How to restore MBR on Compaq nc6320?

Hello, I have the following problem. I resized existing XP partition and prepared hard disk for multiboot environment on nc6320. Then I installed another copy of Windows XP. The installation went smooth but the F11 recovery option is now lost.

From what I could read on the Internet on similar topics I suppose that this is related to the fact that Windows XP overwrites Master Boot Record when installing. I suppose that since F11 recovery option is "built-in" into MBR it is now gone.

Could you confirm that the lost of F11 recovery option during boot up is related to the fact of overwriting the original MBR?

If so, is there any way to restore original MBR with F11 recovery option (without destroying existing data)?

I would greatly appreciate your help.

Thank you,
geos

 

As far as I know, it's lost.

 

The only way I know of is to use your System recovery discs from HP.

 

Does your model have a Quickplay button?

 

hello, no, unfortunately it doesn't. I have read that some say that QuickPlay recovery also recovers F11 ability but it probably can't be applied here.

But hey guys, I have managed this! After hours digging the Internet I found some who used MBRInst.exe program along with mbr.ini file. I did a quick search and voila! the files were found within one of the Windows' subfolders of the original HP preinstalled Windows XP partition. I inspected the ini file, understood nothing, hit MBRinst.exe (it couldn't be worse, right? ) and restarted the computer.

Here comes a boot screen (F10 to enter BIOS) and after a while -- surprise -- F10: to start recovery system. Yes, you see it right: "F10", not "F11". I hit it and after a while entered the recovery routine.

Another reboot and the original HP XP system booted fine. However, the recovery partition lost its disk letter under windows explorer. I mean it exists in disk manager (my computer [right click] -> manage -> disk management) but it doesnt appear in windows explorer. I am pretty sure it was before.

Another reboot and non-HP windows XP partition doesn't boot right: ntoskrnl.exe is missing or corrupt.

Maybe this description will be helpful for someone. Any thoughts and comments are welcome. Maybe there is a way to do it really right and painless.

Thank you,
geos

a few cups of coffee later:

I installed Partition Disk Doctor on the original HP XP partition. It detected errors in number of sectors on all partitions and asked to correct this. It also detected that recovery partition was of type UNKNOWN while it's FAT32: correct it? yes. after reboot the F10 recovery option appears but with addendum: "the recovery partition was deleted. press F10 to start recovery anyway or any key to delete the recovery partition." strange, huh? OK, I hit F10, the recovery process started, first screen appeared, then I hit CANCEL. another reboot, no warning this time, straight F10. The non-HP Windows XP partition is now reported as FREE SPACE in HP preinstalled system. Another extended partition and logical drives within it are fine.

I have only one conclusion: be careful with your preinstalled XP OSes, resizing and creating multiboot environment on your HP laptops Eventually I managed to have more or less entry level hdd partitions, but sure there is still something wrong.

If I knew what installing alternative copy of XP takes I probably wouldn't play with it.

As always, any comments especially from "MBR experts" are welcome.

cheers,
geos