Dreaded NTLDR error (frustrated long time user)

Boot with the Win7 installation dvd and try the Repair feature.

Try the automatic repair again. It doesn't always correct all of the problems on the first pass.

Tried twice, no luck. I'm going to try something and will post back later.

Jon: Instead of an automatic repair, boot to the Win 7 recovery DVD and go to a command prompt. Type bcdedit and post the output back here. Also, determine (in the boot environment) which drive letters are assigned to each partition. These may differ from how they will be when booted into Win 7; not to worry.

As Mark says go to the command prompt but then type

bootrec.exe /fixmbr [ENTER]

bootrec.exe /fixboot [ENTER]

bootrec.exe /rebuildbcd [ENTER]

This worked for me.

Bootrec didn't work. I'll post the results in a bit.

Thanks
jon

In Acronis, I see c,d,e, and f with my SSS as f:

I must have put the Ssd on sata4.

Anyway, I'm going to try bcdedit but have to restore because after doing the bootrec options, the win7 boot disc claims it is incompatible with my OS. Strange.

I have a very bad feeling.

Thanks
jon

Bcdedit results:

the boot config data store could not be opened.
The sys cannot find the file specified.

Thanks for your help guys!

Looking like a long re-install road ahead.

Jon

Okay on a whim I tried the bootrec options again after another restore.

This time it found two installations.

I chose to add f: and not c: because f: was what I saw in acronis and last time, finding only one windows install, I added c:/Windows.

Should I try this whole process again and choose c: ?

Why are two Windows found?

Thanks
jon

Jon:

You shouldn't need to select a Windows installation from the recovery DVD - just go directly to the command prompt. Also, don't get confused by differing drive letters. Drive letters are not absolute. They can be different in Windows, the Win 7 recovery environment, and in the Acronis recovery environment. This doesn't matter. It only matters that you know what they are in the environment that you're working in.

If you go right to a command prompt and type "bcdedit" do you see the contents of the Boot Configuration Database (BCD)? This is key to getting things sorted.

Sorry I wasn't clear.

Above I did note that bcdedit doesn't return any data.

I choose f: via the last bootrec command in the cmd prompt, not the in the win7 rescue GUI.

Let me get to a real keyboard and if this iPhone.

Thanks
jon

Here's something strange I just remembered.

Last night after my backups ran, I noticed the calendar had a red box over the current date. I looked at the finished tasks and they said completed. I actually was able to go into my incremental about 30 minutes before and explore it.

I was tired and I guess I figured that was marking the current date; but the key states that is FAILED.

YET, the tasks all show "completed successfully".

I just can't believe a failed backup would issue NO warning to the user and state "task completed successfully". But again, my archives/backups are explorable in Windows 7.

Is the SSD the problem. This shouldn't be this complicated. I thought 2010 supported Windows 7?

http://windows7forums.com/windows-7-support/20099-windows-7-bootmgr-mes…

Might be helpful.

I have an Addonics storage tower with 5 drives.

When I hook everything back up, only 2 drives in the towers run through eSata to my PC. The other 3 are Sata 1,2,3 on the onboard Sata.

In 2010 boot disc gui I see all my disks, but all are noted as Pri/Active

When I boot my PC I get this raid-like ACHI prompt that scans my hard disks. In the bios they all show up as SCSI disks 1-6.

I tried restoring my C: partition with just one another HD connected. My SSD was C: "in Acronis" and the other was D:. Still didn't work. I do have a 28mb partition on the SSD that I neither created nor erased.

The link above discusses changes between builds. I'm pretty sure this install was 7600, but now I wonder because the bcedit and fixboot technique repairs nothing.

You're on the right track with disconnecting all but the SSD and one disk. When you finished restoring, did you boot the PC with ONLY the SSD connected?

If not, repeat the restore, then shut down the PC. Disconnect everything but the SSD. Then reboot. Also, be sure that you restore the image to the SSD as primary, active.

I think this has to do with where bcd is stored. I think my disc is restoring to the wrong location for the version I am running.

I'm going to try to export the bcd from /windows/boot out to /boot on C:

Somehow I deleted a 1TB drive of data during this and will have to restore that data later. : ( (I think I tried a Windows install and the "C:" drive was really my 930GB F: drive.

This is wearing me down, lol, making costly mistakes.

thanks
Jon

I just don't understand why my bcd stuff is gone, not present on either of my backups. At least, that's what it seems like with bcdedit returning nothing at all.

I'm going to install Windows 7 and take a look at these tib files.

These couldn't have happened at a worse possible time (sorry venting).

Jon

When you boot to the Windows 7 DVD and are at the Command Prompt, you could try referencing the BCD file directly. This forces bcdedit to look where you tell it instead of guessing where the file should be.

For example, to force it to look for the BCD file on the C: partition, type the following:
bcdedit /store c:\boot\bcd

Just a note, this problem of drive letters emphasises the point of giving all your drives meaningful names.

That way you know where you are even if the current OS filesystem thinks otherwise.

