Help! My MBR got messed up and I can’t run Windows?

3 Reviews
Joseph S asked in Q&A:


Hey all,

I have a major problem. My computer crashed last night and the MBR got messed up. I’ve tried everything ; i’ve searched all over the internet for a solution to fix the MBR for Windows XP Media Center edition 2005 (my operating system) and got nowhere because i don’t have any install disks because my operating system was pre-installed, i’ve restored the MBR with the MBR from XP Home edition (didn’t work), and i’ve even tried to fix it from UbuntuLIVE. Can someone please tell me how to fix this/tell me where i can download the MBR.

Thanks (and don’t tell me just to restore it from my installation disk because I DON’T HAVE ONE.

  • Posted by Madman6510

    Find a website that has real DOS boot disks, download one and put it on a floppy or burn it to a CD. Boot your computer with it and type in fdisk /mbr and it will fix it.

  • Posted by Daryl S

    You can’t download an MBR. An MBR is on your Hard Disk. You really need to get hold of an XP installation CD and go into Recovery Console. Once RC is started, you will need the administrator password to get in to do any work on the computer. When you have full access and are into RC, type the following

    FixMBR

    The fixmbr command is a Recovery Console command that writes a new master boot record to the hard disk.

  • Posted by yad

    Boot to recovery console again with the Home Edition cd and try the FIXBOOT command.
    If booting to the Recovery Console with the Home Edition and using fixmbr or fixboot didnt work,use the Ubuntu to copy your files and do a factory restore.
    Find the instructions on your PC maker support website on doing a factory restore without a disk.
    If it is preinstalled it will have a restore sector.

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