatted disk. In fact, it's the first time I've heard of GPT. ¿Goodbye MBR?

So I finally went to ASUS support website to buy a Repair Disk specific for my model. You can buy them from ASUS if you are so %&$(/& to tweak your disks without burning yourself one.

The ASUS Shop app rejects my serial number... so I post a message to Asus support to see what happens and their answer is threre´s no repair disk available for my model I can't believe this.

So, questions:

What Windows version install / repair disk do I need to run Recovery Options in this laptop/SO?
It's a brand new ASUS G75VW, with Windows 7 Home Premium x64. Anyone out there have one like mine to tell me the exact version?

Any other suggestion to rebuild my BCD file? I think getting a proper Repair Disk is the easiest and safest, but who knnows.

The only idea I have now is to
- copy all partitions to another hard disk
- convert it to MBR, then back to GPT,
-Replicate the previous partiton structure
Install Windows
- and then dump all the partitions back.

Any better idea?


IMPORTANT Note: Al partitions and files in the hard disk are intact. Booting WindowsPE from a USB i can browse, read and write. If I can extract any file, info, evecutable if it helps.

Thanks in advance and my apologies for such a long and weird first post.

Ignacio

 

[theog]

The ASUS Shop app rejects my serial number... so I post a message to Asus support to see what happens and their answer is threre´s no repair disk available for my model I can't believe this.

You can make the Start up Repair from Windows.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html

From ASUS you would order the ASUS OEM manufacturer's Recovery DVD's.

I borrowed a Win 7 Home Premium x64 SP1 , the latest version

At this point I learned my ASUS came with a GPT formatted disk. In fact, it's the first time I've heard of GPT

Are you booting the disk in UEFI mode?

 

[AddRAM]

You probably need a non SP1 version.

 

[Seymour Kelburn]

You can make the Start up Repair from Windows.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html

Yes, that's what I should have done before trashing the BCD. No Windows now.

But I have that system partition intact, and access to all the files. I'm wondering how could I get info from there to figure what exact repair disk version he needs.

Tried with a repair disk creataed in another laptop with (apparently) the same SO version. Useless.
Tried with three different stages Win7 Instalation disk, with and without SP1, to use the embedded recovery options. Useless too.

From ASUS you would order the ASUS OEM manufacturer's Recovery DVD's.

I did, but their web rejected my order, and they told me it's because there is no Recovery DVD for this model. This was yesterday, still waiting for more feedback or explanations from ASUS support on this point.

Are you booting the disk in UEFI mode?

I only have that option for DVD / USB booting, and not always. Depending on the boot media I use, some times I can choose, at BIOS boot menu, UEFI / Non UEFI boot. Don't know what makes the difference, actually. I'm using NON UEFI by default. is this OK?


Thanks for your answer!

 

[Seymour Kelburn]

You probably need a non SP1 version.

If tried three different Instalation disks, with and without SP1.

I'm afraid this must be a deeply customized OEM version by ASUS, as this is one of their "High end" machines.

Thank you, AddRAM

 

[Seymour Kelburn]

May be this workaround:

- Backup all partitions to external HD
- Convert the disk from GPT to MBR, then back to GPT (all partitions are los)
- Replicate the original partition structure
- Install win7 in his partition, so boot system is regenerated.
- Dump back original partitions, system included, overwriting the previous install.

Sounds ok to you?

 

[Seymour Kelburn]

I decided to go straight

1 Backup all partitions.
2 install a new Win7 64 SP1 on partition C: This restores BCD, but overwrites old installation.
3 Restore partition c: from revious backup.

BUT

At step 2, the install programs stops asking for controllers to access my hard disk.

This must be so because it's a GPT partitioned hard disk. Ive used the same Win7 USB on the same laptop with a MBR disc with no controllers issue.

And surely this is why no Windows Repair/instalation disc can handle with my sistem and the all say "invalid SO version".

I have three different USB sticks tha can boot and have perfect access to my hard disk. (Acronis DIsk Director, Acronis True Image and Wondershare LiveBoot. I've searched on those USB's the drivers they use, but cant find any. What to search for? Threre's no "drivers" folder. In fact, there are so few files there, i bet all drivers must be integrated on a compressed file or something so.

Any suggestion?

 

[theog]

Use a UEFI mode DVD/USB.

UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows

 

[Seymour Kelburn]

Use a UEFI mode DVD/USB.

UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows

It worked! I love your five-words posts.

THEOG RULES!

RUFUS RULES!!

Overflow of thanks from Spain.


PS: I'll send the solution to ASUS support, they might like to know... ( ;