Master Boot Record (MBR) is a type of boot sector popularized by the IBM Personal Computer. It consists of a sequence of 512 bytes located at the first sector of a data storage device such as a hard disk.
15
votes
6answers
81k views
boot Windows from GRUB rescue
This is my situation:
installed Ubuntu without a CD (using unetbootin)
dual boot installation (Windows XP+Ubuntu)
didn't like the installation and decided to boot into Windows and delete the Linux ...
11
votes
2answers
6k views
What are the differences between MBR vs GPT vs any other partition scheme?
Can anyone tell me what the main differences between i.e. MBR vs GPT or any other partition scheme are? Why would one choose one over the other?
I am not an expert but from new release of Mac OS X ...
11
votes
4answers
2k views
How do I restore my Master Boot Record?
I have installed Autocad 2011 trial on my system and then I found out that Autocad Changes the MBR. (see here)
Now I want to restore my MBR to before last time of installing autocad 2011 trial (in ...
8
votes
5answers
8k views
How to chain GRUB2 for Ubuntu 10.04 from Truecrypt & its bootloader (multi boot alongside Windows XP partition)?
I want Truecrypt to ask for password for Windows XP as usual but with the standard [ESC] option, on selecting that, i.e via Escape key, I want it to find the grub for the (unencrypted) Ubuntu install.
...
8
votes
4answers
15k views
What is hd0 and sda/sdb in Linux?
I'm completely new to Linux, and am using Ubuntu 10.04.
I'm confused when to use what (hdx,y) to represent which hard drive.
I have 2 hard drives, the first one is identified as /dev/sda (in Disk ...
7
votes
3answers
3k views
How do boot sectors and multiple drives works?
I don't fully understand the concept of a boot sector, I was hoping someone could clear this up for me.
If you have two hard drives, with an OS installed on each, does each drive have its own boot ...
7
votes
3answers
6k views
How do I create an MBR on a USB stick using DD command line tool
Okay I'm trying to create a BOOTABLE Windows7 image on a USB key from a Mac running Lion. My image is .iso format. I tried:
sudo dd if=/Users/myusername/Win7.iso of=/dev/disk1 bs=1m
And this ...
6
votes
7answers
9k views
Recovering damaged external hard disk by installing internally
I had a 1TB Western Digital (My book series) 3.5" USB3. One day, the SATA to USB3 converter board was damaged and has not worked since.
I decided to open the cover and use the HDD as an internal ...
6
votes
1answer
758 views
Remove Master Boot Code but leave Partition Table?
For testing purposes, I need to fidget with the MBR on a Windows7 test host: I'd like to remove the Master Boot Code but leave the Partition Table within.
Does the following Linux command do this, or ...
6
votes
1answer
5k views
New SSD, is the MBR broken? DISK BOOT FAILURE
I've been running Windows 7 on a WD 500gb SATA single drive, single partition setup for some time with no issues.
I've just installed a new Kingston V Series 64gb SSD and performed a clean install ...
6
votes
1answer
1k views
What needs updating when moving a bootable Windows 7 (or Vista) partition?
When I move a bootable NTFS partition with Windows on it to a different block offset, what needs updating to make it bootable again?
Background: I plan to write a program that performs the necessary ...
6
votes
3answers
6k views
Fixing windows MBR without Vista Recovery CD
I had Windows Vista + Ubuntu running on my system. I deleted the ubuntu partitions from Windows. However, when I start the system, GRUB throws up an Error 22 (missing partition) and does not let me ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
GRUB in MBR or Partition?
where should i install GRUB? MBR or Partition Boot Sector?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of each approach?
Also, if we install the GRUB in the Partition Boot Sector then how the boot ...
5
votes
5answers
8k views
Clone a Windows Installation to a 3TB Hard Drive; MBR to GPT
I have Windows 7 Professional 64-bit installed on my desktop. Unfortunately for me and my wallet my hard drive is failing. I have purchased a 3TB hard drive as a replacement for my current 2TB ...
5
votes
2answers
4k views
How to see if USB stick has MBR?
I have a USB stick supposed to be bootable, but the computer does not boot it. I suspect that there is no MBR (Master Boot Record).
How do I test if this is so, preferably from command line in ...
5
votes
3answers
180 views
Is it possible to have more than one MBR in a system?
To my understanding, an MBR on a single device (i.e. hard drive) outlines the primary partitions on that device as well as provides code that can be injected into it that points to the boot loader for ...
5
votes
1answer
1k views
MBR: How does BIOS decide if a drive is bootable or not?
