[link2998]

why wont it boot from an existing partition?

[link2998]

its not detecting any partitions. are u sure the boot manager detects windows partitions?

[emeraldnzl]

So it is booting from the CD?

The reason I ask is that it shouldn't need to use the machine to boot up or am I getting confused?

One thing occurs to me:

Is your computer configured to boot from CD first?

If not then use these instructions:

To set your computer BIOS to boot from a CD

1. Restart your computer. Watch the start-up instructions that are displayed on-screen.

A message will be displayed instructing you to press a named key (often F2, F12, or Delete) to go into settings/setup/configuration. (The key and the message will vary according to the type of computer that you are running.)

Press this key to enter the BIOS setup mode.

(If your computer is particularly fast, it may remove the message before you have the chance to press the key; in this case, try pressing the key once a second, starting the moment you reboot.)

Some examples:

• On a Dell computer, you should hit F2 to enter the BIOS.
• Other computers may require you to hit the DEL (Delete) button to enter the BIOS.
• On newer computers, you may be able to hit F12 to select a temporary boot device rather than changing the permanent boot sequence in the BIOS itself. If your computer offers this option, simply select the CD or DVD drive containing the antivirus CD as your temporary boot device, and skip steps 2 and 3.

2. In the BIOS window, find the area that controls the boot sequence and rearrange the list of devices so that your CD or DVD drive is checked before your hard drive.

• For most situations, a suitable sequence is:
  1. A (Floppy)
  2. CDROM (or DVDROM)
  3. HD1 (or C).

If your drives are listed in this order, then when you keep the CD in your CD or DVD drive during a reboot, your computer will be told to run and check for viruses on your system. (If the hard drive is listed earlier than the CD drive, your computer will not detect the CDs presence and will simply boot into Windows.)

3. Save the settings and exit.

4. When your computer reboots, it will check the CD or DVD drive containing the disk before it checks the hard drive.

Thanks to Cities site University of Illinois for these instructions

After that try booting from the CD again and come back and tell me how you got on.

[link2998]

its booting, but to boot manager called "plop boot manager v5.0.7 20091220". I tried both images and hda partitions 1-4. with the floppy emulation it freezes on hda partition 2. I dont get it. I'll switch back to non-emulating and wait for instructions. (It is booting from cd first)

[emeraldnzl]

I will see what I can find out.

[link2998]

if i could at least boot to dos i could use fixmbr, right?

[emeraldnzl]

Are you saying you can access a command prompt?

I should add that fixmbr by itself does not work in Vista. It does work in XP however.

In Vista you run fixmbr though the Bootrec.exe tool.

To run the Bootrec.exe tool you must start Windows RE. To start Windows RE you must have the Vista installation disk.

[link2998]

im sorry, I should have been more clear. I can't acces dos, but I thought i could make a dos boot cd if theres something like that free for vista. I borrowed a comp. with win 7 but making a boot disc from 7 won't work for vista will it?

[emeraldnzl]

Okay I have managed to find something.

It is a test as far as I am concerned as I haven't tried it before but then I haven't tried the ones we have been using recently either

Anyway here it is:

Download Testdisk for CD and burn to CD.

or

Testdisk for USB and save to flash drive or somesuch.

Transfer to the broken computer.

Start TestDisk.

The first screen will present log options - press Enter to continue.



TestDisk will scan the system and show drive information.
If more than 1 drive, select the correct drive, make sure [Proceed] is selected then press Enter to continue.



Select [Intel] partiton and press Enter to continue.



Select [MBR Code] and press Enter to continue.



Type Y when prompted to write a new mbr code to the first sector, then confirm at the next screen by typing Y again.



Press Q repeatedly until TestDisk exits then reboot.

[link2998]

I cant boot so I cant transfer the exe to the broken computer yet. sorry.

[link2998]

If all else fails, I think I found a way to get ahold of another vista installation disk(tomorrowish), but do you need to use a vista key just to boot or is it illegal to boot from someone elses inst. disk?

[emeraldnzl]

My understanding is that if it is your key then it's ok. The key should be somewhere on your laptop... I think on the bottom.

[link2998]

I found it. thnx. Incidentally its a desktop. is there anything we can try in the meantime?

[emeraldnzl]

Incidentally its a desktop

Oh dear, thought it was a laptop. Anyway you found it and that is what matters.

is there anything we can try in the meantime?

I am just about out of ideas for now but I will keep looking and tell you if I find anything. Really though options are getting very slim.

The other thing that niggles at the back of my mind is that I don't think this should have happened when you used MBRCheck to fix that infection. So I do wonder if something else isn't going on.

For example, maybe something else happened and we need to use the disk to repair whatever that was.

[link2998]

ok,thnx for holding on with me. il plan to be back on at about 12:00p your time. gota go to bed now, cya.