[NUTTER123]

Thanks to Dell. I've fixed my problem by myself.

http://en.community.dell.com/forums/p/1900...9.aspx#19126869

I read the imagex part and in the end I went into the command prompt via the windows DVD and altered that line to my image in my e folder. I'm now restoring my system to as it was when I started wednesday. I am a happy bunny.

[jaclaz]

GOOD.

Happy bunnies:


are much better than a depressed one :
 cadburys3.jpeg (6.8K)
Number of downloads: 0

jaclaz

This post has been edited by jaclaz: Yesterday, 08:29 AM

[NUTTER123]

jaclaz, on Jan 19 2009, 01:05 PM, said:

GOOD.

Happy bunnies:


are much better than a depressed one :


jaclaz

LOL. So true. The only prob i've got now well I reformatted my HD for a start but due to E: being hidden that's obviously safe and was untouched. The repair my PC option now just boots me into windows normally without giving me access to the possible recovery option but still I've worked out how to as I said get it up and running. Not totally 100% but at least I have the knowledge to restart totally if I'm ever stuck in the future.

[jengitsme]

Very happy Bunny now!!!
HD, repaired!!!



Thanks Jaclaz!

[afrin]

My not so happy bunny, my drive is still dead



Will try again !

[Schiiwa]

I have a relatedproblems and i´m still a sad bunny ^^

I read so much "blah blah FixMBR blah blah FDISK /MBR blah blah". I know these Commands but they just reset the MBR to default. So i decided to write to a dignified forum with professional bunnies, even thou i am not that professional!



Problem 1: FSC-Fault!?

I have here a fujitsu siemens Laptop with a Recovery-Partition (look the attachments).

Testdisk says "Bad relative sector". When i scanned with WinHEX, there was a massage about a sektor at the end, which don´t exist! I think there is a error in the Partition-Table, but don´t know how to fix, because there is a eisa-konfiguration, which is not that clear for me. I think siemens didn´t a good job here, because when two working-partitions "C: System" and "D: Data" were nearly full, the system freezed. I could indentify the file, which freezed the system when i wanted to chance anything at this file (eg. deleting it). BTW it was a MP3-File with 10 MB. I think the system had tried to access to the Sector, which doesn´t exist. So that is the first problem!!! But i don´t want to destroy more. I had evoked one problem yet, thats enough. This Problem will follow as "Problem 2: My Fault"

So far the recovery went fine apart from the fact, that it was not passible to install servicepack1 after restoring. As i explored the laptop the first tim about a month ago, there was no SP installed. The problem is an out-of-date-windows-image from the Recovery-Partition (from 2006)! When the ServicePack1-installation was completed, the system still booted, but wasn´t to use, because of RAM-problems. Maybe i should updated it before installing SP1 ... But not sure. Before installing SP1, i removed MSWORX, NORTON I-NET-SEC, ACRBBAT READER AND FSC-Tool for diagnostics. The behavour after that where strange too.


So i decidet to Install from a SP2-Integrated DVD.

Problem 2: My Fault:
Now, the Recovery option "COMPUTER REPARIEREN (repair computer) isn´t available after re-pressing F8 @ boot process. I thought, WINDOWS VISTA wouldn´t overwrite an well-oiled MBR, but it did didn´t it? I should have backuped the MBR!
I read something about BCDEDIT, but i don´t have the heart to do anything more, because i had a lot of work (recovering the SYSTEM about 4 times, scanning the HDD about 20 hours, installing programms and so on). Now i have a well-working vista on it, and don´t want to destroy that!

---> Is there an easy whay to add the "Repair Computer"-option to the F8-Menü, which boot´s the WinRE partition? If yes, please Step-by-Step

I think it works with BCDEDIT, but how!

Additional Information:
I grew up with DOS, then came win95, which is based on DOS. There the boot-up is simple (works or don´t works) and the boot menu was in Config.sys and Autoexec.bat But now, with windows Vista, which is preinstalled on this laptop, its a little bit more complex. I am really interessted in understanding the boot-process. the followings things i THINK TO KNOW:

- @Windows XP there is alittle partition about 8 MB which is nessecary for booting
- @Windows XP NTLDR is the boot-loader. This file is placed at the first sector
- The MBR contains the partitiontable, the boot-loader and some unimortant things like signatures and is 512 bytes (the first sector)!
- @Vista the BOOTMGR is the boot-loader. This file is placed at the first sector! But Windows says, that it is about 333,xxx bytes


The Scan with WinHex didn´t finished. I scanned before I RECOVERED the SYSTEM (The System was really jam-packed with lot of unused trash like AOL, T-ONLINE, OPEN OFFICE besides MS WORKS and MS OFFICE and much more), but after about an or two hours it froze, even though i booted the Windows XPE from CD. I will try it again, now i have a really nice-running windows vista, which is up-to-date.


