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Vista VBP USB-HDD getting this to work

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Vista VBP USB-HDD getting this to work

Postby OMFGWTF » Thu May 20, 2010 6:15 pm

My problem: Vista. I need to rebuild the partition table so that I can boot into vista, or whatever it is.

I am trying to use VistaBootPro to fix the problem but the problem is VistaBootPro doesn't allow me to select which drive I want to use to find the Vista OS. It automatically checks MY hard drive instead of the hard drive that I want it to look at.

How can I get VistaBootPro to look at the hard drive that I have connected via USB.

Or is there a better program to fix the problem I am having.


Tried: Partition Table Doctor(doesn't fix it) ; GetDataBack for NTFS(sees all the files) ; VistaBootPro(doesn't even look)
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Re: Vista VBP USB-HDD getting this to work

Postby shreader » Thu May 20, 2010 7:42 pm

Have you tried a startup repair using the Vista DVD?

If not try that if you have a Vista DVD.
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Re: Vista VBP USB-HDD getting this to work

Postby NT50 » Thu May 20, 2010 10:24 pm

It is not wise to boot to a USB hard drive with Windows installed on it. I have not seen anybody here successful in getting it to run properly.
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Re: Vista VBP USB-HDD getting this to work

Postby OMFGWTF » Fri May 21, 2010 3:43 pm

I am not booting up from USB. I can't boot from sata. The partition table is missing or corrupt. I don't know much about the structure of a HDD or the file systems. I do know that I can repair the boot sector and partition table if I had the information I needed to fix it or how to fix it but that I don't know. Every program I use to do it automatically doesn't work. I don't want to toss the HD because I think it might be saved if I format and reinstall but I don't know until I format it or fix it manually.

I've already backed up the entire drive so at this point I am not worried about losing any information, I just rather not have to format, reinstall, get drivers, transfer files.. too long. Plus I already have to make a second backup.


Any idea on how to recreate the partition table and possibly boot sector manually.
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Re: Vista VBP USB-HDD getting this to work

Postby NT50 » Fri May 21, 2010 8:58 pm

Below is a link to Microsoft for bootrec commands. If they do not work then the harddrive may be in big trouble either mechanical or virus
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