How to Restore Windows XP MBR, overwriting LILO?
My computer was a dual-boot system (Windows XP and Mandriva Linux 2007, both x86-32bit). LILO was the boot loader.
I urgently needed free space on NTFS, so I decided to kill my Mandriva Linux's installation In Windows I used Norton Partition Magic to format Linux ext3 partitions to NTFS. It worked fine I got fresh 30 GB on NTFS.
Good! Everything is OK - it was what I thought in such day...
Next day, when I powered on my computer Windows did not boot! The screen always becomes filled with 0 and 9 ...
Damn, LILO is alive in MBR, but since it cannot read lilo.conf file (which was on ext3-to-NTFS formatted partition), computer is absolutely unbootable!
I made a Google search (corrupt mbr windows xp linux fix) and I found an hypothetical solution Boot computer with Windows XP CD => go to Recovery Console => run fixmbr command.
I tried this but I found a terrible problem Recovery Console asks for Administrator PassWord I thought it should be my LogOn PassWord, since I am the only user and I am administrator (I have administrator privileges).
I was wrong Recovery Console always says Wrong PassWord ! Then I discovered (via Google search) that my account is the only one Real Account, but also exists 3 Ghost / False / Pseudo-Accounts (which I had never known before this) - Adminstrator Account , ASP.NET Account and Guest Account .
I have no idea what this means; what does this accounts exists for?; why does exist this useless accounts; who created them????
Thus, I have no idea what is the PassWord Recovery Console wants...
I also saw many guys talking (in forums) about using a Windows 98 or FreeDOS boot disk, to boot from them, and then run fdisk /mbr command... It seems this solves nothing because Windows XP (this is NT Family - NT, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 2008) have an absolutely different boot process form DOS, Windows 95, 98 or ME (MBR; ntdetect.com; ntldr; boot.ini).
My third failed trial/attempt/test => GpartEd Live CD <=> this is a superb tool to manage partitions (create new, delete, format, re-size), however, it cannot restore a corrupted Windows XP MBR...
Alone, I cannot go further... My knowledge's limits are reached... I need help!
So, I am here asking for help specifically how to restore Windows XP MBR, overwriting LILO?
Thanks in advance!
Best regards.
I urgently needed free space on NTFS, so I decided to kill my Mandriva Linux's installation In Windows I used Norton Partition Magic to format Linux ext3 partitions to NTFS. It worked fine I got fresh 30 GB on NTFS.
Good! Everything is OK - it was what I thought in such day...
Next day, when I powered on my computer Windows did not boot! The screen always becomes filled with 0 and 9 ...
Damn, LILO is alive in MBR, but since it cannot read lilo.conf file (which was on ext3-to-NTFS formatted partition), computer is absolutely unbootable!
I made a Google search (corrupt mbr windows xp linux fix) and I found an hypothetical solution Boot computer with Windows XP CD => go to Recovery Console => run fixmbr command.
I tried this but I found a terrible problem Recovery Console asks for Administrator PassWord I thought it should be my LogOn PassWord, since I am the only user and I am administrator (I have administrator privileges).
I was wrong Recovery Console always says Wrong PassWord ! Then I discovered (via Google search) that my account is the only one Real Account, but also exists 3 Ghost / False / Pseudo-Accounts (which I had never known before this) - Adminstrator Account , ASP.NET Account and Guest Account .
I have no idea what this means; what does this accounts exists for?; why does exist this useless accounts; who created them????
Thus, I have no idea what is the PassWord Recovery Console wants...
I also saw many guys talking (in forums) about using a Windows 98 or FreeDOS boot disk, to boot from them, and then run fdisk /mbr command... It seems this solves nothing because Windows XP (this is NT Family - NT, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 2008) have an absolutely different boot process form DOS, Windows 95, 98 or ME (MBR; ntdetect.com; ntldr; boot.ini).
My third failed trial/attempt/test => GpartEd Live CD <=> this is a superb tool to manage partitions (create new, delete, format, re-size), however, it cannot restore a corrupted Windows XP MBR...
Alone, I cannot go further... My knowledge's limits are reached... I need help!
So, I am here asking for help specifically how to restore Windows XP MBR, overwriting LILO?
Thanks in advance!
Best regards.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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Well, I see that LeeTutor is faster than me :)
If you construct yourself a Windows PE disc, like this for example - www.ubcd4win.com - you can repair the MBR without having to login using this splendid utility - http://www.sysint.no/nedlasting/mbrfix.htm
Easy Peasy.
The same CD will also allow you to reset any of your user passwords.
Easy Peasy.
The same CD will also allow you to reset any of your user passwords.
ASKER
Sometimes, an easy emptiness is the solution to the pain... LeeTutor - you were correct - EMPTY PASSWORD (press enter without pressing any other keys) allowed me to run fixmbr command, and so, my problem no more exists! I (wrongly) thought - if is asks for a password, it cannot be empty/null, otherwise it would not ask for it!... Happily I was WRONG about this!
Thank you very much for everything!!! You rescued my life today!!!!
Best regards.
Thank you very much for everything!!! You rescued my life today!!!!
Best regards.
I think that Recovery console -> fixmbr might help, but, like you said, you must logon as administrator...
Well, first of all I don't know did you try to press enter while console asks you for admin password? Because in most cases Administrator password (that is built in account in WinXp) is blank.
If that is not case (eg. Administrator has a password), you might try to search for Active password recovery, that is boot floopy that can reset passwords to blank, but it's commercial software.
Hope it help.