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Vista MBR Error, won't boot

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Vista MBR Error, won't boot

Postby DolphinJazz » Thu Dec 02, 2010 7:43 am

Hello,

I've been having an MBR challenge for a year now with my Vista install. It will show MBR Error-3 during startup and then continue to load Vista. The Error surfaced upon my doing my first Acronis Image backup with this particular laptop. It came AFTER the image was restored to the hard drive with my impeccably perfect configuration! (In other words, I *had* a perfect config... and Acronis gave me a problem with the MBR when that image was installed a few months later.)

Cutting the long story very short: The Acronis Image Backup file includes what seems to be a minor glitch with the MBR. When restoring the Image to my HD, all will be okay except for:

1) MBR Error-3 will show for a second or two during the startup, but all will be okay;

2) The Acronis Image will only give me a partition of 79 GB, leaving the rest of the HD (~320 GB total) inaccessible;

3) After a few good months, performance will degrade rather quickly and eventually the configuration will fail due to MBR issues.

I've not been overly concerned, knowing that I can always resort to reinstalling my Acronis Image. So, here I am now... only able to boot into SAFE MODE.

Now, I have a real problem brewing. As before, I tried reinstalling my Image onto a *new* HD (same brand and model number and specs as old drive)... and suddenly, I don't have a bootable configuration! It says, MBR-Error-3 and stalls out. I've reinstalled this image three or four times now today and it's simply not working. I've never been stuck before with this image... now I am!

So here's what I have:

1) New HD with Image that won't boot... tried four times... cannot get an install that is bootable;

2) Old HD with severely cobbled Vista install... goes automatically into SAFE MODE. Still says MBR Error-3 briefly upon start.

When I bought your software, I had hoped (but couldn't find documentation anywhere) that would indicate if your software could be used as a boot disk and could be used as a utility to fix the MBR issues on the C:/ Drive. It looks like I need to have a fully working Vista computer and i need to be able to install your software onto THAT computer, right? Will your software install onto a SAFE MODE only machine??

I cannot say why my Acronis Image will not install onto my new HD... but, it makes me nervous to try installing it onto my old drive, for I may be without ANYTHING at that point.

Where to begin?

Thank you kindly,

Garrett
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Re: Vista MBR Error, won't boot

Postby shreader » Thu Dec 02, 2010 9:23 pm

I have never used any flavor o/ Acronis so I cannot help you w/ that, WHS user here.

DBP can be installed in safe mode, try it.

It sounds like, well this is what I would do, is a clean Vista install wher the cobbled one is.
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