Compressed MBR

[DreadStarX]

Hey guys!

I'm having a bit of trouble with a friends laptop. The MBR was compressed (God knows how he did it), but I'm having a heck of a time trying to restore it. I don't have a Windows 7 64bit DVD Laying around because I'm at college. The best I have right now, is a Linux ISO for 13.10.


Any suggestions on ways I could fix this? (WITHOUT A WIPE!)


- Thomas

P.S. Going to install Ubuntu 13.10, give it a small partition, and have Grub overwrite it until I can figure out something else. He needs it for school, and I need it for RDCing my computers at home.

 

[Tekno Venus]

Hi,

Can you boot into the Recovery Options? https://www.sysnative.com/forums/wi...ptions-windows-7-windows-vista.html#post28372

Stephen

 

[DreadStarX]

Nope. It does the POST, Search for MBR Screen, and then BAM, "MBR HAS BEEN COMPREsSED, PRESS CTRL + ALT + DELETE TO RESTART". And thats it.


- Thomas

 

[Tekno Venus]

Hi,

Let's try using Partition Wizard.

Download the Partition Wizard bootable CD from here and follow the instructions there to boot from it: Partition Wizard Bootable CD allows user to manage partition directly with partition manager bootable CD.

This has a "rebuild MBR" function - How to Rebuild MBR with partition manager - Partition Wizard Rebuild MBR Help

I have never used this program personally, but it has good feedback online.

Stephen

 

[DreadStarX]

Hi,

Let's try using Partition Wizard.

Download the Partition Wizard bootable CD from here and follow the instructions there to boot from it: Partition Wizard Bootable CD allows user to manage partition directly with partition manager bootable CD.

This has a "rebuild MBR" function - How to Rebuild MBR with partition manager - Partition Wizard Rebuild MBR Help

I have never used this program personally, but it has good feedback online.

Stephen

Thanks for the help Stephen. I had completely forgotten about Partition Wizard. I used this in College when my Professor managed to re-write his MBR. Anyways, I shall give it a try tonight, I'll probably hop on my phone and let you guys know whats going on.

- Thomas


P.S. Using school computers to fix someone elses computer is a PAIN IN THE BUTT! No Admin access means I have to use a bootable cd to do it, and then go back. So lame

 

[DreadStarX]

Ok. Here is exactly what I did.

I created a second partition by shrinking the original 320GB drive to 309GB, and made an 11GB Partition. I then installed Windows 7 32bit and overwrote the original MBR. Now the original 64bit works. Here's my current issue.

IF I delete the secondary partition, will that delete the MBR? And how do I back up the MBR? I was thinking I should boot into the 64bit OS and back up the MBR, and then delete the secondary partition. I don't wanna screw up the MBR.