[NTLUG:Discuss] MBR Problem?

[Bobby Sanders]

Many thanks Leroy, Robert & Citek for your responses.  I worked all day
yesterday  on this. See notes interspersed below>

Bobby Sanders wrote:
> My daughter has a Dell 1710 with XP. Some weeks ago I tried to make it a
> dual boot unit using wubi.  When we ran wubi.exe it searched for a cdrom
> instead of downloading the necessary files from the Internet.  When we
> started Windows, it would go to the grub screen and when we selected
> ubuntu, it would try to read from the cd.  I had left it at home. :( 
> Then it started going to the grub screen and jumping immediately to
> Windows.  (I can get to and hold the grub screen.)
>
> Now when it powers on she gets the BSD with the following message:
>
> ---------------------------------------------
>
> A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent
> damage to your computer.
>
> Inconsistency detected in the PCI Bus driver's internal structures.
>
> If is the first time you've seen this stop error screen, restart your
> computer.  If this screen appears again, follow these steps:
>
> Check to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed. 
> If this is a new installation, ask your hardware or software
> manufacturer for any window updates you might need.
>
> If problems continue, disable or remove any newly installed hardware or
> software.  Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing.  If
> you need to use Safe Mode to remove or disable components, restart your
> computer, press F8 to select Advanced startup options, and then select
> Safe Mode.
>
> Technical Information:
>
> ***STOP: 0x000000A1 (0xDEAD0010, 0x8A77ACD0, 0x00000000.0x00000000)
>
> -----------------------------
>
> The machine boots and runs perfectly from an iso thumb drive with Ubuntu
> 9.10 on it.
>
> She needs desperately to get back to the original XP because of some
> programs she has on it.
>
> I am at a loss.  The only thing I can think of to do is to try to
> complete the dual boot process by using an  iso cdrom with  Ubuntu 9.10 
> on it.  Maybe  there is a way  to recreate the original MBR and remove 
> grub when, and if, I get into XP.
>
> Suggestions, ideas, comments, questions, tutorials, would be most
> appreciated.
>
>   
Leroy wrote: ------
_______

I don't remember the exact details but you can boot an XP installation 
into "repair mode".  One option is for it to restore the MBR.  If I 
remember correctly the other is to repair the existing installation.  
Search the Web for XP and MBR, also search for "repair console" (I 
believe that's what it is called).
---------
Neither of these worked. I don't know enough about Windows to be much good on the "console.
------------
 Not sure what your daughter is 
needing to do with the Windows program but, if it's to retrieve data, 
you could boot to a Linux Live CD and mount the partition.  Copy data to 
a USB device.  This is probably not a bad idea as a first step 
regardless of what path you take.
-------------
She had about 50 megs of personal crud so I had to use a big external USB disk to back it all up.
------
 I'm learning the hard way about 
losing data...
-----------
Haven't we all! thanks again.

Robert Wrote: ******
***********
The normal boot process on Windows is as follows (mostly):

- read the MBR
- read the NTLDR from the first sector of the first active boot partition
- read the c:\boot.ini file
***********
Very interesting information
************
I have not run wubi in a while (don't run Windows anymore).  But if I
recall correctly, wubi leaves the MBR and the first sector (NTLDR)
untouched, but does add an entry into the c:\boot.ini file to create
an option to load grub.  That means you should see the Windows boot
menu before you see grub's menu, like this:
*******
Hmmmm  Went to Grub 1st then Windows.
************

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/WubiGuide#How%20do%20I%20select%20whether%20to%20run%20Windows%20or%20Ubuntu?

***********
When I tried to install wubi, it didn't download any of the files this page said it would, but asked for a 9.10 iso cd. I didn't have it with me so I left wubi "partially installed." This didn't seem to bother Windows as it would boot with no problem when we selected it.  I still don't know what caused the BSD.

If you choose Windows, then Windows boots as normal.  If you choose
Ubuntu, grub loads and then eventually Ubuntu boots through some
loopback magic.

The upshot is that the issue should not be with the MBR or NTLDR, but
rather with something else, e.g. a corrupted Windows file or corrupted
NTFS filesystem.

Some suggestions:

1) Try booting into Safe Mode to see if Windows can fix its own
problems.  To do so, press F8 at the Windows Boot Manager screen and
then select Safe Mode.

2) Try running chkdsk:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/WubiGuide#Corrupted%20NTFS%20filesystem
*******
This didn't solve my problem.  Still got the BSD when Windows tried to boot.
*********8

If you wish to manually remove wubi:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/WubiGuide#How%20do%20I%20manually%20uninstall%20Wubi?

Or boot a LiveCD, mount the NTFS partition, edit the c:\boot.ini file
to comment out or delete the grub entry, and remove the folders as
mentioned in the above link.
********
I did this and got rid of the Grub screen, but still had the BSD

Good luck and let us know how things go.
**********8
Thanks again.

Gilbert wrote: *******
************
Try this : Fix MBR <http://helpdeskgeek.com/how-to/fix-mbr-xp-vista/
*********
Still got BSD.  Thanks Again.

What I finally did.

Called Dell.  (The machine was still under warranty.)

What a disaster.  I 5 or 6 transfers (I had all of the numbers  they needed at hand) I finally got to a tech that was willing to help.

I was given two choices. A complete new install under the warranty or to pay to let the super techs try to repair so as to  preserve her data and the programs she had installed on the computer.. I was concerned about the cost so I chose to  go the cheap route. He got the machine to boot using the disks that came with it this took about 1 & 1/2 hours of the machine setting there working with the install disk, but the nick driver wasn't on the driver disk she received. He finally found it by looking at the build records for her computer. Then he took over the computer and had to download and install 7 more drivers! I started talking to him about 10:am and he finished at 4pm.  	What a night mare.  I could have don a dozen clean installs during that time.  I was flabbergasted!  Sure confirmed my 1994 decision to operate my law office as an MS free operation.

Thanks again for all your help.

Bobby Sanders