The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Restoring the MBR using Samsung System Recovery Media

    Discussion in 'Samsung' started by Sub-D, Oct 18, 2007.

  1. Sub-D

    Sub-D Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    56
    Messages:
    608
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    My system specs are outlined in my signature although I doubt it will make a huge difference. Currently I am dual booting both Ubuntu and Vista Home Premium on my Q35 and I wish to remove the Ubuntu partition and restore it back to NTFS since I could do with the extra space and I rarely use the OS. That said, since Ubuntu has the lovely habit of replacing the MBR with the GRUB loader, I cannot simply return the partition to NTFS since then my system will not boot to windows.

    As a result, I see the best way to proceed as being restoring the MBR (so that Windows will automatically boot) and then returning the Ubuntu partition to NTFS. However, I have looked briefly at the Samsung System Recovery Media which was bundled with the Q35. Guidelines on the Microsoft website seem to suggest that with OS disks I would be able to enter Windows Recovery Environment, choose repair and then easily repair the boot sector. However, the problem seems to be that I cannot access a recovery option on the Recovery disk and I am only being given the option to reinstall (something that I would like to avoid if possible). Is there anyway that I would be able to access the Windows Recovery Environment using these disks?

    Failing that, I might be able to get a hold of a copy of Vista Business. Would it be possible to use this version of Vista to restore my MBR even though my OS is Home Premium?
     
    Sub-D, Oct 18, 2007
    #1
  2. Lite

    Lite Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    342
    Messages:
    1,398
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    there is a program designed for re-building the vista system , vista boot manager or somthing , look on google , ive used it a few times...
     
    Lite, Oct 18, 2007
    #2
  3. John Ratsey

    John Ratsey Moderately inquisitive Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    7,197
    Messages:
    28,841
    Likes Received:
    2,166
    Trophy Points:
    581
    Also look at EasyBCD. It's the program I used after installing XP after Vista to repair Vista's boot system and get the daul boot working.

    John
     
    John Ratsey, Oct 18, 2007
    #3
  4. Sub-D

    Sub-D Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    56
    Messages:
    608
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Thanks for the replies guys. I feel that the program being referred to by Lite may be Vista Boot Pro (a program that eludes my ability to comprehend), that said I'll give EasyBCD a look and report back at some point tomorrow since I should have the afternoon free of lectures etc.

    Thanks again! ^_^

    Update: EasyBDC appears to have worked. I no longer boot to GRUB but rather straight to Vista. I can finally get my extra 20GB back! Thanks John!
     
    Sub-D, Oct 18, 2007
    #4