Member Avatar for miami1

i have an asus x83v, it came preinstalled vista home prem, 2 partitions, one 150 gb for vista, then 150gb for data. 6 months ago shrunk the c: drive with vista about 10 gbs for Unbutu linux. Accidently formatted the unbutu partition, not windows dosnt load. black screen with blinking curser in top right corner of screen. Tried to use asus recovery cd, seems to start restore in first cd, but then after it requests for drivers cd, it reboots after installing drivers. Back to blank black screen wtih blinking curser. Restore cds arent working!! what do i do? I have alot of data on the data partition, but dont want ot lose all that data.

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Dani AI

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Brief expert summary: a black screen with a blinking cursor after removing an Ubuntu partition usually means the bootloader (GRUB or the Windows BCD/MBR chain) is broken or missing. Recovery CDs can also fail if the disk layout was changed from the factory state. was right to suggest using a live Linux environment to back up the data, and ’s outcome (recovering files and reinstalling Vista) is exactly what most people do when automated recovery won’t work.

Quick recovery options (in order of least destructive):

  • Try Windows Startup Repair first from a Vista/Windows DVD or System Repair Disc.
  • If that fails, open a Command Prompt from the repair environment and identify volumes with diskpart, then run the boot repair tools:
diskpart
list volume
exit

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

If /rebuildbcd can’t add your Windows install, export and rebuild the BCD manually:

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

If you only need to rescue data (recommended before any destructive write):

  • Boot an Ubuntu (or other) live USB, locate the NTFS partition with sudo fdisk -l, mount it, then copy files to an external drive. Example:
sudo mkdir /mnt/windows
sudo mount -t ntfs-3g /dev/sda2 /mnt/windows
sudo cp -av /mnt/windows/Users/YourUser /media/externaldrive/

Notes and cautions:

  • Stop writing to the drive if data is irreplaceable; make a disk image first (dd/ddrescue) or use a professional recovery service.
  • Recovery CDs from OEMs often expect the original recovery partition layout; if you changed partitions they may fail.
  • After recovery, create a system image and recovery media before repartitioning again.

This expands on the thread’s suggestions with concrete repair and backup commands so others with the same MBR/GRUB issue can try less-destructive fixes before a full reinstall.

Recommended Answers

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Member Avatar for Xlphos

Hello, have you tried reinstalling Ubuntu? You may have removed the GRUB. Now you have tried using the recovery cd's you may have erased the data from the partition windows is in.

If this doesn't work try formatting the entire drive (all data will be lost) and use the recovery disks.

Let us know how it goes.

Member Avatar for miami1

you know i havent tired reinstalling unbuntu. unfortunately i installed it via usb drive and then deleted the file, i would attempt to redl of unbuntu, but ive already formatted C:\ with the asus recover cd, im acutally attemping to format the with an iso of vista, then boot back into windows to grab the d: of data onto my external then ill do a full on format.

thank you for your help Xlphos

Member Avatar for Xlphos

So is the data you want on another partition?

Because if you use the system restore disks it may format the drive and then install vista. If you can can get a linux live CD you can backup some of the data to an external hard drive and then format the drive and reinstall windows.

This is what I would try anyway hope this helps.

Member Avatar for miami1

thanks Xlphos,
i acutally had to get a copy of vista oem, and insatlled it, then transfered all data in my d:\ to my external, then formatted. thanks again !

Member Avatar for Xlphos

Okay, bet that cost a bit.

Don't forget to mark this as an expensive solved then.

Member Avatar for miami1

Okay, bet that cost a bit.

Don't forget to mark this as an expensive solved then.

thank god my friend had his OEM vista. So i ran the reg install, entered in my serial on the bottom of the laptop and boom!
works!

Thanks Xlphos!

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