# Installation failed, now I can't boot



## walker_2 (Mar 27, 2009)

Hello,


My Freebsd installtion failed (something about /dev/X). Anyways, it failed after the MBR was overwritten. Now when I reboot the system, I am presented with a menu:

F1 DOS
F2 DOS
F3 DOS

No one these will work to boot my Vista system. They all claim that bootmanager is missing. I would like to restore my MBR to how is was before I attempted to install FreeBSD. But I dont even have my vista install disk. How can this be fixed? Maybe my using Fixit?

Thank you.


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## Oko (Mar 27, 2009)

walker_2 said:
			
		

> Hello,
> 
> 
> My Freebsd installtion failed (something about /dev/X). Anyways, it failed after the MBR was overwritten. Now when I reboot the system, I am presented with a menu:
> ...



Chill our little bit. Then go to store and get yourself a Beer
and drink it. Then go to sleep. When you wake up make live CD with GAG.  http://gag.sourceforge.net/

Boot computer from CD and when GAG asks you what to do. Click on 
restore MBR.

Cheers,
OKO

P.S. If you do not have a working computer to make a live CD copy of GAG I guess you have to call M$ support 
on 1-900-free-BSD-sucks-long-live-Vista


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## walker_2 (Mar 27, 2009)

Can make GAG bootable to a usb stick instead? I dont access to a cd burner right now


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## walker_2 (Mar 27, 2009)

Any other methods other than GAG? Methods that would only use the FreeBSD installation disk?


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## Oko (Mar 27, 2009)

walker_2 said:
			
		

> Any other methods other than GAG? Methods that would only use the FreeBSD installation disk?



What about Vista recovery disk. You should have a copy of VISTA 
if you purchase it legally.


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## walker_2 (Mar 27, 2009)

The disk did come with my dell 1525. But i am away from my residence right now and will not return home soon, so i dont have access to the installation disk


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## Oko (Mar 27, 2009)

walker_2 said:
			
		

> The disk did come with my dell 1525. But i am away from my residence right now and will not return home soon, so i dont have access to the installation disk



I guess you are then stuck with us. Get that twelve pack and drink
to your VISTA.


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## walker_2 (Mar 27, 2009)

The issue is not being stuck or not. I dont mind FreeBSD. But I would like to restore my MBR to how it was and I will experiment later.


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## jb_fvwm2 (Mar 27, 2009)

this topic appears every so often on the freebsd-questions list.
You can search that from several url's


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## walker_2 (Mar 27, 2009)

Is there someone that can help me?


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## DutchDaemon (Mar 27, 2009)

http://www.google.com/search?q=restore+mbr+vista


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## walker_2 (Mar 27, 2009)

Most of those suggestion require a vista installtion CD, which i do not have at the moment.


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## Beastie (Mar 28, 2009)

Then use TestDisk. It will search the entire disk for "lost" boot sectors and will ask you to choose which one(s) you want to restore in your MBR.
You should know exactly your partition types and their approximate sizes and locations.

Don't forget to read very carefully the entire documentation first.

And next time, backup your MBR before doing anything like installing a new OS, just in case.


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## ph0enix (Apr 2, 2009)

Oko said:
			
		

> What about Vista recovery disk. You should have a copy of VISTA
> if you purchase it legally.



Many OEM vendors don't supply restore media with the hardware.  They use a restore partition instead which I find useless most of the time.  The restore partition doesn't help you if your disk fails.


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## ph0enix (Apr 2, 2009)

walker_2 said:
			
		

> Is there someone that can help me?



Only if you're willing to help yourself


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## zeiz (Apr 6, 2009)

Can you borrow Linux live CD from smbdy? Install Linux's grub on MBR that is able to boot both vista and freebsd. Or reinstall freebsd, did you try?
You can also try a computer store/workshop if they have vista cd


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## SeanC (Apr 8, 2009)

There is, apparently, a complicated way to put the windows recovery environment on a USB stick:

http://windowsitpro.com/article/art...usb-flash-drive-to-recover-windows-vista.html

But you need access to have the AIK (automated installation kit) and a windows box to run it on:

http://blogs.msdn.com/winre/default.aspx

It looks like a horrible way to recover your MBR, though. Do you know anyone with a Vista DVD you can borrow to run the recovery environment off of the disk?


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## SeanC (Apr 8, 2009)

I came across this, too:

http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/

No clue if it can help.


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