Help! MBR or BootSector corrupt

xtoned · Nov 11, 2005

Hi!
Can someone help me with this? Yesterday I was using a data recovery
software, while Winamp is running, suddenly the machine turned off,
after that it won't boot.

My hard drive has some bad sectors and later I found out that the
RAM was also a little bit faulty, It was replaced. Later I booted the
machine with another HD, then the system(XP) detected the faulty drive,
But it didn't have partitions in it. Then I used Partition Magic 7.0,
It showed the disk, But It shows the whole drive as Unallocated and I
tried a data recovery software (a demo version of Handy Recovery), It
showed partitions and files as recoverable and then I tried Seagate's
SeaTools It stated Invalid MBR.

I think the problem is possibly a corrupt MBR or Partition table or
Bootsector and a little possibility of a boot sector virus. What can
Ido? There are alot of tools for restoring MBR's, But I haven't got a
Backup of it. I have Norton Antivirus 2003 and I have used Partition
Magic 8.0 in the faulty disk, I have used Partition Magic several times
to resize partitions. Does any of these or any other software store a
copy of MBR in the disk or registry. Because on a MBR access Norton AV
warns and I think it replaces it if needed and I think When Partition
Magic does tasks it replaces the MBR with a temporary one and when the
task is done it replaces the original one. Does Windows FDISK's fixmbr,
fixboot commands restores the previous MBR or just rewrites them.
What's the software that could help me? Please help me!

Maxim S. Shatskih · Nov 11, 2005

Manual bytewise analyzis and the DSKPROBE tool from Windows Support Tools.

Rod Speed · Nov 11, 2005

(e-mail address removed) wrote

Can someone help me with this? Yesterday I was using
a data recovery software, while Winamp is running,
suddenly the machine turned off, after that it won't boot.

That is usually a hardware failure.

My hard drive has some bad sectors and later I found out that the
RAM was also a little bit faulty, It was replaced. Later I booted the
machine with another HD, then the system(XP) detected the faulty
drive, But it didn't have partitions in it. Then I used Partition
Magic 7.0, It showed the disk, But It shows the whole drive as
Unallocated and I tried a data recovery software (a demo version
of Handy Recovery), It showed partitions and files as recoverable
and then I tried Seagate's SeaTools It stated Invalid MBR.

Which may well just indicate that the sector it occupys is flakey.

I think the problem is possibly a corrupt MBR or Partition table or
Bootsector and a little possibility of a boot sector virus. What can Ido?

There are alot of tools for restoring MBR's, But I haven't got a Backup of it.

You dont necessarily need one if you know the partition structure,
particularly if there was just one partition for the entire drive.

I have Norton Antivirus 2003 and I have used Partition Magic
8.0 in the faulty disk, I have used Partition Magic several times
to resize partitions. Does any of these or any other software
store a copy of MBR in the disk

Yes, some recovery software can handle bad a MBR
and some recovery software can recover some files
without the MBR being available.

or registry. Because on a MBR access Norton
AV warns and I think it replaces it if needed

Only if you have use NAV previously and its saved a copy of it.

and I think When Partition Magic does tasks it replaces the MBR with
a temporary one and when the task is done it replaces the original one.
Does Windows FDISK's fixmbr, fixboot commands restores the previous MBR
Nope.

or just rewrites them.
Yep.

What's the software that could help me? Please help me!

I'd try Easy Recovery Pro, but it aint free.

Folkert Rienstra · Nov 11, 2005

Rod Speed said:
(e-mail address removed) wrote

That is usually a hardware failure.

Or a software failure.

Which may well just indicate that the sector it occupys is flakey.

Or just "Invalid".

Which is the same, basically.

You dont necessarily need one if you know the partition structure,

particularly if there was just one partition for the entire drive.

The process is no different.

Yes, some recovery software can handle bad a MBR
and some recovery software can recover some files
without the MBR being available.

(What's the difference) (And no, that wasn't the question).

And some software just restores the MBR so you don't need any
additional (file)recovery software at all.

Only if you have use NAV previously and its saved a copy of it.

(Half)Wrong.

Yep.

Nope. It restores the code part. It leaves the partition table alone.

I'd try Easy Recovery Pro, but it aint free.

ResqDisk or FindPart + PTEdit.

xtoned · Nov 12, 2005

Yes, I have Ontrack Easy Recovery Pro 6.0, Would it work?

xtoned · Nov 12, 2005

And Where does Norton Antivirus (v.2002) store the MBR?

xtoned · Nov 12, 2005

Hi!
Thanks for the reply. Yes I've Easy Recovery Pro 6.0, Would it work? I
tried it but after some point I thought It wouldn't work and closed it.
Have you tried it? And where do you think Norton AV 2002 would store
the MBR?
Thanks!