Thanks. I do name all my drives and I'm at a loss as to how I erased a drive. User error and fatigue no doubt.

Are you saying the /store command will act like /export.

I'm not clear on:

am I trying access the bcd to look at it, or is it editable.

What about /export of bcd if it is buried in windows/boot as opposed to /boot.

I'm probably going to start fresh as I'm just spinning my wheels. The install cd isn't always letting me into the recovery section and acronis sometimes takes 5 boots and lots of moving my USB keyboard around before it is recognize.

Jon

Jon,

The /store option for bcdedit just lets you tell it exactly which file you what it to read. The option can be used with most other options. Here is an example: I have Vista on my computer and bcdedit will pull up Vista's BCD info when I run the program. It does this automatically. However, I also have a K: partition setup with another boot configuration and its own BCD file. In order to make any changes to the BCD file on the K: partition, I have to reference it directly: bcdedit /store k:\boot\bcd /enum, for example.

Right now, we're just trying to get a look at what settings are in the BCD file. The error message you reported usually happens when bcdedit can't automatically find the file. Once we know what the contents are, we would have a better idea of the problem and how to fix it.

Thanks all, this helps a lot. I will dig into this today.

I moved forward with a fresh install in the meantime as I really needed a PC at home.

Problem is, with the new TRIM enabled firmware for the G. Skill Falcon SSD, I have system lag big time. I'm using drivers for HD3200 chipset that I wasn't before as there are rather new Windows 7 x64 drivers out.

Really frustrating and makes me want to get the lats system back and see if the lag remains.

I was able to explore my OS backup and saw in C:\Boot the BCD file. It was not buried in Windows as it should be in the final 7600 version of Windows 7.

QUESTION:

I assume since I can access my TIB that I can modify it? If I can find the BCD file in Windows can I just open it like a txt file? When I tried BCDedit in cmd prompt it wouldn't access the file.

Assuming this works, "For example, to force it to look for the BCD file on the C: partition, type the following:
bcdedit /store c:\boot\bcd" the BCD file could still be corrupt in some way.

I'll dig up the file and try to get something out of it.

thanks!!!
Jon

Getting a similar problem - Windows 7 64 bit Ultimate - clean install and very little else. Did a backup using 2010 version - through Windows and validated it. - All said ok. 2 x 10,000 rpm Raptors in Raid 0. Stored the backup on 3rd Internal storage drive. Tried to restore it and Acronis would not read from backup. I then used the bootable CD I had made earlier and tried that. It found and restored the backup "successfully" but the PC would not boot - disk error.

On choosing where to restore, the Acronis interface showed my 2 raid drives in their full capacity as one drive but also showed a third "ghost" drive of one of the raid drives. Luckily, I had taken a backup earlier using the Acronis 10 Boot Disc. This works perfectly for me every time - Raid setup correctly reports and restores - I use the "safe mode". I have never had any problems with an Acronis 10 safe mode backup and restore using the bootable media. It always works for me.

I have had problems with all versions since Acronis did away with safe mode. Version 11 and 2009 I gave up on and stayed with the Acronis 10 Boot Disk. having seen the new 2010 product, I bit the bullet and thought that it must be fixed by now - disappointed once again.

Jon Catuccio wrote:

QUESTION:

I assume since I can access my TIB that I can modify it? If I can find the BCD file in Windows can I just open it like a txt file?

You can't open the BCD file as a text file. You need to use bcdedit or another program capable of working with it (EasyBCD, for example).

Sharkbite wrote:

On choosing where to restore, the Acronis interface showed my 2 raid drives in their full capacity as one drive but also showed a third "ghost" drive of one of the raid drives.

When TI shows a RAID setup as separate drives, it usually means the Linux drivers are not correctly supporting the chipset. Different kernels have different support and RAID support is one area that changes/breaks very frequently from build to build (which is bad, in my opinion).

Sharkbite wrote:

Luckily, I had taken a backup earlier using the Acronis 10 Boot Disc. This works perfectly for me every time - Raid setup correctly reports and restores - I use the "safe mode". I have never had any problems with an Acronis 10 safe mode backup and restore using the bootable media. It always works for me.

The Safe Mode version of TI is DOS-based and accesses the hardware through the BIOS. Usually, if the BIOS shows a drive, the Safe Mode version will see it too.

Sharkbite wrote:

I have had problems with all versions since Acronis did away with safe mode. Version 11 and 2009 I gave up on and stayed with the Acronis 10 Boot Disk. having seen the new 2010 product, I bit the bullet and thought that it must be fixed by now - disappointed once again.

Acronis did not do away with the Safe Mode version. TI 10 was just the last version that included it with the standard installer. TI 11 and later have it available as a separate download from your Acronis account (it's on the "Free Plugins" tab). You might download the SafeMedia (Safe Mode) version of TI 2010, install it and create a new TI CD that includes it. It may work just as well for you as the TI 10 version.

Thanks to MudCrab for the helpful post in reply to mine - I will try that.