The Hardware is OK. The RAM is testet overnight with zero errors.
The FSC_OTS and WINRE partition are untouched. The red-marked file at the bottom in the picture "Fat32 FSC_OTS-Partition Few Files2nd.jpg" is not deleted by me (I guess red-marked means DELETED, not sure). But this red entry was there from the beginning and recovery went well anyway!
The first PIC says, that the boot-partition is "C: SYSTEM" the second says "WINRE" marked with the *. Isn´t testdisk compatible with vista? I can remember, that it asked me to search for partitions created by vista, but now, testdisk doesn´t prompt that I will compare the Partition-Table with Winhex´s Part-Table ^^


See you later bunnies

Attached File(s)

•  1. Screen TestDisk.jpg (43.67K)
  Number of downloads: 19
•  2. Screen TestDisk.jpg (50.42K)
  Number of downloads: 18
•  Fat32 FSC_OTS-Partition Few-Files.jpg (66.29K)
  Number of downloads: 9
•  NTFS WinRE-Partition Files.jpg (57.95K)
  Number of downloads: 7

[jaclaz]

It's not very clear (to me at least) what are the actual problem/questions.

I can give you for sure that the partition table on that drive looks like having been manually made by someone extracting Bingo numbers (or using several sets of dices) instead of rationally and logically putting together senceful numbers.

Some more BAD news for you, most of what you think to know is either inaccurate, or incomplete or plainly wrong

Schiiwa, on 23 December 2010 - 01:18 PM, said:

I grew up with DOS, then came win95, which is based on DOS. There the boot-up is simple (works or don´t works) and the boot menu was in Config.sys and Autoexec.bat But now, with windows Vista, which is preinstalled on this laptop, its a little bit more complex. I am really interessted in understanding the boot-process. the followings things i THINK TO KNOW:

- @Windows XP there is alittle partition about 8 MB which is nessecary for booting
- @Windows XP NTLDR is the boot-loader. This file is placed at the first sector
- The MBR contains the partitiontable, the boot-loader and some unimortant things like signatures and is 512 bytes (the first sector)!
- @Vista the BOOTMGR is the boot-loader. This file is placed at the first sector! But Windows says, that it is about 333,xxx bytes

Namely:

• there is NO "need" (and I actually never seen) "a little partition about 8 Mb needed for booting".
  
• the first sector of a partition is the PBR or bootrecord there is NO need for NTLDR to be anywhere specifically in the filesystem (though some versions may need to be in the first 8 Gb ( maybe you are mistaking with DOS before version 7.x, where IO.SYS had to be first file in the partition )
  
• the booting of a NT/2K/XP/2003 happens with THREE (or in some now rare cases four) files:
  
  • NTLDR <. the actual bootloader
    
  • BOOT.INI <- the configuration file for the bootloader, a simple text file
    
  • NTDETECT:COM <- the detector of hardware that loads necessary drivers in protected mode
    
  • NTBOOTDD.SYS <- optional Mass Storage device for SCSI drives (or however for drive cards with extension ROM)
  
  
• The MBR contains the IPL CODE, the partition table DATA and the Disk Signature (and NOTHING else), the IPL code laods the bootsector of the Active (boot) partition)
  
• then there are normally (not in your queer partitioning ) 62 empty sectors, so-called hidden sectors - these on "unpatched Vista/7/2008 become 2047 - for alignement to 4 Kb size - default now
  
• then there is the bootsector or PBR of first partition (which starts at the first sector of the partition, and may be - depending on filesystem - one or more sectors long
  
• The booting of Vista /7/Server 2008 happens with THREE files:
  
  • BOOTMGR <- the actual bootloader
    
  • \boot\BCD <- the configuration file for BOTOMGR, a binary file using the same format of a Registry Hive
    
  • WINLOAD.EXE <- the actual OS loader

You may want to spend some time on this:
http://web.archive.o...part/primer.htm
and this:
http://thestarman.pc.../mbr/index.html
and this:
http://www.multibooters.co.uk/

in order to update and "fix" what you think you know.


