Windows 7 Won't Boot? Here's How To Fix Your Master Boot Record

Dec 15, 2011 05:53 PM

With a lot of Null Byters playing around with Linux because of its excessive use in the hacking world, some of you are bound to run into some trouble with the installation at some point or another. If you make a mistake, or you're intimidated by the wonky-looking installation screen, you may want to just stick with Windows. However, you may notice it can be hard to go back once you've crossed a certain point in the installation. Your Windows installation may be broken or unbootable.

If you're one of the people who did try to use a dual-boot, you've probably found that the Windows startup repair tool isn't going to help you. There's always the super GRUB disc, but that's just more GNU/Linux! How can we get out of this?

With the same-old utilities found on your Windows startup disc.

Requirements

Windows 7 installation disc
A Windows installation with a damaged MBR, or Master Boot Record

Insert the Installation Disc & Boot It

Put the installation medium into the disc tray.
Reboot the computer.
While booting, strike F12 to get into your boot menu.
Select CD/DVD/BD.
Press any key to boot from the disc.

Run the Tool

Text in bold is a command prompt command:

Select a language, a time, a currency, a keyboard or an input method, and then click Next.
Click Repair your computer.
Click the operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next.
In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click Command Prompt.
Type Bootrec.exe, and then press [enter].
Fix the boot record.

/FixMbr
Repair the boot sectors of the hard drive disk.

/FixBoot
Restart your computer and watch it boot normally again.