Need Bootsect.Bak

This applies to people with Vista 64 and Alien Respawn on their computer.

After uninstalling Win7 I have lost the ability to boot into Alien Respawn.

After various methods (Thanks Moo, Hammish33, E-Wreck!), I still have not been able to access the Respawn.

I am looking for someone with the original BOOTSECT.BAK on their M17 or any Alienware comp with Vista 64 and Alien Respawn, to be able to send me this file.

It is located in C:\ and is a hidden protected system file, you will have to have Vista show hidden files. Once you find itcould you kindly please send me a copy?

-Many thanks!

-Mods I'm not sure if this is considered double posting, but if it is I will bring this post into my other thread, thanks!

 

did you try just telling your computer to boot from the other partition? (probably need to use a partition editor to switch which partition is marked for booting)

... just a thought... 'cause it seems that it would load the respawn partition, which would prompt you to respawn, then timeout, then, in technical terms

root (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1
boot

...... ?

Edit: oh yeah, also, installing Win7 would change the bootable flag, from the respawn partition to the primary partition (where Win7 was installed to).... which would eliminate the "press any key to respawn" type dialogs... ... again, thinking out loud mostly.

 

I have already tried various Partition editing tools and none have helped.

Yes, you would be right, I lost the "press any key to respawn" window, which is what I'm trying to get back.

 

I know Gparted can do it... but you'd have to be fairly advanced to get into all that.

the big thing here is to make sure you have a partition manager that can understand the partition... the FS isn't supported by Windows by default.

 

Never use Gparted before, would it take much to learn?

-No one has Vista 64 and Respawn?

 

Gimme a minute and I'll get it for you.

Just sent the BAK file to ya. Hopefully that will fix things for you!

 

Gparted is a linux-only application.

you can do serious damage with it (like most partition editing software), so use caution if you're gonna try.

you just really wanna move the b flag (boot) to the other partition.... it should do the trick, no idea though, I havn't had a respawn partition for a while now...

 

Well, if all else fails I'm gonna do that. I already backed up my HD, so if I screw up, I won't lose much.

 

Also, Bart pe should read it. Maybe someone can simply pull down the info of their mbr via cmd prompt and post a screenshot. Then u can add it to your mbr. Google bcdedit mbr to find the commands. I suggest adding via easybcd.

 

this particular item should be loading/unloading before the bcd ever hits the ram...

it should chainload from BIOS > hd0,1 (recovery) > hd0,0 (bcd)

 

I say google that because thats the program used to edit the mbr. The search will provide the command line to view the current mbr etc.

This is hands down the easiest way. Just gotta edit the mbr and add the restore strings, voilà. So if u have a mbr with respawn intact please assist. I'm on my phone or I'd post the exact commands required.

 

Thanks! Just tried it, and it didn't work

-I think i need the BOOTMGR file, you think you could send me that too?

I know I'm asking a lot, but if this fails I'm going to Gpart

-Thanks Rob!! +rep

 

No problem,

Just a minute.

Hey, where do I look to find it?

 

Lol, it should also be where you found Bootsect.bak

 

I don't have anything like that when I open up C drive. Any other ideas?

 

Goodle 'bcdedit mbr commands' and fourth link down is titled Bcdedit problems. Toward the bottom it links you to how to edit/add/view mbr entries. Just tryin to tell ya that's an easy method when adding the entry via easybcd

 

It's okay I appreciate the help you have already given me, if I can rep you a second time I will.

-and I can't give rep...

E: will do.

 

Wish I could help more.

Good luck!

 

Woot! I was able to boot into Respawn using GParted!

I just reset my computer.

-Thanks Mystik, E and Rob. The help is appreciated!

+rep to whoever I can.

And it seems I can't rep anyone...

 

I decided to stop fighting with everyone.

to summarize why this works... the BCD is the windows Vista (and Win7) boot manager, this has it's own information unique to booting vista and windows 7. without it, it would be very difficult to get either running. XP had one too, I forget what it was called, something along the lines of ntkrnldr or something, but basically all that did was go find the NT kernel (XP is built on top of the NT core), and load it, then pass execution to it. BCD was built with comptibility for ntldr (or whatever it was)...

what BCD does NOT have compatibility for is recovery partitions and anything os X (mac) or Linux related (EXT2, EXT3, RiserFS, etc)... therefore it can't load anything from that type of partition.

when the system tries to load from a disk, it reads the first track on the disk, which contains the partition information. that information contains flags and indicators for how to proceed, including (but not limited to) the BOOT flag. when it Identifies which partition is flagged as "boot", it immediately goes to that partitions first cylinder, and the first track of the cylinder, and loads the boot code from the partition, that determines the rest of the startup.

in a Recovery situation, that boot code exists on the hd0,1 (first harddrive, second partition... using this as the example, because it is a typical setup). but the boot FLAG could indicate any partition. in this case both the Win7 partition hd0,0, and the recovery partition have boot sectors, but there's only one boot flag. when Win7 was installed, it set it's own partition as the boot partition. this screws things up royally... when you switch it back to hd0,1, the recovery partition's boot code takes effect.

the Recovery boot code is quite simple:
Display prompt, wait 3 seconds (with animation), if a key is pressed, load current partition, else, load hd0,0's boot code and chainload execution to that (which activates the Win7/Vista BCD engine)

why I'm explaining this: E, I know you're trying to help, but this is the exact reason I was pointing him AWAY from the BCD. you mess around in there, you might have to re-do the entire Win7 boot sector... change the boot flag, you can always change it back (presuming you're using a Linux LIVE disk or something), aka no-harm-done (as long as you don't mess with the other options)

Props for trying though and hopefully you have just a little big more information to add to your arsenal. considering I'm not here often.

Edit: Post 1000!!

 

Well done. Very informative also. And congrats on post 1000. +rep for everything

 

Yea, I changed the flag. Thanks

 

sounds like you did exactly what I said needed to be done enjoy your newly respawn-able system.

Thanks!! I gave you some rep too...

 

I see that, thank you for that.. And thank you for saving me from contributing toward wrecking Fox's rig

 

it's all good man... you were trying. that's what we have to be doing around here... keep trying to help eachother.

 

Thanks guys, I will have to remember to rep you later.

-Time to install drivers!