MBR Error 3?
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Thread: MBR Error 3?

  1. #1
    Registered User Bluff's Avatar
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    MBR Error 3?

    Recently one of my comps stopped working, on which I had all my music.

    I decided to put one of the drives in another computer so I could listen to all my tracks while I sort the other comp.

    After slotting it in and sorting out all the jumper settings, I tried to boot up. It flashed up 'MBR Error 3' before booting normally.

    When in windows, I tried to access it, but it only registered one drive (it has two partitions) and also said it wasn't formatted. I restarted, but it still did the same message.

    How do I get it to work?

    Mobo specs:
    Board: ASUSTeK Computer INC. A7A266 REV 1.xx
    BIOS: Award Software, Inc. ASUS A7A266 ACPI BIOS Revision 1004 04/30/2001

    P.S. when I put the other drive back in, I had the same problem again.
    As a computer, I find your faith in technology amusing.

    ============
    Bluff

  2. #2
    Registered User street1's Avatar
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    Fix the MBR in Windows XP

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    This is from a google search.


    Boot from the windows XP CD, press the "R" key in the setup in order to start the restoration console. Select your windows XP installation from the list, and enter the administrator password.
    Enter the command: "FIXMBR" (without the quotes) at the input prompt and confirm the next question with a "Y" (without the quotes). Use exit to restore the computer.

  3. #3
    Registered User Bluff's Avatar
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    thanks for your reply...

    however, i dont think this is the problem, as this message comes up for both hard drives, and while i will try this, (when i can find my xp CD) could others please keep suggestions coming?
    As a computer, I find your faith in technology amusing.

    ============
    Bluff

  4. #4
    Registered User Potato Salad's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by street1
    Fix the MBR in Windows XP

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    This is from a google search.


    Boot from the windows XP CD, press the "R" key in the setup in order to start the restoration console. Select your windows XP installation from the list, and enter the administrator password.
    Enter the command: "FIXMBR" (without the quotes) at the input prompt and confirm the next question with a "Y" (without the quotes). Use exit to restore the computer.
    Street is right MBR (Master Boot Record). If you recieve that error it means that the partition is damaged. The partition being the first one you installed windows on. If you follow Streets psot it should fix you right up. Or you can take a loot at This
    THE KEY TO HAPPINESS
    If you can guess what it makes then your life shall be filled with happiness and your stomach filled with joy

    INGREDIENTS:
    * 5 pounds red potatoes* 6 eggs*2 cups mayonnaise
    * 1 onion, diced* 2 green onions, thinly sliced
    * 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and diced
    * 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced* 2 teaspoons salt
    * 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

  5. #5
    Registered User xpuser357's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by street1
    Fix the MBR in Windows XP

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    This is from a google search.


    Boot from the windows XP CD, press the "R" key in the setup in order to start the restoration console. Select your windows XP installation from the list, and enter the administrator password.
    Enter the command: "FIXMBR" (without the quotes) at the input prompt and confirm the next question with a "Y" (without the quotes). Use exit to restore the computer.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GOOD JOB DUDE !!!

  6. #6
    Registered User Bluff's Avatar
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    sorry everyone...think i kinda confused everyone.

    basically, the hard drive i am trying to add is not bootable. Correct me if I'm wrong, but therefore it does not have a MBR. Also, the same problem (the drive appearing as only one partition and not formatted) has occurred with two different drives I've tried to add to my comp.

    Can we ignore the MBR issue for a second? Sorry for confusion...
    As a computer, I find your faith in technology amusing.

    ============
    Bluff

  7. #7
    Registered User Bluff's Avatar
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    i do apologise, i was mistaken about the MBR.

    anyway, I originally had two drives in the PC. When i replaced one with the one with all my music, i had the problem with the partition not showing up and it saying not formatted. this is possibly a jumper issue.

    but then i took it out and put the original drive back in (so as far as the comp is concerned nothing changed, no jumper settings etc different from when it was in before), and the problem persists.
    Last edited by Bluff; April 3rd, 2006 at 03:45 PM.
    As a computer, I find your faith in technology amusing.

