Vista boot problems

Kennysevenfold · 11 Jul 2009 at 20:22

hi, got xp on one drive (default load drive) and vista on another

went into boot choice today to load up vista for my games and got the error

MBR missing

i have tried running the repair process from booting from my vista install disk but nothing.

what shall i do.?

the last time this happened i just reinstalled vista, but cant really affort to this time.

Thanks

dk345 · 11 Jul 2009 at 20:27

Had something very similar happen to me a few days ago. Tried the repair and start-up repair from the boot disc, ended up thinking I'd need a reinstall.

One last Google attempt lead me here though:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392

Using a combination of /FixBoot and /FixMBR, my problems were solved. I'd give this a go before reinstalling.

DK

Kennysevenfold · 11 Jul 2009 at 20:28

dk345 said:
Had something very similar happen to me a few days ago. Tried the repair and start-up repair from the boot disc, ended up thinking I'd need a reinstall.

One last Google attempt lead me here though:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392

Using a combination of /FixBoot and /FixMBR, my problems were solved. I'd give this a go before reinstalling.

DK

Cheers mate, shall go have a go and let you know how i got on

Kennysevenfold · 11 Jul 2009 at 20:54

Ahh ok, done both of them, not getting the error NTLDR missing

anything.?

dk345 · 11 Jul 2009 at 21:03

Ah.

This seems to be a problem because of both XP and Vista dual booting.

Did you try rebooting and then running the same commands again in Vista recovery, specifically the FixBoot command?

The reason I'm saying try FixBoot again is because NTLDR is the XP boot loader, the new one with Vista is Bootmanger or something like that. This should take default and supports both XP and Vista. NTLDR only likes XP, so it can't see your Vista install. I would try the FixBoot again, if you haven't already.

DK

Kennysevenfold · 11 Jul 2009 at 21:15

Hi, the thing is, when i set the vista hard drive to the default one, and have the vista install disk in the computer but dont press any button on startup to run from it, vista loads fine, i just get that message when the install disk is not in the dvd drive wtf.?

Edit:

on the xp drive under System properties - advanced - start up and recovery - default OS - NOTHING

and if i click edit it opens boot loader in notebook but all it says is

"[boot loader]
timeout=30"

dk345 · 11 Jul 2009 at 21:28

Ohhhh, I see.

Well, that is pretty strange and is straying out of my relatively small comfort zone. I'll have a think and see if I can come up with anything else, sorry I can't be of much help.

DK

Kennysevenfold · 11 Jul 2009 at 21:51

Thanks mate

Umm done a restart, and now in xp i have this under msconfig - boot.ini tab

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Pro" /fastdetect

dk345 · 11 Jul 2009 at 22:15

Hmm.

The XP bootloader isn't seeing your Vista installation at all, but even though it's on a different drive it should still be there. Have you tried seeing what boot.ini says in Vista?

Kennysevenfold · 11 Jul 2009 at 22:17

dk345 said:
Hmm.

The XP bootloader isn't seeing your Vista installation at all, but even though it's on a different drive it should still be there. Have you tried seeing what boot.ini says in Vista?

i don't actually think the vista one was ever there mate.

as they are on 2 different hard drives, not dual booted.

dk345 · 11 Jul 2009 at 22:30

Well, the way I understood it was that even if they were on separate hard drives, they'd still be there, but I'm probably wrong. I've had a long day at work and not really thinking straight, so sorry if I've not been much help at all. But, again, if there are any strokes of genius... I'll be back here...

This is when hopefully someone much more experienced will come and save the day....