Then, you may come back here and try explaining better the problem/issue you are currently having.
Or is the problem just that you have now a "standard" MBR instead of the original Fujitsu-Siemens one?

Just as was discussed for the Dell of the OP, it is very possible that the Fujitsu Siemens uses a "peculiar" MBR CODE.
Which EXACT model is that? (maybe with the model we can find the iutility that contains the "custom" MBR).

The fact that it has a WINRE partition should however mean that the setup is not very different from this one:
http://www.goodells....store/vista.htm
(and the F8 has nothing to do with the MBR)
This is the "normal" way to create a WinRE environment on HD:
http://www.svrops.co.../winvistare.htm
http://blogs.msdn.co...-hard-disk.aspx

jaclaz

This post has been edited by jaclaz: 24 December 2010 - 11:24 AM

[Tripredacus]

jaclaz, on 24 December 2010 - 07:58 AM, said:

there is NO "need" (and I actually never seen) "a little partition about 8 Mb needed for booting".

Finally, something I learned in college I can apply in real life!

I have seen ONE operating system that required a small partition (like 8MB perhaps) in order to boot. That is because said operating system wasn't an operating system at all, it is a shell. You know it, Novell sold NetWare Server 4 (and lower) as an "Operating System" but actually the setup required you to create two partitions. One very small partition (maybe 8MB if you like) where you install... DOS! Then of course you install NetWare in the second, larger partition. PC would boot, load up DOS, launch a program that started NetWare up. This was true for Netware 3 to 4.1, not sure about 4.11. Refs:
http://en.wikipedia....ategic_mistakes
http://www.myboogpag...-on-vmware.html

[jaclaz]

Tripredacus, on 24 December 2010 - 11:22 AM, said:

[I have seen ONE operating system that required a small partition (like 8MB perhaps) in order to boot.

Sure , we were talking of Windows XP, though.

jaclaz

[Schiiwa]

When i was partitioning with xp the full amount on XP, there was another 8MB partition.. Maybe it was unallocated 8MB... but there where always 2 lines. but not 100% sure

jaclaz, on 24 December 2010 - 07:58 AM, said:

It's not very clear (to me at least) what are the actual problem/questions.

Actual Problem:
Before installing Vista from DVD
When i chose "repair computer", the normal recovery-menu (like when booting Vista DVD and choosing "REPAIR COMPUTER") came up, but at the bottom, another option
was "Fujitsu Recovery Tool", where i could write the image (i guess *.WIM-image) to the "C: SYSTEM" Partition!
After installing Vista from DVD
- The Option "REPAIR COMPUTER" isn´t available at the boot-menu any more, in which u get when pressing frequently F8

jaclaz, on 24 December 2010 - 07:58 AM, said:

(and the F8 has nothing to do with the MBR)

...

\boot\BCD <- the configuration file for BOTOMGR, a binary file using the same format of a Registry Hive

...

The MBR contains the IPL CODE, the partition table DATA and the Disk Signature (and NOTHING else), the IPL code laods the bootsector of the Active (boot) partition)

That would stand for
- that the file "\boot\bcd" has to be edit
- that the MBR is in factory-state (because u said the mbr has nothing to do with the F8-Options and i didn´t change the MBR manually)

-----> that why i wrote, that i think it has done with BCDedit ... but don´t know the syntax even don´t if this is the solution

- I want to know, how to restore this option to understand the Vista-boot-process (where did the "REPAIR COMPUTER"-option took his information? From another Partition?

jaclaz, on 24 December 2010 - 07:58 AM, said:

Which EXACT model is that? (maybe with the model we can find the iutility that contains the "custom" MBR).

The Problem-Laptop of my girlfriend:
- "SIEMENS FUJITSU COMPUTERS AMILO PI1505"
- Vista is currently running

jaclaz, on 24 December 2010 - 07:58 AM, said:

Just as was discussed for the Dell of the OP, it is very possible that the Fujitsu Siemens uses a "peculiar" MBR CODE.
Which EXACT model is that? (maybe with the model we can find the iutility that contains the "custom" MBR).

