Help please! Not able to Boot into Vista

K

Katmandu

Member
I accidently damaged the Boot sector of a Vista partion on my harddrive (don't ask...). :unamused: Now I can no longer boot to this partition!

I was able to install XP on another partition on this harddrive and access some of my files. I can NOT access my Email files (which I need). I was bad and have done a backup for a few weeks. Lesson learned!

The Repair option on the Vista and XP install disc failed to fix the MBR.

Is there a way to make my Vista partition bootable again so I can access my Email files ???


TIA!
 
Don't use an XP disk to repair anything. XP's NTLDR will be written into the boot sector, and it can't be made to boot Vista.
Use the Vista recovery disk and follow the instructions here
(note especially that the "startup repair" sequence needs to be done three times. That should be enough to get Vista booting without needing to go further)
 
Dear Terry, Katmandu already said the vista recovery couldn't fix the problem he had. And what I suggested is not to fix Vista boot manager with Mini XP. I suggested Mini XP so that he can access his documents and take out all important data using an external hard disk/pen drive from the vista partition.

Peace,
Andex
 
Hi Andex, I wasn't criticising or contradicting your post. I should have been more specific.
My reply was to Kat's statement
"The Repair option on the Vista and XP install disc failed to fix the MBR."
 
Thanks guys. I am able to see and access the files on the Vista portion of the harddrive.

I still cannot boot to it.

I "tried" to load Windows 7 on it and I'm running into a problem.
 
Last edited:
Andex12 said:
Dear Terry, Katmandu already said the vista recovery couldn't fix the problem he had. And what I suggested is not to fix Vista boot manager with Mini XP. I suggested Mini XP so that he can access his documents and take out all important data using an external hard disk/pen drive from the vista partition.

Peace,
Andex
Click to expand...

You can use Ubuntu live disc to do the same thing, that is, rescue files legally and for free. We don't recommend using illegal software.
 
I found and recovered all the files I need off the Vista partition.

At this point I think I'm going to give up trying to repair the Vista boot files and try to install Windows 7 in it's place.

When I go to install Windows 7 (to REFORMAT the Vista partion), I have been unsucessful.

The partition (#1) with my Vista files is actually my C: Drive (with the unbootable Vista files).

My D: Drive is the 2nd partition and is running XP. This partition is only 10GB in size and it's almost FULL! I need to larger partition ASAP!

Anyways, when I put in the Windows 7 install disc, it boots and STOPS at a point asking for a CD-Rom driver. ??? From what I can tell, there IS a CD Rom driver in place already.

I can NOT even get to the point of seeing the C: and D: Partitions in order to manipulate them!

I'll take a Screen Shot of the point where Windows 7 Stops loading and post it here.

Addendum:

1226092131-01%20(Custom).jpg


When I search any and all medias THOUROUGHLY for a CDROM driver I get this message below OR the PC just hangs in a searching loop.

1226092135-00%20(Custom).jpg


Should I give up and just "try" to find a way to REFORMAT the C: Partition ??

I do NOT want to lost the D: Partition that is currently running XP and running great.

Ideas ?
 
Last edited:
Use Partition Wizard bootable disc to get the partitions the way you want them. Once Vista's partition is deleted you should be able to extend space to XP's partition and create a new partition for Windows 7.
 
kairozamorro said:
Use Partition Wizard bootable disc to get the partitions the way you want them. Once Vista's partition is deleted you should be able to extend space to XP's partition and create a new partition for Windows 7.
Click to expand...
Thanks Justin!

I did that and it worked out quite well!

So good in fact that I now have (3) O/Ss on the disc. XP, Vista and Windows 8 Extreme (Windows 7 Ultimate).
 
Back
Top