Problem loading Windows Vista 64 after Seagate Firmware fix

[DoomN00b]

'Ello, new guy here. Smashin' forum this, with loads of clever lads. I've got me a bit of a problem...

I did the Seagate-fix, and my disc now shows up in windows, and I can access the files via another computer, which I applied the firmware update with. (It's now on firmware SD1a instead of SD15)

Buut... even tho I can select it as first boot-device, and it shows up fine now in bios, I don't seem to be able to get it to load Win Vista.

I even put back the 1gb/s limiting jumper in the back, but no go.

It gives me the following fairly infamous error-message:

"Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device"

I really need some help here fellas, so let me know what's up, if you have time. I'll provide some info on my system down below.

CPU: AMD 6000+ X2 at 3 Ghz

GPU: Ati Radeon HD 4850 512 Megs Saphire

HD1: Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 500gb S-ATA (firmware SD1a)

HD2: Maxtor 400 gb IDE

Mobo: Asus M3A78-EM/CM

OS: Windows Vista Ultimate 64 SP1 ( currently using Asus Xpress Gate tho..)

RAM: 4gb

Cheers

[DoomN00b]

I've been given the suggestion that my Master Boot Record is most likely corrupted, so I will now attempt to repair it with the Win RE. I'll report back with my results.

[jaclaz]

Just in case:

http://neosmart.net/blog/2007/bootsectexe-...or-not-the-mbr/

You need to run ONLY:

bootrec.exe /fixmbr

at first attempt.

jaclaz

Edited February 14, 2010 by jaclaz

[DoomN00b]

Hmm...! First, thanks to Jaclaz for giving me the tip, but it would appear as if I'm doing something wrong...

I ran the RE, the command prompt, and then began to enter the commands.

X: bootrec.exe/fixmbr

, went without a kitch. The prompt returned the message that it did the deed without problem. I then restart, remove the CD and sit in anticipation. No dice. Same as before. Ok, I figure I have to run the command while on the actual affected disc, so I go into Command again:

C:/bootrec.exe/fixmbr

Ok, no prob' again. Restarting... And still no dice. Windows does not boot. I think for a while, and come to the conclusion that I probably have to fix the bootsector as well, so here we go:

C:/bootrec.exe/fixboot

"element not found"

So here I am, once more... scratching my head intensely and wondering what I'm doing wrong. I should probably mention that the /ScanOs command DID find my C:/windows partition/disc. However, the it didn't show up in the system recovery Options dialog-box (where you select an OS to repair), so I just pressed next there, to get to the command prompt right away. ( And I of course used the Startup Repair tool first, before I started to play around with bootrec)

All ideas and tips are heartily received, lads.

Edited February 14, 2010 by Predabot

[jaclaz]

Well, the bootrec.exe /fixmbr should ONLY fix the MBR CODE, you must now check the MBR DATA.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392/en-us

/FixMbr

The /FixMbr option writes a Windows 7 or Windows Vista-compatible MBR to the system partition. This option does not overwrite the existing partition table. Use this option when you must resolve MBR corruption issues, or when you have to remove non-standard code from the MBR.

Post the EXACT message you see when trying booting.

(EXACT, means EXACT, including CaSe)

jaclaz

Edited February 14, 2010 by jaclaz

[DoomN00b]

You got it, mate.

Here we go:

"Reboot and Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press any key"

This happens after a completely black prompt with nothing but a line that goes downward a few times, which I recently read is apparently one of the signs of problems with the MBR, right?

[jaclaz]

That message seems like coming from the BIOS of the machine that cannot find the drive as BOOTABLE.

Are you sure that the HD is in the Boot priority list in BIOS?

This may be also due to having NO active partitions in the MBR Partition Table.

Have you some kind of alternate boot media?

Like:

• Floppy
  
• CD (and a CD burner)
  
• USB stick (you will lose the data on it, so back it up)
  

jaclaz

[DoomN00b]

Sure, I have a few other medias in the boot-order.

1st device is the Seagate, 2nd is my floppy ( I'm one of those blokes who still thinks it's a useful device) and 3rd is my DVD.

I am quite able to select it in the boot-order indeed.

[jaclaz]

Boot from a DOS floppy with any suitable disk utility and check that there is a partition active.

jaclaz

[DoomN00b]

What are the commands to do it with chkdsk? And can I do it using the command-prompt and the Win install-disk? I'd rather do it tonight then having to wait until tomorrow, when I can make a DOS-disk at work.