While trying to answer this question on askubuntu: How do I Uninstall GRUB I read the Wikipedia article on MBR and also the perfect answer on a somewhat related question here on Superuser, however, ...
5
votes
2answers
5k views
How to scan and remove MBR viruses?
Once I read that the Windows 7 installation disc could clean an infected MBR. I also found an article that suggested one tool to scan the MBR for viruses. And I also read that one MBR virus could ...
5
votes
2answers
395 views
How can I move the boot sector to another drive?
When I installed Windows 7 on my new SSD it seems I messed some parts up during the partition selection, and now I have my system partition with the boot sector on another harddrive, and the boot ...
5
votes
3answers
1k views
Formatted C: from Windows 7 setup, now it won't even install
Help, I'm so confused. I did more or less what's been described here:
I formatted Vista and installed
Windows 7 over it. Problem is that I'm
now unable to boot
I'm installing Windows 7 on ...
5
votes
1answer
293 views
BSOD, MBR corrupt, tried to fix using Testdisk on Linux dual boot, now nothing works
The short story is I received a BSOD from a Windows program. I then couldn't boot Windows. My system is set up with GRUB to dual boot into CentOS, so I booted into CentOS and attempted to fix the MBR ...
4
votes
2answers
131 views
Make GRUB2 work installing Linux over OEM Win7
I bought an Acer laptop with Win7, and installed Linux Xubuntu as second OS. It says the GRUB was installed as well, but at the boot it keeps loading only windows. No grub screen at all.
What to do?
...
4
votes
3answers
539 views
Win8x64, after format/upgrade from Win7x86, “GPT Protective Partition” on secondary drive
I backed up all important data prior to formatting the C: drive, but I cannot read the backup drive after reinstalling Windows. More details provided after the screenshots.
Additionally
As you ...
4
votes
1answer
284 views
Half-installed Windows 7, how to restore Windows XP bootloader
I was going to install Windows 7 on my old pc, however I decided against it half way through the installation (just after first reboot) and I cancelled it. Then I worked out that I can press F8 then ...
4
votes
3answers
43 views
Dual booting Windows 2k3 Server and Linux MBR
I have Windows Server 2003 and Linux installed on one hard drive [on separate partitions]. My first partition is the linux boot partition, and maintains Grub. When I boot the Windows partition and ...
4
votes
1answer
7k views
How to import existing Linux partition into VirtualBox as guest?
I recently upgraded to Windows 7 (from Windows Vista). I assumed, unwisely, that because it was an upgrade it wouldn't need to screw around with the MBR. However, it apparently did, with the result ...
4
votes
2answers
474 views
Fix single entry from mbr [closed]
I use EasyBCD to manage my tripleboot of (1) Windows Server 2008 R2, (2) Windows 7 Professional and (3) Ubuntu Linux.
While trying to change the order of my boot menu I ended up losing the Windows ...
3
votes
3answers
3k views
Upgrading to UEFI / GPT / Windows 8
I've recently upgraded from Windows 7 / VMware to Windows8 / Hyper-V with my Dell M6600 and I'm really please with the result.
I admit though I like to run the latest stuff so I was wondering is ...
3
votes
3answers
195 views
Would a 7z archive and a copy of the MBR be a complete disk backup?
Consider a disk with a single NTFS C: partition and Windows installed on it.
If I were to make a 7z archive of the partition, and grab the MBR via some tool (then store it in a file), would this be a ...
3
votes
2answers
2k views
Extend Windows 7 partition to use free space before it
I have some unallocated space before my Windows 7 partition.
Can I move the Windows 7 partition so that the free space is after it instead than before it, and then extend the partition to use all ...
3
votes
3answers
926 views
Vista - wiped MBR and HEAD of disk - how to recover?
I did something incredibly stupid. I was trying to fix some booting issues with Vista and XP (this was a dual boot system with both OSes installed), and followed some advice online rather blindly and ...
3
votes
4answers
12k views
How do I install GRUB to a USB drive using Windows Vista?
I'm trying to build my recovery usb key drive. I'd like to use GRUB as my bootloader.
How do I install GRUB to my usb's MBR?
Lots of examples out there seem to expect I'm running Linux.
3
votes
1answer
2k views
Tool for checking boot sector / MBR?
I'm currently trying to recover a friends ATA100 hard drive, that suddenly started giving an 'ntldr not found' error. I've got it hooked up to a ATA->USB converter, and can read the contents.
Can ...