Don´t want to restore Dell´s MBR, before beeing sure its working. Or can u tell me a Windows-based programm to backup and restore currently MBR? But however I would be worried about using Dell´s tool, because would be possible to apply some more changes! ---> REMEMBER: The Vista SP2, I installed from DVD, runs fine!

jaclaz, on 24 December 2010 - 07:58 AM, said:

I can give you for sure that the partition table on that drive looks like having been manually made by someone extracting Bingo numbers (or using several sets of dices) instead of rationally and logically putting together senceful numbers.

- Nobody changed somethin @ the partitions (That boched FSC!!!) --> thats why I never would by a siemens because of such problems (remember: After recovery no SP working)



You´re right, i should spend some time on your posted threads...after i posted my 1st post, i already was on this site: http://www.multibooters.co.uk/

i just read a post in another forum, maybe this would work

Backup the RUNNING C: partition to a DVD (JUST FOR ME FOR RESTORING MANUALLY)

simply copy the wim-file to "d: data")

Boot from the Vista DVD
Go to repair my windows

Click continue or next

Then go to DOS prompt..

At the DOS prompt. type:
E: (or whatever your DVD drive shows up as)
cd tools
imagex /apply d:\blahblah.wim 1 c:\


You will see the prosess start, wait until it finishes.. and the program will return (success)

Type:
EXIT (to close the DOS window.)

Press:
repair startup
and continue until it finishes
The PC will reboot




but i don´t like this solution. I want to have the recovery option "REPAIR COMPUTER" at the present installation of Vista SP2, that my girlfriend can recover from the original WinRE partition (in case she isn´t my girlfriend anymore .
If i managed this, i will do a complete RAW-Image of the complete HDD.
Then i will partition the HDD senceful and not as u said:

jaclaz, on 24 December 2010 - 07:58 AM, said:

I can give you for sure that the partition table on that drive looks like having been manually made by someone extracting Bingo numbers (or using several sets of dices) instead of rationally and logically putting together senceful numbers.

This post has been edited by Schiiwa: 25 December 2010 - 06:07 AM

[Schiiwa]

Here you can see the content of my WinRE partition

in the root there are 3 files, which could be important, but don´t know, if i can simply copy for example BCD to my System-partition

\Boot\Boot.sdi is also there


Additional:
Boot.wim is located In \sources and about 178 MB
Factory.wim is located in \Factory and about 3 GB

In \$#repair there are 2 cmd-scripts:
SetAutoFailover.cmd
$#setWinRE.cmd

Content:
$#setWinRE.cmd
call SetAutoFailover.cmd /target %1 /Wim /Disk %2 /mainos {current}

I think to know some parts of the important things of
SetAutoFailover.cmd are:
...

REM
REM Create WinRE boot entry
REM

%BCDEDIT% -create %WINPE_GUID% -d "Windows Recovery Environment" -application OSLOADER
%BCDEDIT% -set %WINPE_GUID% device partition=%DRIVE%
%BCDEDIT% -set %WINPE_GUID% path %WINRE_ROOT_DIR%\windows\system32\boot\winload.exe
%BCDEDIT% -set %WINPE_GUID% osdevice partition=%DRIVE%
%BCDEDIT% -set %WINPE_GUID% systemroot %WINRE_ROOT_DIR%\windows
%BCDEDIT% -set %WINPE_GUID% detecthal yes
%BCDEDIT% -set %WINPE_GUID% nx optin
%BCDEDIT% -set %WINPE_GUID% winpe yes

...

REM
REM Mark this installation as the recovery OS. This recovery OS identifier
REM will be used by other components to enable/disable auto recovery.
REM
%BCDEDIT% -set %WINPE_GUID% custom:46000010 yes

REM
REM Set the recovery sequence
REM

%BCDEDIT% -set %MAINOS% recoverysequence %WINPE_GUID%
%BCDEDIT% -set %MAINOS% recoveryenabled yes



I Attached the complete script

Greetings... Chris

Attached File(s)

•  SetAutoFailover.cmd (8.98K)
  Number of downloads: 15

[jaclaz]

Sure , the Setupfailover.cmd is the script normally used to add the WINRE partition option to the BCD, this is why I posted these:
http://www.svrops.co.../winvistare.htm
http://blogs.msdn.co...-hard-disk.aspx

if you read them you should be able to understand the usage of the script and/or (if needed) modify it to suit your needs.

jaclaz

[Schiiwa]

jaclaz, on 25 December 2010 - 11:48 AM, said:

Sure , the Setupfailover.cmd is the script normally used to add the WINRE partition option to the BCD, this is why I posted these:
http://www.svrops.co.../winvistare.htm
http://blogs.msdn.co...-hard-disk.aspx

if you read them you should be able to understand the usage of the script and/or (if needed) modify it to suit your needs.

jaclaz

I need a little bit more help:

From the SETAUTOFAILOVER.CMD:
echo /target (drive where WinRE is installed) [required]
echo The drive where WinRE is installed w/o the trailing backslash,
echo e.g., C:
echo.

