Any Way to install JUST the mbr on a partition and add windows to it?

Discussion in 'Windows 10' started by PhantomMaggot, Jan 5, 2018.

  1. PhantomMaggot

    PhantomMaggot MDL Novice

    Nov 14, 2017
    20
    1
    0
    #1 PhantomMaggot, Jan 5, 2018
    Pretty much what it says.
    When I was experimenting with MSMG I was installing windows 10 on a msata drive. I had 7 on a sata ssd. I had unplugged 7 for my installs so MBR would install.. and I forgot O&O shutup on my final install. so after I copied everything I wanted form 7 and updated I was covered in crap again..I got mad and I just wiped and went at it. Never thought about the MBR not going on. Few days later I wiped my SSD and built it into another PC..

    SO, I have no access to windows 10.. Linux can't access it to look at files either.
    Linux can, however, use GParted to edit the partition .

    I've tried the 4 bootrec commands that usually rebuild a MBR.. nothing.
    I tried installing windows 10 on a 20gb partition beside my current install... I could access the folder form in the new install but once I made it active from disk management I couldn't get back into the new install... so I deleted that partition with gparted as well... and created a 120mb fat32 partition. Was hoping I could get the MBR to install on there somehow..

    Any Suggestions.
    I'm at a wall.
     
  2. pisthai

    pisthai Imperfect Human

    Jul 29, 2009
    7,221
    2,273
    240
    #2 pisthai, Jan 6, 2018
    The easiest way maybe would be to save all relevant data from the HDD and do a clean install of Windows 10 after zeroing that HDD in full.

    You may could try the MBR Fix. I attached that app to this post, it's just 36KB! for the How too, just open the included .htm file in a browser and get the Commands and usage of the App.
     

    Attached Files:

    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
  3. PhantomMaggot

    PhantomMaggot MDL Novice

    Nov 14, 2017
    20
    1
    0
    #3 PhantomMaggot, Jan 7, 2018 (OP)
    I have to have an MBR to fix though. That's been the theme of my problem...
    Looks like I'm wiping.. -_-
    Not happy lol.

    Thanks though man.
     
  4. ch4os

    ch4os MDL Junior Member

    Jan 9, 2010
    99
    110
    0
    #4 ch4os, Jan 7, 2018
    Last edited: Jan 7, 2018
    Try the following:
    • Recreate a system partition (e.g. with gparted) with around 500MB
    • Format it with NTFS
    • Make it "active" so it will be used for booting up
    • Boot from a Win10 image and enter recovery mode to get a command line.
      Your empty partition should now be accessible via a drive letter (might be c:, d:, e:. ... I'm assuming it is c: here)
    • Write a new master start code to your drive: bootsect /nt60 c: /force /mbr
    • For this next step I assume d: is still your partition with Windows on it (it might be c:, e: or something else, make sure first):
      Write a new bootloader to your empty partition: bcdboot d:\windows /l en-us /s c: (change en-us to your locale language)
    • Repeat your 3 bootrec commands:
      bootrec /fixmbr
      bootrec /fixboot
      bootrec /rebuildbcd
    That should hopefully help, let me know how it went ;)