How to fix Boot Sector MBR problem on Windows 7?

sleveo · Jun 2, 2021

How to fix Boot Sector MBR problem on Windows 7?

Why does HP diagnostics show I have a boot record or MBR problem when I can boot fine into Windows 7?

Is it anything to worry about? I ran Windows 7 Repair disk / Repair Windows Boot and after 20 min, it failed to repair the problem. Ran RescaTux / MBR repair, and it failed too. Ran:
C: BootRec /fixMBR (This completed successfully)
C: BootRec /FixBoot (ERROR: Could not find element)
HP Diags still showed the problem: Boot Test Failed. No Active Pratition Error code: 3F0.

~~ NOTE: BUT I do have an active partition, the hidden System partition is Active.
~~ NOTE: I did backup the full hard drive onto an external drive.
~~ NOTE: Ran: sfc /scannow and found No Problems. And three virus scanners found nothing.
~~ NOTE: chkdsk found no problems: "Chkdsk was executed in read-only mode. A volume snapshot was not used. Extra errors and warnings may be reported as the volume may have changed during the chkdsk run. "
~~ NOTE: Just recently posted about a problem I had getting any Yahoo pages to load, which eventually corrected itself. That's when I discoverd the Boot Sector problem.
~~ NOTE: Online research suggested the following commands run from an Elevated CMD prompt.

~~ Q: Is there anything I need to worry about or trouble shoot here?
~~ Q: Is there some freeware HDD diagnostic I should run?

============
Ran CMD from Windows 7 Repair DVD: Ran these commands:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]

X:\windows\system32>
X:\windows\system32> bootrec /fixmbr
The operation completed successfully.

X:\windows\system32> bootrec /fixboot
Element not found.

X:\windows\system32> bootrec /scanos
Scanning all disks for Windows installations.

Please wait, since this may take a while...

Successfully scanned Windows installations.
Total identified Windows installations: 1
[1] D:\Windows
The operation completed successfully.

X:\windows\system32> bootrec /RebuildBcd
Scanning all disks for Windows installations.

Please wait, since this may take a while...

Successfully scanned Windows installations.
Total identified Windows installations: 1
[1] D:\Windows
Add installation to boot list? Yes(Y)/No(N)/All(A):y
Element not found.

X:\windows\system32> bcdEdit /export c:\BCD_bac1
The store export operation has failed.
The requested system device cannot be found.

X:\windows\system32>c:

C:\>cd boot

C:\Boot>dir
Volume in drive C is SYSTEM
Volume Serial Number is C0F8-DBB5

Directory of C:\Boot

09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> cs-CZ
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> da-DK
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> de-DE
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> el-GR
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> en-US
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> es-ES
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> fi-FI
10/29/2017 11:04 AM <DIR> Fonts
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> fr-FR
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> hu-HU
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> it-IT
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> ja-JP
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> ko-KR
06/12/2019 07:24 AM 510,184 memtest.exe
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> nb-NO
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> nl-NL
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> pl-PL
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> pt-BR
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> pt-PT
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> ru-RU
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> sv-SE
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> tr-TR
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> zh-CN
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> zh-HK
09/11/2019 06:50 PM <DIR> zh-TW
1 File(s) 510,184 bytes
24 Dir(s) 71,245,824 bytes free

===========================

xrobwx71 · Jun 2, 2021

I would run this. Once you get set up, run the Long Generic test. It could take all night so be prepared for that. It doesn't matter if your is not Seagate, it will work on other manufacturer drives and is very thorough.

Many other methods in this Thread by @jcgriff2

sleveo · Jun 2, 2021

xrobwx71 said:
I would run this.

Many other methods in this Thread by @jcgriff2

@xrobwx71

I wonder if you sent me the wrong links by accident.
The first one in "run this" points to "Windows Update Forum Posting Instructions" and I have no problems with Windows Update.
The second link points Hard Drive (HDD) Diagnostics (Sea Tools for DOS) and SeaTools (for DOS) ISO image file, but I can no longer download the DOS version from that page, only the SeaTools Bootable, which requires a USB drive. I have some CD's but no spare USB drive at the moment.
~~ NOTE: I have a regular hard drive, not an SSD.

xrobwx71 · Jun 3, 2021

Sorry about that, my copy paste carried over from another thread I was working on. The link is fixed.

Your HDD needs to be checked for errors by a more accurate and deeper delving program than what you have used.

If you cannot obtain a USB, borrow one, buy one, etc. Go to the second link, read all the way to the bottom, and choose another alternative that doesn't require a USB. (I checked these links and they all lead to updated sources, even though the post was from 2012) Gsmartcontrol is another good one. HDDScan is very good.

The reasons we like Seatools are:
1. It is very thorough
2. Tons of technicians across the internet utilize it and trust it.

It is ultimately up to you as it is your PC. I can only make suggestions that are based on experience.

Again, sorry about the link error and confusion.

sleveo · Jun 6, 2021

@xrobwx71
Here are results.

===============================================
SeaTools Bootable v2.1.2
Model Number : Hitachi HDS721010CLA632
Serial Number : JP2940
Firmware Revision : JP4OA41A
===============================================
06-05 | 19:12:28 | Short Drive Self Test Started
06-05 | 19:14:53 | Short Drive Self Test PASS
06-05 | 19:15:34 | Short Generic Started
06-05 | 19:15:34 | Outer Scan Started
06-05 | 19:16:46 | Inner Scan Started
06-05 | 19:19:16 | Random Read Started
06-05 | 19:20:47 | Short Generic PASS
06-05 | 19:26:36 | S.M.A.R.T. Check Started
06-05 | 19:26:36 | S.M.A.R.T. Check PASS
06-05 | 19:33:00 | S.M.A.R.T. Check Started
06-05 | 19:33:00 | S.M.A.R.T. Check PASS
06-05 | 21:43:15 | Long Generic Started
06-06 | 00:15:39 | Long Generic PASS

xrobwx71 · Jun 7, 2021

I would backup all your files and replace that drive. All those pre-failures are not good. They mean, you could go another 6 months or 1 day.

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How to fix Boot Sector MBR problem on Windows 7?

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