WHICH DRIVE? Where it has been installed? The recovery-destination? The recovery-source, which has no Drive-Name in my case!?

My WinRE-Partition has no letter and is hidden, still in Factory-State. BTW, what is the FAT32 Partition good for?

I could read out of the Script, that it want to remove the drive letter and to set it inactive! But the OEM-Partition is hidden and inactive yet (look attachment)

Thats why i´m afraid of running the script.

I would appreciate the solution with all the BCDEDIT-Commands with syntax :ange

Attached File(s)

•  DISKPART.jpg (40.1K)
  Number of downloads: 6
•  BCDEDIT.jpg (43.71K)
  Number of downloads: 3
•  Partition.jpg (49.45K)
  Number of downloads: 7

[Schiiwa]

I mounted the Boot.wim, which i extracted from the WinRE-Partition via WinHEX

The file "WINPESHL.INI" is in \windows\system32 and hold this context:
[LaunchApp]
rem AppPath=%comspec%
AppPath=X:\sources\recovery\tools\recoverypackage\bin\FSCPEStart.exe

[FSCRECOVERY]
AppPath=X:\sources\recovery\recenv.exe


Everything looks fine on the WinRE-Partition. There is also a BCD and BOOTMGR in the ROOT.... WHY? I thought the Boot Configuration Data is on C:

The MBR is in factorystate or overridden while i installed Vista from a Untouched SP2 integrated DVD!

This post has been edited by Schiiwa: 20 January 2011 - 07:08 PM

[Schiiwa]

Here:
http://technet.micro.../cc766450(WS.10).aspx

I found out, that the EFI-Based Computers also have a FAT32 PArtition, so i guess, i have one, too because of the "FSC_OS" Fat32-Partition found by TESTDISK

Here it says:
http://technet.micro.../cc753840(WS.10).aspx
For GUID partition table (GPT) disks, specifies the new GUID value for the type field for the partition. Recognized GUIDs include:
EFI system partition: c12a7328-f81f-11d2-ba4b-00a0c93ec93b
Diskmanagment says, i have a EISA-Konfiguration


I think i have to give up, tho i think it could easy be reimplement.

I could try to give it another ID (at the Moment 27) and assign X: to it and run
setautofailover.cmd /target X: /wim /nohide

... maybe it works

Another Question is, if i APPLY the FACTORY.WIM to C:, if then my problems are gone?!

Thank u Jayclaz for your support. I will regard this thread in future, maybe someone can help...

This post has been edited by Schiiwa: 20 January 2011 - 06:38 PM

[jaclaz]

The "normal" way a hard disk with a recovery partition is set is the following:

• hidden partition with recovery settings/files
  
• visible partition with OS and all programs running

(the order in which they are is not important)

In normal operation:
BIOS->MBR->PBR of active partition->Normal OS booting

In Recovery operation:
BIOS->MBR->HotKey pressed->Recovery partition is unhidden and set Active->PBR of active partition (which is now the recovery partition)->Recovery OS booting

What happens with the "new" approach should be something like:

In normal operation:
BIOS->MBR->PBR of active partition->BOOTMGR->BCD->Normal OS booting

In Recovery operation:
BIOS->MBR->BOOTMGR->BCD->HotKey pressed->Recovery OS booting (WINRE) ->get data from factory.wim->restore OS

Compare also with this (Dell specific - but actually "general"):
http://www.goodells....starecovery.htm

From what I can see there, the partition holding the Factory wim is not hidden on Dell's.

It is possible that your particular PC has a "mixed mode", where the Recovery partition where the Factory.wim is, is hidden and unhidden when booting the WinRE.