EDIT: Obviously I can. Never mind that question.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/67612-ch...isk-chkdsk.html

Edited February 14, 2010 by Predabot

[jaclaz]

Cannot say with Vista RE.

jaclaz

[DoomN00b]

I ran chkdsk with the /C option, and it reported only one error, problems with the file-structure I believe, no bad sectors or corrupted index. Two unindexed files as well. I tried running with /F, but no dice. It didn't run when I rebooted... hmm.

[VideoRipper]

Since you're using the infamous 7200.11 drive (originally with SD15 firmware) I suggest

you first checkout the entire drive using Seagate's SeaTools for DOS, before deciding to

keep on using that drive and trying to revive the OS.

Even after the SD15-firmware BSY bug you solved, the drive is still not reliable; I've heard

rumours that even the newer SD1A firmware didn't solve the BSY problem.

I also had to revive my drive last week and at first it looked okay, but when doing the tests

it seemed that a lot was wrong with it, so now it's on its way back to be swapped

Your drive is most likely also still under warranty and if SeaTools isn't able to do a quick DST-test

and/or comes with a large list of repaired sectors after a long DST-test you'd better backup

the drive and return it while you still can.

There's a great chance the sectors that make up your MBR are screwed...

Greetz,

Peter.

[jaclaz]

There's a great chance the sectors that make up your MBR are screwed...

Just for the record, unless a multi-sectors third party bootmanager is used, in a "normal" MBR the sectors that make it up are just ONE (first sector of physicaldrive).

Since the code has been hopefully fixed by bootrec and the partition is found with /ScanOS, the only missing thing could be:

• wrong partition type (but it shouldn't actually be a problem)
  
• non--active partition (which could be the problem)
  

Of course if the advice:

You need to run ONLY:

bootrec.exe /fixmbr

at first attempt.

Actually translates to:

OK, so I ran:

bootrec.exe /fixmbr

bootrec.exe /fixboot

bootrec.exe /ScanOS

And this:

Boot from a DOS floppy with any suitable disk utility and check that there is a partition active.

Actually translates to:

OK, so I ran:

chkdsk /C

chkdsk /F

It will be hard to know what has happened/is happening.

jaclaz

Edited February 15, 2010 by jaclaz

[DoomN00b]

Just for the record, unless a multi-sectors third party bootmanager is used, in a "normal" MBR the sectors that make it up are just ONE (first sector of physicaldrive).

Since the code has been hopefully fixed by bootrec and the partition is found with /ScanOS, the only missing thing could be:

• wrong partition type (but it shouldn't actually be a problem)
  
• non--active partition (which could be the problem)
  

Of course if the advice:

You need to run ONLY:

bootrec.exe /fixmbr

at first attempt.

Actually translates to:

OK, so I ran:

bootrec.exe /fixmbr

bootrec.exe /fixboot

bootrec.exe /ScanOS

And this:

Boot from a DOS floppy with any suitable disk utility and check that there is a partition active.

Actually translates to:

OK, so I ran:

chkdsk /C

chkdsk /F

It will be hard to know what has happened/is happening.

jaclaz

Well, I just thought about something else that may be the villain of the drama here... Readydriver Plus. I had installed it before, to use some drivers that vista said ixnay too, but it then broke down after a few weeks, for some reason, and borked my windows. ( maybe it was the boot-sector it borked, since it modifies how you boot??), I then reformated my drive and started out new, learning to never trust such an app again.

However, even after reformat, the readydriver plus boot-selector, plus or vista, showed up at startup. I don't know why that is, and if it still worked, since I never tried it. But maybe, it's still somehow the erroneous corrupted element that's messing things up??

Also, when I ran chkdsk I didn't run it from a DOS-floppy I'm afraid... I ran it from a command-console off the Vista Install-disc. Could that affect chkdsk effectiveness, as compared to running it from a floppy?

I'll be trying Seatools for sure, to check up on the disc. I was actually reading about it just prior to checking the thread.

Also, I'm looking at EasyBCD, and it looks to be one heckuva' program. It appears to be able to easily remove boot-elements that are unwanted. What do you think lads?

Btw... Can I run, Seatools, EasyBCD, and Chkdsk from one single USB-stick? I do have several functioning USB-sticks, but it would be neat to run 'em all on one single stick.

Edited February 16, 2010 by Predabot