Member Avatar for Agita

OK.... where to start. I originally had 2 vista installations on the same computer in order to test out different builds. Mainly to have a partition to play around in. But I haven't used it in a while. So I decide to resize the partition and delete the other half. But..... one file in an XP system folder won't delete or let it format (adobe crap) sooo While i have no patience instead of taking the ownership or other various means of solving the problem I decide to use partition magic to delete it and resize my HDD. I was not thinking and knew better but did it anyway.
And my fears that I had imagined as soon as i pressed the apply button manifested themself.

Can't reinstall the boot loader ( or I do and it doesn't work)
Startup repair is worthless (says it has fixed a partition problem but doesn't)


You guys got any Idea? BTW I installed vista on a second HDD and found that I could link that bootldr to the original and Boot correctly but not without the second install.

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by Henry Schubel

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As describes, the machine only boots when the second Vista HDD is attached. That is a useful diagnostic clue: the working boot code and BCD are present on the other disk/partition, so the original drive no longer has a usable system area. pointed toward a partition/boot-file issue; below are practical, non-destructive steps to restore a standalone boot on the original disk using Vista's recovery tools.

Boot from the Vista DVD (Repair your computer -> Command Prompt) and confirm partitions and which volume holds Windows. Use diskpart to inspect and, if needed, mark the correct partition active:

diskpart
list disk
select disk 0
list partition
select partition X    <-- pick the small system partition or the intended system volume
active
exit

Try rebuilding the boot structures next:

bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /scanos
bootrec /rebuildbcd

If rebuildbcd cannot add the installation, back up and recreate the store:

attrib C:\boot\bcd -h -r -s
ren C:\boot\bcd bcd.old
bootrec /rebuildbcd

Note: the drive letter for your Windows partition in the recovery environment may not be C:. Use dir C:\ dir D:\ etc. to find where \Windows lives.

If the system partition was actually deleted, create a small NTFS system partition and populate it from your Windows install:

diskpart
select disk 0
create partition primary size=100
format fs=ntfs quick label=System
assign letter=S
active
exit

bcdboot D:\Windows /s S:

(Replace D: with the real Windows volume letter.)

If partitions were removed or the table is corrupted, TestDisk can often recover lost partitions before attempting the steps above. For a GUI option once you can boot, EasyBCD can also repair the BCD. Always image or back up the disk before making changes; marking the wrong partition active or writing a new BCD to the wrong volume can make recovery harder. If the drive layout is unclear or the data is critical, take an image and consider specialist help.

Member Avatar for Henry Schubel

There is another post out here on this... saying that Vista puts some boot related files in the "primary" partition, and that if you delete that first partition, as you suggested you did, you've lost the boot files. I'd try the Partition Magic program to see if you can format that first partition, OR try the Boot Magic programs to see if you can either repair it, or install the PowerQuest Boot Magic program to get around it. Don;t you love Microsoft ?

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