If you follow the setupfailover.cmd, you will find:

    REM
    REM Hide partition
    REM

    if not {%NOHIDE%}=={} (
        goto :EOF
    )

    set TEMP_FILENAME=%SCRIPTNAME%_Temp_DiskPart.txt

    echo sel disk %DISK% > %TEMP_FILENAME%
    echo sel partition %PARTITION% >> %TEMP_FILENAME%

    REM
    REM Remove the drive letter for the partition before hiding it. 
    REM The system will not allow us to remove the drive letter after hiding it.
 

In other words, when the original setupfailover.cmd is run, the hidden partition is unhidden and has a drive letter assigned to it (which should be the parameter you were asking about) then the batch itself removes the drive letter and hides the partition.

Hope that now it is more clear...

jaclaz

[Tripredacus]

Oooo be careful there. There are two things that the CMD uses to find the recovery partition and it may be compiled. I see from the post that there is a custom RE application so without knowing what is in there and what it does that may become broken. The recovery partition is detected by looking for the prescense of a certain file and also by the volume GUID. The reason it looks confusing is because the CMD is supposed to be run BEFORE the recovery partition is hidden (such as in deployment or when booted into WinRE). So in those cases, it has no problem finding the recovery or boot partition because it has a drive letter at that point.

There should be two CMD files, both similarly named. One is in the boot partition and one in the recovery partition.

Personally I like Win7 WinRE better. Vista's is just annoying.

[Schiiwa]

As you can see in Post #15 in my attachments, Testdisk found 2 hidden Partitions: 1 NTFS [WinRE] and 1 FAT32 [FSC_OTS] !?
The NTFS is a OEM Partition with ID=27.

The FAT32-Partition is just a service-partition and holds just 85 MB! It should have been deleted i guess, as you can see in the following lines

In the ROOT there are these files (and more):
SET_ENV.BAT
FINDRAMD.BAT
AUTOEXEC.BAT

...

• ::GDISK-LOESCHE OTS_PART
  
• echo.
  
• echo Loesche SERVICEPARTITION...
  
• echo.
  
• gdisk 1 /del /p:%OTS_PART% /y
  
• gdisk 1 /act /p:2 /y
  
• echo.

...

This Partition should nothing have to do with the Recovery-Partition. I copied all files to my external HDD via TESTDISK and looked in the BATCH-Scripts.... Just do configure the System´s Hardware (CMOS/BIOS/FIRMWARES/etc.)

jaclaz, on 21 January 2011 - 04:26 AM, said:

• 
  In normal operation:
  BIOS->MBR->PBR of active partition->Normal OS booting
  
  In Recovery operation:
  BIOS->MBR->HotKey pressed->Recovery partition is unhidden and set Active->PBR of active partition (which is now the recovery partition)->Recovery OS booting
  
  
• 
  What happens with the "new" approach should be something like:
  
  In normal operation:
  BIOS->MBR->PBR of active partition->BOOTMGR->BCD->Normal OS booting
  
  In Recovery operation:
  BIOS->MBR->BOOTMGR->BCD->HotKey pressed->Recovery OS booting (WINRE) ->get data from factory.wim->restore OS

I think, the green one is the way, the WinRE was accessed, because the Menu looked like Vista´s Boot-Menü with the Option "Repair Computer".
1st Question:
Or is the BCD and BOOTMGR on the WinRE-partition an indication for booting it over the MBR with its own Boot Configuration Data?

2nd Question:
If i mount the FACTORY.WIM, can i edit the \Boot\BCD, to see it´s content or even Export the entries to a file? Or do i have to APPLY the Image to C:, that i can export the BCD via BCDEDIT /EXPORT
ANSWER: Yes: With the command BCDEDIT /store \boot\bcd /enum all

3rd Question:
Can a WIM-File hold the original MBR?
ANSWER: NO

jaclaz, on 21 January 2011 - 04:26 AM, said:

It is possible that your particular PC has a "mixed mode", where the Recovery partition where the Factory.wim is, is hidden and unhidden when booting the WinRE.

I don´t think so. Because i already ran the recovery-partition several times in the past, i think it will be accessed over the BCD. The WinRE partition with id27 is designed for this, if the partition is the first one, like on my HDD!

All recovery-stuff is hidden. The FAT32-Partition i can only see via TESTDISK/BOOTDISK. Windows disk management Lists only 3 Partitions. 1 is OEM, 2 and 3 are C: and D:

jaclaz, on 21 January 2011 - 04:26 AM, said:

In other words, when the original setupfailover.cmd is run, the hidden partition is unhidden and has a drive letter assigned to it (which should be the parameter you were asking about) then the batch itself removes the drive letter and hides the partition.