Rod Speed · Nov 12, 2005

(e-mail address removed) wrote

Yes I've Easy Recovery Pro 6.0, Would it work?

Try it and see.

I tried it but after some point I thought It
wouldn't work and closed it. Have you tried it?

Yes. But not on your drive obviously.

And where do you think Norton AV 2002 would store the MBR?

Dunno, havent bothered to check. From memory
you get to specify that, and can put it on floppy etc.

Rod Speed · Nov 12, 2005

Some ****wit pseudokraut claiming to be
the pathetic excuse for a troll that's all it can ever manage.

xtoned · Nov 13, 2005

Rod Speed wrote:
| Some ****wit pseudokraut claiming to be
| the pathetic excuse for a troll that's all it can ever manage.

Hah ha! NO need for combats guys.

Coz, Just now I fixed the system. I just inserted the Norton Sysworks
2004 cd, It had
an Autorun which allowed to run utililties without installing it. I ran
the Disk doctor, It
said There's an invalid partition table and asked whether it should fix
it by searching
the faulty disk for partitions, Then I rebooted and Right now Iam
posting this message
from the same system I had 3 days ago, still I haven't even installed
Norton Systemworks.
No matter what stuff from Norton are the best!

Folkert Rienstra · Nov 13, 2005

Hah ha! NO need for combats guys.

Coz, Just now I fixed the system. I just inserted the Norton Sysworks
2004 cd, It had
an Autorun which allowed to run utililties without installing it. I ran
the Disk doctor, It
said There's an invalid partition table and asked whether it should fix
it by searching
the faulty disk for partitions, Then I rebooted and Right now Iam
posting this message
from the same system I had 3 days ago, still I haven't even installed
Norton Systemworks.

No matter what stuff from Norton are the best!

I'll bet it can't fix your broken newsclient.

Rod Speed · Nov 13, 2005

(e-mail address removed) wrote

Rod Speed wrote

Just now I fixed the system. I just inserted the Norton Sysworks
2004 cd, It had an Autorun which allowed to run utililties without
installing it. I ran the Disk doctor, It said There's an invalid partition
table and asked whether it should fix it by searching the faulty
disk for partitions, Then I rebooted and Right now I am posting
this message from the same system I had 3 days ago,

Thanks for that feedback.

still I haven't even installed Norton Systemworks.

I wouldnt, personally, it molests a system pretty comprehensively.

No matter what stuff from Norton are the best!

Some have found it screws the drive much worse than it was.

Odie Ferrous · Nov 13, 2005

Rod Speed wrote:
| Some ****wit pseudokraut claiming to be
| the pathetic excuse for a troll that's all it can ever manage.

Hah ha! NO need for combats guys.

Coz, Just now I fixed the system. I just inserted the Norton Sysworks
2004 cd, It had
an Autorun which allowed to run utililties without installing it. I ran
the Disk doctor, It
said There's an invalid partition table and asked whether it should fix
it by searching
the faulty disk for partitions, Then I rebooted and Right now Iam
posting this message
from the same system I had 3 days ago, still I haven't even installed
Norton Systemworks.
No matter what stuff from Norton are the best!

Is that why very, very few professionals use Norton products?

Odie

Folkert Rienstra · Nov 13, 2005

Odie Ferrous said:
Is that why very, very few professionals use Norton products?

By professionals, do you mean those people that do things for money, that can be done for free?

Joep · Nov 14, 2005

Folkert Rienstra said:
By professionals, do you mean those people that do things for money, that can be done for free?

That's probably not what he meant, Frusto Rienstra.

Odie Ferrous · Nov 14, 2005

Folkert said:
By professionals, do you mean those people that do things for money, that can be done for free?

So you need some plumbing / electrical work / car repairs / etc - can
all be done for free, Folkert. But you do it all yourself, right?

Try again, troll.

Odie

Odie Ferrous · Nov 14, 2005

Folkert said:
By professionals, do you mean those people that do things for money, that can be done for free?

Why do people use companies like KEMA? Surely this sort of thing could
be done for free?

Where do you draw the line, Folkert?

Odie

wemaole · Nov 17, 2005

you can try Partition Table Doctor to fix mbr or boot sector!
http://www.ptdd.com

Joep · Nov 17, 2005

you can try Partition Table Doctor to fix mbr or boot sector!
http://www.ptdd.com

Stupid spammer.

benny · Nov 21, 2005

Try Seagate's own data recovery service (no conflict of interest
there). www.seagate.com

Help! MBR or BootSector corrupt

xtoned

Maxim S. Shatskih

Rod Speed

Folkert Rienstra

xtoned

xtoned

xtoned

Rod Speed

Rod Speed

xtoned

Folkert Rienstra

Rod Speed

Odie Ferrous

Folkert Rienstra

Joep

Odie Ferrous

Odie Ferrous

wemaole

Joep

benny