Broke the Windows 7 bootloader

H

hardc0re

Gawd
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
869
I was mucking around EasyBCD and ended up wiping out the existing boot config, so I tried to rebuild it. Long story short, I can't get a boot menu anymore (boot error indicates to run restore via the Windows 7 DVD - which I do not have.

What I have is an Windows XP partition and an Windows XP install CD.

My plan is to:
boot with winxp disk and run the fixmbr and fixboot commands.
Get into XP, run EasyBCD and try to fix it.

Is this the best approach or is there another way to do this?
 
Yea I would use the fixmbr, fixboot, etc. Really the only way to do it as far as I know.
 
JBark:
I have Home Premium installed, any one of those 32 bit ISOs should work to repair the MBR?

Also, It won't mess up my activation would it?
 
No, I used a XP bootmgr fix so I could boot back into Vista on a machine. It's just a simple set of code telling the computer to boot OS if only one is and if more than one to ask which OS.
 
yes but you cant use XP to boot into windows 7, the inverse is possible.

I will try to use the ISO to repair the boot, then muck around wit EasyBCD to fix the XP boot.
 
Try Googling Vista Boot Pro 3.3. It can be downloaded free all over. It's about the easiest to use. I think the company started charging after version 3.3. I've used it and it's a no fuss simple solution with an easy to use GUI.
 
- Boot off the XP CD and do the Recovery Console, fixmbr (first command), then fixmbr (second command).
- Get that Windows 7 ISO downloaded and burn it (doesn't matter which one but it must be 32 bit or 64 bit to match what you've actually got installed - can't use the 32 bit DVD for fixing a 64 bit installation, or 64 bit to fix a 32 bit install, etc).
- Once burned, verify the machine does boot into XP properly after that fix.
- If XP is fine and boots up without issues, then boot off the Windows 7 DVD and choose the option to repair the computer; it should detect the Windows 7 installation on the drive and "fix" the boot problems automagically.

If not then you'll have to do the Admin Command Prompt option off the Windows 7 DVD (the next step of repair options, listed at the bottom), and use the bootrec command. If you're unaware of that tool or how to use it, check here for more info:

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

The process really needs to be get XP booting properly first, then fix Windows 7's boot second. If you try and do it the other way around the "fix" might not stick so, do XP first and verifies it boots fine, then worry about getting Windows 7 up and functional again.

And stop mucking around with that shit... :D
 
update:
Repaired the boot issue with the WIndows 7 DVD, now that I'm able to boot into the OS.

Now I am trying to add my Windows XP parition to the boot menu using EasyBCD but get the following error: "EasyBCD failed to detect a valid version of Windows NT-2003 on the selected drive..." I tried manually pointing it to the parition too, no go. How can I fix this one?

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Disregard. I fixed both boots, EasyBCD needs to be pointed to the XP boot via it's command prompt. Solution was in the EasyBCD forum.
 
Last edited:
you might be able to fix it if you have the original windows 7 setup CD
 
paragon rescue kit is a good program to tell you whats wrong.
Free version will get you into your boot so you can fix it in windows.
 
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