HOW TO: Recover Windows MBR using Ubuntu LIVE CD

[oldfred]

You can just restore the XP boot loader with fixMBR.
How to restore the Ubuntu/XP/Vista/7 bootloader (Updated for Ubuntu 9.10)
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1014708

Or if you cannot find XP cd, you can install lilo's boot loader which works just like windows in looking for a boot partition and jumping to that partition to boot.

Restore basic windows boot loader - universe enabled
Simply open Synaptic and Settings > Repositories and tick the box against the Universe repo in the Ubuntu Software tab.
sudo apt-get install lilo
sudo lilo -M /dev/sda mbr
May show error messages about the rest of lilo missing, ignore, we just want MBR with bootloader.

[davedaveh]

I corrupted my XP partition when experimenting with Ubuntu 11 and was able to bring XP back with these commands from live CD:

sudo apt-get install mbr
sudo install-mbr -i n -p D -t 0 /dev/sda

but after further manipulation, I screwed it up, and the fix failed --
first -i was invalid, when I removed it,
error came up 'no 0 directory'
upon removing that,
'/dev/sda no directory'

other permutations come up with error 'missing destitnation file operand...'

Have I messed it up beyond repair?

I can see the partition from Prtition Commander
but have not been able to make a bootable 'fixmbr' disk to work either.
Is XP gone now?
Also from live cd, fdisk -l has no output

[oldfred]

I prefer lilo over mbr.

You can also run this:

Boot Repair:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair
You can repair many boot issues with this or post the link to a run of boot info script so we can see your exact configuration.

If you cannot fix it, run the boot info script from Boot-Repair, but start a new thread with your post of the boot script link. It gets too confusing to have multiple boot scripts in one thread.

[cacycleworks]

Ouch, ubuntu 12.04 LTS final beta? There is no ms-sys in the repos. I even had to apt-get install aptitude... 1st time ever. BUT! If google brought you here like it did me, try this: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair

[srichakradhar]

I was dual booting Windows 8 and BackTrack5 but I corrupted the mbr using easyBCD. So I tried this..

sudo apt-get install mbrsudo install-mbr -i n -p D -t 0 /dev/sda1
/dev/sda1 was the primary partition in my system which is "System Reserved" for Windows.When I rebooted my system It got stuck at the boot logo "HP" and BIOS won't show up even when I pressed the "ESC" to pause start up..What could be the reason for BIOS not showing up? Can it be fixed??

[cacycleworks]

You might want to post a new question on askubuntu.com and be sure to give as many details as possible. There or serverfault maybe.

[srichakradhar]

I've posted it here.. http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2148629

[coffeecat]

I'm closing this very old thread. Time has moved on, and the only utility described in the OP has long been unavailable from the repositories. Also, the increasing number of uefi systems will mean that this thread could be misleading to inexperienced users.

Those needing to repair the Windows bootloader in legacy BIOS systems may find this community documentation useful:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Re...ta/7Bootloader

If anyone needs specific help, please start a new thread in an appropriate section of the forum.

Thread closed.