Hope that now it is more clear...

Yeah, i knew, that the script will take the letter away and hide the partition. But mine is already hidden, exept i will boot with the Vista-DVD to the CMD, then WinRE is F:\. That is the reason, why i would prefer a solution with BCDEDIT.EXE. But i don´t know the Syntax/variables/parameters/guids yet! (completely new @ vista/7)
The problem is, that i don´t want to make any changes to the partitions for now. So i can restore factory wim in case of emegency and will have the factory-state again (i hope). Then extract the BCD and restore my current SYSTEM.WIM (with proud 110GB), import bcd, let Vista repair the start-up and everything is fine.

I CAN ACCESS MY WINRE-PARTITION if i boot from the VISTA SP2-INSTALL-DISK and go to the REPAIR-OPTION - CMD.
WinRE Partition [id=27]=F:\
could i run the setautofailover script there?
SetAutoFailover.cmd /target F: /wim /nohide /partition 1

/mainos GUID ....
4th Question
Where can i find this GUID of my OS? I will attach the BCDEDIT.TXT, created with:
BCDEDIT /ENUM ALL >BCDEDIT.TXT

IS IT THIS ONE: {2ebf8c8c-0e38-11e0-9fc4-e7505350ad8a} ?
ANSWER: YES but {current} should work also


I imaged my current system on C: with this syntax:
imagex.exe /capture /boot /compress none /verify C: F:\Recovery\System.wim "SYSTEM"
And i connected the 2,5" Sata-Drive to a PC and made a RAW-Image with WindowsPE (XP), because the Laptop always hung at the destroyed sectors.


I have found an interesting Folder in the FACTORY.WIM! Look at the Restore.jpg in ATTACHMENTS. Such an EXE-File (like RESTORERECOVERY.EXE) could possibly restore my MBR, so restoring FACTORI.WIM maybe would help me to fix my problem via its installations-routine. Or it does the same like the Setautofailover-Script compiled in a EXE-File.
I just know the responsible files of XP (Files like WINNT.SIF or CMDLINES), which contain additional or costum files added by the manufacter. But where to look in VISTA? Where could a file like RESTORERECOVERY.EXE could be executed in the Installation-routine? I already looked @ the $OEM$-Folder. That is important, to look for parameters.


@ Tripredacus
5th Question:
Look @ recovery.jpg! The Picture is the standard one, but the last option "Fujitsu Siemens Computers" which would be there, if i would had booted it. Where does the Environment take this information? (it is not the orginal-screenshot )
ANSWER: from the WINPESHL.INI i think!

in mine, this is the content:

• [LaunchApp]
  
• rem AppPath=%comspec%
  
• AppPath=X:\sources\recovery\tools\recoverypackage\bin\FSCPEStart.exe
  
  
• [FSCRECOVERY]
  
• AppPath=X:\sources\recovery\recenv.exe

Attached File(s)

•  Recovery.jpg (53.77K)
  Number of downloads: 9
•  Restore.jpg (88.59K)
  Number of downloads: 7
•  Bcdedit.txt (3.07K)
  Number of downloads: 3

This post has been edited by Schiiwa: 27 January 2011 - 01:38 PM

[Schiiwa]

The Guid for the Ramdisk was already set ({ad6c7bc8-fa0f-11da-8ddf-0013200354d8})


Thats why i skipped these 3:

%BCDEDIT% -create %RAMDISK_OPTIONS% -d "Ramdisk Device Options" -device
%BCDEDIT% -set %RAMDISK_OPTIONS% ramdisksdidevice partition=%DRIVE%
%BCDEDIT% -set %RAMDISK_OPTIONS% ramdisksdipath \boot\boot.sdi



I did these commands always with a "successful" output :]

