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Question

bootmgr missing - Need help fixing hard drive

Sep 11, 2017 8:30PM PDT

My desktop PC has a 1TB Seagate Barracuda hard drive. Its separated into 3 partitions: #1 is System Reserved (100MB), #2 contains all the system files, and #3 is for personal files. The #2 partition is my C: drive and the #3 partition is my D: drive. The #1 partition does not appear in Explorer. A few days ago, I noticed the warning that my C: drive was nearing capacity. Then, it stopped booting properly. I was able to hit F8 and access the command prompt. After doing some research, it was suggested I set the #2 partition to "Active" which I did using the command prompt, and now it doesn't boot at all. I get the Bootmgr is missing screen and all I can do is access the BIOS screen. I pulled the drive from the desktop PC and have been able to access it as an external drive on my laptop. As an external drive, it appears as 3 separately labeled drives: #2 shows as the Active partition, which I believe is correct. The #1 and #2 partitions currently show <4MB of remaining space. I'm afraid to delete anything from those since I am not too familiar with those partitions, but I'm wondering if that is causing some issues. The #3 partition is 1/3 used. The #2 partition does have the Windows folder with a Boot subfolder. Is there something I can do to this drive while connected to my laptop that will fix my problem? Is it possible its getting ready to die, or do I need to create some additional space in the #1 and #2 partitions? Any assistance is much appreciated. I do not have a Windows 7 recovery disc or boot disc. Thanks!

Discussion is locked

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New HD
Sep 12, 2017 12:40PM PDT

Oh yes, and a new hard drive while I'm at it.

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The cheap exit.
Sep 12, 2017 1:11PM PDT

Get the restore media for this PC and then factory reset. Now use the last known free W10 upgrade path.

As to buying W10, I get ours from Amazon and Newegg.

So EasyRE was not tried. I worry that with the tinkering it may be too gone now.

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EasyRE
Sep 12, 2017 2:58PM PDT

You think so? You no longer think that is an option? I was hoping to consider that as one. Rather pay $40, get it booted, and then upgrade. Sounds like a good plan. It still might be better just to throw that $40 towards a new OS rather than take a chance. I wonder if there is any kind of guarantee. I'll check. Thanks again.

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EasyRE is useful for other machines.
Sep 12, 2017 3:01PM PDT

Anyhow, the cheapest exit I know of is to order restore media. My last order from Asus (prior to the W10 migration which obviates the need) was 45 USD total to my mail box.

So get that and you have a working PC. Drivers and more without having to lose your remaining hair or beer during driver hunts. Now that it's working you can use the last chance for a free W10.

That's what I would do if I didn't have EasyRE.

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Linux can open those
Sep 12, 2017 4:57PM PDT
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System restore is well.
Sep 12, 2017 11:24AM PDT
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How I use System Restore.
Sep 12, 2017 11:26AM PDT

Most of the time, when I think about it and everything is working well I'll turn it off and then back on. This clears out the old and makes a new fresh restore point.

For reasons I don't want to get into SR can siliently go bad.
And there are ANTIVIRUS SUITES that block SR and get folk all in a tizzy.

Norton, Kas and McAfee to name a few that silently break SR. Shame on them.

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Dynamic
Sep 12, 2017 10:49AM PDT
"Dynamic disk uses dynamic volumes to manage data. It is a separate form of volume management that allows one volume to have noncontiguous extents on one or more physical disks."

Maybe windows suggested the dynamic method if your partition #3 hasn't be shrunk yet so the newly unallocated space in front of it would be "contiguous" to partition #2.
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I have to take your word here.
Sep 12, 2017 9:46AM PDT

That you are trying to tinker with one of the not a drive letter system partitions. This is NOT ADVISED even by experts. We never touch the non-drive-letter system partitions except with the usual commands fixmbr, fixboot and so on.

I worry that the OS is blown in some odd way. One of the real awful areas of OEM installed OSes was the lack of repairs you could do. This was by design. The OEM got a deal on the OS because Microsoft didn't have to support it. In turn the OEM stripped away the bootable retail Windows 7 DVD and only offered restore media and no repairs.

Windows 10 restored a lot of repair options.

So bottom lines:
1. Try EasyRE.
2. Use Linux bootable OSes to look around.
3. Use the W7 or W10 bootable media to chkdsk drives. (use /f)

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Space
Sep 12, 2017 9:50AM PDT

Start>computer>right click the C drive>disk cleanup.
Does that function?

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Yep, need to make space
Sep 12, 2017 9:03AM PDT

When you had hooked as external to laptop, should have copies some files, then removed them from the external. You can also remove any "pagefile" or "hiberfile" and often regain a large enough space area to at least get booted into windows on the desktop. When on there can turn off the pagefile and hiberfile creation functions and gain a bit of time to use till can secure a backup drive to copy/save things off the drive, or just to clean it of unneccesary files like all those in the temp folders, any windows.old folders, et al.

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I should have mentioned this
Sep 12, 2017 9:17AM PDT
" I believe I have the Professional version of Windows 7, so it looks like $40 to purchase EasyRE. If it works, I suppose its worth it."

Get yourself one of these for future use. It can boot and run completely from a DVD, no need to install. It will allow you access to the windows drive, or even help repair with a GRUB bootloader if all else fails. At least it will allow moving files from the hard drive to a flashdrive. It's FREE if you create (burn image to) the LIVE DVD yourself, or can pick up one for future if not needed now for $6. I suggest one of the three as easiest for windows users, ZorinOS, Mint, Ubuntu. Certainly cheaper than $40. I use the Linux Mint as my primary OS. Always use the LTS (long term service) versions.

https://linuxmint.com/download_all.php
https://www.ubuntu.com/download
https://zorinos.com/