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Resolved Question

Windows boot manager

Jan 18, 2014 6:47AM PST

suddenly appeared when I start Windows 8. It shows Win 8 and Windows recovery console as the two option.

I checked msconfig and easybcd for the second option to remove but only Windows 8 shows. I tried erasing the mbr with mbrwizard, repartitioning and formatting the hard drive, fixmbr and fixboot. When trying to refresh Win 8 it says C drive is locked. I scanned for rootkits with several products and they found nothing.

Any ideas as to how to get it to boot straight to desktop? Thanks

Discussion is locked

Larrycleve1 has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer

Best Answer

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Gheez!
Jan 18, 2014 6:46PM PST

Sounds like you really put it through the ringer!

Windows 8 as installed by manufacturer doesn't have a MBR but a GPT. Have you ever heard of UEFI? FIXMBR and FIXBOOT were commands in Windows XP. Since then it all moved go DISKPART. I'm afraid you've probably royally screwed things up badly.

Your option is probably limited to doing a complete restore of windows 8

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I think I solved it
Jan 18, 2014 10:45PM PST

I deleted boot.ini and the folder cmdcons from the C drive. It boots straight to the desktop and everything seems to work fine.

I use Shadowprotect for backup and am saving this configuration. I wonder what caused this (virus, rootkit?) but it was a tough one to resolve. I use Webroot and Malwarebytes as protection.

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I think what happened
Jan 19, 2014 11:16AM PST

is the "protective MBR" (which is just stuffing of that area) of the GPT system was overwritten and the older MBR was put there with the FIXMBR, but since MBR can't boot GPT, it would start to go through the boot process, hit the GPT setup and hang. Read on MBR versus GPT and UEFI.