BCDEDIT -set {default} recoveryenabled yes
BCDEDIT -create {572bcd56-ffa7-11d9-aae0-0007e994107d} -d "Windows Recovery Environment" -application OSLOADER
BCDEDIT -set {default} recoverysequence {572bcd56-ffa7-11d9-aae0-0007e994107d}
BCDEDIT -set {572bcd56-ffa7-11d9-aae0-0007e994107d} device ramdisk=[F:]\sources\boot.wim,{ad6c7bc8-fa0f-11da-8ddf-0013200354d8}
BCDEDIT -set {572bcd56-ffa7-11d9-aae0-0007e994107d} path \windows\system32\boot\winload.exe
BCDEDIT -set {572bcd56-ffa7-11d9-aae0-0007e994107d} osdevice ramdisk=[F:]\sources\boot.wim,{ad6c7bc8-fa0f-11da-8ddf-0013200354d8}
BCDEDIT -set {572bcd56-ffa7-11d9-aae0-0007e994107d} systemroot \windows
BCDEDIT -set {572bcd56-ffa7-11d9-aae0-0007e994107d} detecthal yes
BCDEDIT -set {572bcd56-ffa7-11d9-aae0-0007e994107d} nx optin
BCDEDIT -set {572bcd56-ffa7-11d9-aae0-0007e994107d} winpe yes
BCDEDIT -set {572bcd56-ffa7-11d9-aae0-0007e994107d} custom:46000010 yes


---------------------------------------


After that, the F8-Option was available again, but it returned an error, if i chose it:
Status: 0xc000000f info: the boot selection failed because a required device is inaccessible. ENTER=continue
If i push ENTER, it simply boots the installed system.




Then i deleted the GUID {572bcd56-ffa7-11d9-aae0-0007e994107d} and tried to let the OS assign a guid with these:

BCDEDIT -delete {572bcd56-ffa7-11d9-aae0-0007e994107d}

BCDEDIT -create -d "Windows Recovery Environment" -application OSLOADER --> that returned the GUID: {43f982df-29d7-11e0-b393-00030d588b4f}
BCDEDIT -set {default} recoverysequence {43f982df-29d7-11e0-b393-00030d588b4f}
BCDEDIT -set {43f982df-29d7-11e0-b393-00030d588b4f} device ramdisk=[f:]\sources\boot.wim,{ad6c7bc8-fa0f-11da-8ddf-0013200354d8}
BCDEDIT -set {43f982df-29d7-11e0-b393-00030d588b4f} path \windows\system32\boot\winload.exe
BCDEDIT -set {43f982df-29d7-11e0-b393-00030d588b4f} osdevice ramdisk=[f:]\sources\boot.wim,{ad6c7bc8-fa0f-11da-8ddf-0013200354d8}
BCDEDIT -set {43f982df-29d7-11e0-b393-00030d588b4f} systemroot \windows
BCDEDIT -set {43f982df-29d7-11e0-b393-00030d588b4f} detecthal yes
BCDEDIT -set {43f982df-29d7-11e0-b393-00030d588b4f} nx optin
BCDEDIT -set {43f982df-29d7-11e0-b393-00030d588b4f} winpe yes
BCDEDIT -set {43f982df-29d7-11e0-b393-00030d588b4f} custom:46000010 yes

As i expected, same error again


I will attach 2 txt-files.

BEFORE.TXT (Before applying any command with BCDEDIT.EXE) returned with BCDEDIT /enum all >before.txt
AFTER.TXT (After applying all these commands with BCDEDIT.EXE) returned with BCDEDIT /enum all >after.txt

Attachment doesn´t work at the moment... it will follow!

Help would be appreciated!

This post has been edited by Schiiwa: 30 January 2011 - 05:47 PM

[Tripredacus]

BIOS->MBR->BOOTMGR->BCD->HotKey pressed->Recovery OS booting (WINRE) ->get data from factory.wim->restore OS

BIOS (motherboard) looks for drives with a MBR so it knows what it can boot.
MBR is the section on the drive that says "this is bootable" or "this is not bootable"
If it is bootable (In Vista's case), The answer is, find BOOTMGR on the active partition.
BOOTMGR looks at BCD to determine where Windows is located
Windows is loaded.

However, if you choose to run recovery, BOOTMGR changes the BCD, to de-activate the OS volume and active the recovery volume. Then BCD says boot to the active partition, which would then have WinRE. This is because the F8 menu is not part of the OS, it is a bootloader itself. I may have that backwards but the idea is the same.

The reason why you are seeing strange files is that Microsoft did not give OEMs a turnkey solution to make recovery partition in Vista. All OEMs HAD to make their own method (rather in Win7 OEM can use turnkey solution or do whatever they want) so there are subtle differences between Vista recovery partitions between different brands of computers. Also, it is possible that your notebook supports an EFI style boot environment.

Also, your answer to #5 is technically incorrect, but I cannot reveal as to where that last option really comes from.