MBR Error 2

  • Thread starter Thread starter Marek Kalisz
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Marek Kalisz

Asus help is not existing. My problem:
Recently at the end of the booting sequence (but before Windows load) for a
moment (it's hard to catch) I see on screen some message saying (as I could
catch it):
MBR Error 2
My M/B is Asus P5AD2-E Premium.
What it might be and what to do?
Marek Kalisz
 
Boot the computer from a Windows XP Installation CD, Install the Recovery
Console, reboot,select the Recovery Console option, and run FIXMBR command.

It's the Master Boot Record not the motherboard.
 
Thanks. Tried Recovery Console. Got BSD: 0x0000007B plus something in
brackets. Tried suggested "chkdsk /f" (set from Command Prompt) but it only
does regular "chkdsk" (3 steps instead of 5, I guess).
Any other ideas?
Marek Kalisz
 
The MBR (master boot record) may be on a part of your hard drive that is
failing. Locate and download a possible hard drive diagnostic utility
(usually from the hard drive manufacturer.) Make sure that you do not do
"destructive" hard drive test (ie: format.) If the hard drive fails the
test, buy a new hard drive soon.


If the hard drive passes, then your Windows install might be "scrambled." You
might have to do a XP re-install on top of your installed version. Just make
sure to use the XP install CD which has the same Service Pack (SP) 'merged"
into it (aka slipstreaming.)
 
Drive is only abt. 4 weeks old (WD WD25). WD Diagnostics (Quick) shows OK.
So, just in case, now I'm making a drive image and later, after I finish
work, start to do another test (Extensive, zeros - it takes time and all
programs have to be closed).
Marek Kalisz
 
Writing zeroes will erase the drive so don't do that, Extensive is safe just tests every sector of
the drive so its much longer than the quick.
 
Thanks and I'm sorry to all of you for taking your time. I have installed
Acronis True Image 9. One of its option is Acronis Startup Recovery Manager
which I activated. Just now I founded in the manual as follow:
"When Acronis Startup Recovery manager is activated, it overwrites the
master boot record (MBR) with its own boot code. If you have any
third-party boot managers installed, you will have to reactivate them after
activating the Startup Recovery Manager."
Now my only puzzle is: Do I have any "third party boot manager" that I'm
not aware of? Something related to motherboard setup or RIAD drivers?
Marek Kalisz
 
Marek Kalisz said:
Thanks and I'm sorry to all of you for taking your time. I have installed
Acronis True Image 9. One of its option is Acronis Startup Recovery
Manager which I activated. Just now I founded in the manual as follow:
"When Acronis Startup Recovery manager is activated, it overwrites the
master boot record (MBR) with its own boot code. If you have any
third-party boot managers installed, you will have to reactivate them
after activating the Startup Recovery Manager."
Now my only puzzle is: Do I have any "third party boot manager" that I'm
not aware of? Something related to motherboard setup or RIAD drivers?
Marek Kalisz
Click to expand...

http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=144&model=371&modelmenu=1

You tell us if you have RAID enabled, if SATA or ide as this motherboard can
do either with RAID.

I found one site where it says to boot with the XP install CD, enter the
repair console, and select fixmbr regarding your specific error and Acronis
TrueImage. And also recommended in another reply this thread.

If you're not using RAID at all, and have only ide in use by the bios, I
don't see where the problem could be occurring at.

An older version of DriveImage was using the mbr mod to redirect the PC to
floppy image for booting to enter into its recovery application. But,
difference being, the recovery application automatically recovered the mbr
as party of the recovery process. If you entered recovery mode, and did
nothing, you were stuck booting from the floppy image until the mbr was
selected for recovery. The last version used a boot CD instead for recovery
 
The problem was simple, in fact. I tried before Recovery Console and was
getting blue screen. When RC loaded I didn't pay attention to the message
at the bottom asking to press F6 if I want to install additional drivers.
Now, you gave me some idea. This motherboard has RAID controller. Now I
remember that during Window installation I was always installing from floppy
RAID driver provided by ASUS (as in their instruction). And even if I'm
not using RAID configuration, hardware (motherboard) required it (driver).
Now, after starting Recovery Console, I installed VIA RAID driver from
floppy, RC worked, I used FIXMBR and error message is gone.
Thanks for help.
Marek Kalisz
 
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