Creating missing MBR for single-boot Win 2k8 R2

[Guest Marc Johnson 2]

Hi folks,

I have a little problem which I suspect is the same for Windows Server 2k8 R2 and Windows 7:

Win 2k8 R2 is installed on partition-1 of a basic disk and I somehow managed to format partition-0 (where the MBR was located) so on rebooting I got the "missing operating system" error. I then tried to repair Windows using the Server 2k8 R2 install DVD, but no OS to repair was found. So I installed a new Win instance on partition-0, creating a proper MBR, to which I tried adding my old Win instance to no avail. I marked partition-1 as an active partition and used EasyBCD to add my old Win instance to the MBR, after which my machine refused to boot (the new error was "BOOTMGR is missing" or something similar). Trying to repair either OS with the installation DVD failed due to no OS being found.

So... how can I just write a new MBR with my old Win instance (located on partition-1)?

Additional info:

- I didn't try bootrec /fixmbr because I read it shouldn't be used if the OS is not located on partition-0 as it could lead to corruption of other partions. (true?)

- The OS is 64-bit Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter Edition SP1 (build 7601)

- The HD is a SATA basic disk with four primary partitions on it.

- Originally, I installed Win 2k Pro SP4 on partition-0 (which was then labeled C:), then installed Win 2k8 R2 DC SP1 on partition-1 (which I labeled C: and re-labeled partition-0 to Z:). After the error occured and I installed another instance of Win 2k8 R2 DC SP1 on partition-0, it was automatically labeled C: and partition-1 was labeled D: in Windows. After marking partition-1 as active and trying to add my old Win instance with EasyBCD (and the subsequent boot error), it was again labeled C: in the Win installation manager.

- Apart from the missing MBR, my Win 2k8 R2 installation is fully intact and I've never had any problems with it.

Any help highly appreciated.

 

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