3
votes
2answers
5k views
2TB external drive, disk initialization: MBR or GPT
I just bought a new 2TB disk drive I plan to use as an external drive (connected via eSATA). When I started my computer it recognized the drive fine, but when I got into the Disk Management, a popup ...
3
votes
2answers
21k views
Restore Win 7 MBR without Recovery/Install Disc
Here is what I'm trying to do.
I'm trying to switch my Primary OS drive from a larger hard drive (1TB) to a smaller hard drive (64GB SSD). All my data only totals up to +/- 35GB, which should fit on ...
3
votes
1answer
108 views
Should I configure my New RAID5 Drives as MBR or GPT?
I have a new RAID-5 Setup on a Server here at work. I have just created the RAID-5, and its size is a little over 2.7 TB. Now, Iknow that MBR does not support anything over 2.2 TB, however, I have ...
3
votes
3answers
2k views
Grub2 MBR vs. Windows MBR
I have an HP system that came with Vista installed and also a hidden restore partition. I subsequently upgraded to Win7(32 bit) Ultimate, and from there to Win7 Pro. Now the hard drive is failing. ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
Restoring MBR, partition table, and boot sector of memory card without data loss (“USBC”)
Abstract
I have a FAT32 memory card that when inserted into a computer causes Windows to prompt to format it. The card is definitely not supposed to be blank and has a bunch of files on it.
Symptoms
...
3
votes
2answers
2k views
How to write to both GPT and MBR manually?
I have a big deal here. I have a MacBook with three partitions:
HFS partition for Mac OS X 10.6
NTFS partition for Windows 7 64-Bit
NTFS partition for my documents
It thus works with both GPT and ...
3
votes
2answers
263 views
MBR seems to be gone
So, horror story for everyone.
I bought two spanking new HDD's. MM!! Gbitage.
I removed all my old HDD's, physically labelled them, and was preparing to install all new HDD's (fresh sys install ...
3
votes
1answer
124 views
Why is my Windows 7 installation failing when a new bootable Linux drive is inserted?
Ok so I just got a new SSD for my laptop. I have installed Windows 7 on the SSD and can successfully boot into Windows 7.
I took the SSD out and put in the normal hard drive and installed Ubuntu onto ...
3
votes
0answers
722 views
Recover truecrypt partition without MBR + recovery disk?
I destroyed my mbr and have no truecrypt rescue disk. However, I do know my password and my encryption setup (e.g. hashing functions and ciphers used).
This happened after an upgrade to version 7.0a ...
2
votes
1answer
214 views
Which drive's MBR does the Windows 7 installer overwrite?
Is it the first drive listed? Or is it the drive the C:\ partition belongs to?
2
votes
3answers
166 views
Corrupted the hard drive after planned write of RAMDisk image to SD card went awry
I was trying to write a RAMDisk image to my SD card but unfortunately I wrote the image to my hard disk instead. The size of the RAMDisk image is about 7 MB (approximately 16000+ sectors) and it was ...
2
votes
2answers
3k views
Restore Windows XP MBR without Windows XP disc
Is there a clone of the windows recovery console for windows xp because I no longer have the disc to restore the MBR. I also need to be able to run this off a flash drive because my dvd reader is ...
2
votes
3answers
401 views
Will installing Windows on a separate disk mess up my existing MBR?
I have a spare HDD sitting around I'd like to put Win XP on; it's currently formatted/mounted as an extra NTFS volume on my Ubuntu 9.10 install.
If I install XP on the drive, will it wipe-out/modify ...
2
votes
3answers
2k views
Can not boot windows XP from cloned hard disk - what can I do?
My configuration:
a PC (some years old) with MSI K8N-Neo-4F Motherboard, 1 GB RAM.
Disk 1 (Maxtor, SATA II, 250 GB): 2 Partitions,
on Partition 1 (48 GB): Windows XP Professional (NTFS)
on ...
2
votes
2answers
34k views
Repair Windows 7 MBR with Hiren's Boot CD
I would like to repair my Windows 7 MBR using Hiren's Boot CD 15.1.
I want to know the generic method, using this CD, to fix an MBR that is hypothetically "toast".
This hypothetical HD is as ...
2
votes
2answers
504 views
How to make a floppy image and overwrite the MBR
I am trying to make a floppy image with a working file system so that I can test a 2 stage boot loader. When I attempt to mount the floppy and then cp the second binary over to it, mount gets all ...
2
votes
1answer
198 views
How to check if a drive has an MBR?
I cloned my drive. Then I wanted to select that as boot device, but it didn't show up in BIOS.
This forum post says it's because the MBR was not copied.
So how do I verify that the MBR was copied? ...
