Query MBR error, USB HD not seen.

[Wobwill]

Hi

I am not sure if I am posting in the right forum so please be patient.

I have a desktop PC with a foxconn motherborard, an intel core duo processor, 2G of ram, a CMedia sound card, an Nvidia Graphics card, a Seagate 320G internal HD, and a Writemaster DVD RW. I have a generic keyboard and optical mouse, neither are USB. I have a set of logitech Z10 usb Speakers and a Hyundai digital monitor. I also have a canon printer. To connect to my router I am using a cable and wireless usb dongle (RT73 lan card?)

I dual boot XP Pro SP2 and Linux (Ubuntu v7.04) I hardly use Linux.

I run
Avast
Sunbelt firewall
The ultimate troubleshooter
Spybot
Nero 7 premium
Office 2003
Acronis - Disk Director suite 10, True Image 11 and OS selector
activesync 4.5
and a variety of other apps
I have virual drives for Nero, Alcohol 120 and Daemon Tools

Until recently my PC was hard wired to the router. I recently moved house and needed to set it up wirelessly. I bought a d-link DWL G520M pci card and installed it as per instructions - I did not do a backup before this

Since then I have had a number of problems

my external HD where I keep my outlook archive, Money backup and True Image images is not seen at all by my computer - not in my computer or disk management. If I unplug it an plug it back in when I've booted into windows I am able to see it normally.

I have been suffering boot times of over ten minutes - though this is not currently a problem.

Acronis OS selector does not appear to work - I am unable to boot linux

At the moment when I boot up the computer I go past the foxconn screen and to the next loading screen. At the bottom of that where I would expect to see something about Acronis OS selector I instead read something about an MBR error 3 and am booted into windows.


I have since removed the card and uninstalled it and am using the usb dongle instead.

Is the best way out of this to back up my settings, email, money files etc and then try to restore a drive image from a few weeks ago? Or are there better ways of fixing the problem?

I have tried to be as clear as possible in my post - if I can provide more info please let me know.

Will

My other thought is to do a clean install of everything and scrub Linux - I never use it any way. Is this plan a bit drastic?

 

[kimsland]

Hi Wobwill your post is very clear, and I believe that all these things can be resolved, bit by bit.

But. I feel you must back up to your external drive fully.
i.e. My Docs; Email; Contacts; Favorites; Network settings; licences; money files; all other data.
Once you have confirmed full backup. You can either:

Re-install Acronis; then uninstall it fully
Remove Ubuntu (MS has a link - but won't post yet)
Possibly Repair Windows or run SFC /scannow
used the LiveCD version of "Gparted" to repair the partition
or run FixBoot from Windows Cd
Also remove all those virtual drives (they can cause conflicts, especially on USB)
You may also need to remove/repair AntiVirus

And after all this, Xp has a tendancy not to work (it's 50/50)

Or...

Install Windows fresh (removing the entire partition during install)
Re-install all drivers
Install all wanted programs
Setup wireless (knowing that Windows has been freshly installed)
Download all security updates
Image the entire drive (threw this one in)

And your decision ?

 

[Wobwill]

Thanks Kimsland,

I have decided to bin the lot and start again from scratch. Wednesday 6th Feb is the big day!

I feel a little sad leaving linux behind - but the reality for me is that I know just enough to get myself into trouble in Windows XP, a second OS I know even less about just adds complexities I don't need.

I will certainly image the entire drive and avoid adding virtual drives and software I don't need - I suffer a bit from getting over excited by shiny, flashy things.

Will.

 

[kimsland]

Excellent choice

Actually my drive is used part 112Gig!
2 gig for music
2 gig for pics
10 Gig for games
zero movies
And the rest ~90Gig is Windows and programs. I really need to cleanup too!
I'd say I use ~ 50 good programs, the rest of the 1000 or so, is just a waste!

Yes I suffer the same shiny, flashy things just like you.

Also, if I were you, I'd visit your manufactures website and download all the updated drivers, and put them on a backup disc (even extract them first)
Or...
Just use DriverGrabber http://fileforum.betanews.com/sendfile/1170699160/1/DriverGrabber.zip
Without a doubt, the easiest way to backup your drivers.

Anyway, good luck, and if you do decide to image, leave the Antivirus off (or not installed) for some reason Antivirus never works well or restore of images I feel.