    ============
    Bluff

  8. #8
    Registered User street1's Avatar
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    Are you dealing with fat32 and NTFS partitions?

    Windows9xx and Windows 2000 or Windows XP

  9. #9
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    Try another ide cable.

    Pull your CD ROM and make the 2nd (with music) drive the primary on the 2nd IDE channel.

  10. #10
    Registered User Bluff's Avatar
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    im dealing with ntfs partitions in windows xp.
    As a computer, I find your faith in technology amusing.

    ============
    Bluff

  11. #11
    Registered User Bluff's Avatar
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    Well my hard drive is now working, after a fashion...
    I took the advice of trying a new cable, and now it works, weirdly.
    Thanks everyone!

    I have another problem tho. Windows seems to recognise the drive fine, but in DOS it only registers one smaller partition, about half the size of the drive (this does not correspond to the size of any of the partitions).

    Any suggestions? Also chkdsk in DOS says there are errors, but chkdsk in windows says there aren't. Weird!
    As a computer, I find your faith in technology amusing.

    ============
    Bluff

  12. #12
    Driver Terrier NooNoo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OMGmissinglink
    Using "FIXMBR" will wipe any partitions on your drive .
    That is complete and utter rubbish - fixmbr rebuilds the MBR, if the partitions are already in a poor state, it can appear that when the MBR is rebuilt the partitions have been wiped - but actually they are only inaccessible.

    If the MBR has just corrupted and the partitions are fine, then FIXMBR will do the trick.
    Last edited by NooNoo; April 7th, 2006 at 06:45 AM.
    Never, ever approach a computer saying or even thinking "I will just do this quickly."

  13. #13
    Driver Terrier NooNoo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bluff
    Well my hard drive is now working, after a fashion...
    I took the advice of trying a new cable, and now it works, weirdly.
    Thanks everyone!

    I have another problem tho. Windows seems to recognise the drive fine, but in DOS it only registers one smaller partition, about half the size of the drive (this does not correspond to the size of any of the partitions).

    Any suggestions? Also chkdsk in DOS says there are errors, but chkdsk in windows says there aren't. Weird!
    OK, what do you mean by DOS? Do you mean the command line black box?

    A new cable often can fix weird problems - the cables are very thin and easily damaged with out any external clues.

    Part of the problem is that I suspect you had the jumpers misset and XP tried to boot from this drive and got screwed up because the hardware was different. In addition, depending on how the drive is set up and partitioned, you will get differences between machines if the partition was setup as a dynamic disk. On top of that XP home cannot read dynamic drives, whereas 2k and XP Pro can.

    It's all in the setup. If you know exactly how each drive was set, then post the full details and then I can help you further. If you don't you are in danger of losing all your data on that drive. I suggest you back up what you can now before trying anything else.
    Never, ever approach a computer saying or even thinking "I will just do this quickly."

  14. #14
    Registered User shamus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OMGmissinglink
    ---------------->Writing a new master boot record to your system partition could damage your partition tables and cause your partitions to become inaccessible. <------------------------
    'could' being the operative word here.
    I've never had it happen. Besides, the partition would probably be FUBAR to begin with.

  15. #15
    Driver Terrier NooNoo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OMGmissinglink
    • If an invalid or nonstandard partition table signature is detected, you will be prompted whether you want to continue. If you are not having problems accessing your drives, you should not continue. ---------------->Writing a new master boot record to your system partition could damage your partition tables and cause your partitions to become inaccessible. <------------------------
    That's what I said...

    you're earlier post said

    Quote Originally Posted by OMGmissinglink
    Using "FIXMBR" will wipe any partitions on your drive
    Your assertion that it will wipe the partitions is wrong, plain and simple. If you are going to quote bad information first and then continue to say you were right, at least read the what you have written before posting it!
    Never, ever approach a computer saying or even thinking "I will just do this quickly."

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