windows 7 bootmgr is missing-- resolved using WinRE

Question

original title: windows 7 bootmgr is missing HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i have a sony vaio laptop with no partitions no nothing just a hard disk with pre-installed windows 7 64 bit home premium. Yesterday i has installing some widgets to my desktop and after i have restarted the laptop windows coudn't start....it says bootmgr is missing. I tryied to use the recovery tools of vaio but the only option is toformat everything and install again windows 7 but i dont want this option. I have tried almost everything finding on net many answers about this problem but none of them it worked to me. I downloaded a bootable disk to repair the windows i tryied to do it manually from the prompt command but nothing....Its very strange though when i open the vaio recovery tools i can save all my files to an external drive but it appears a partition d: which before didnt exist

and have one folder called boot and inside contains a file called bootmgr. I would like if somebody have any idea what to do cause i have this laptop 1 month it it drives me crazy when i am thinking that i need to format everything

thanks

Answer 1

Hi darofossss,

Perform the following methods to resolve the issue: 

Method 1: Startup Repair from the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)

============================================

1. Insert the Windows 7 installation disc into the disc drive, and then start the computer. 
2. Press a key when the message indicating "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD …". appears.
3. Select a language, a time and currency, and a keyboard or input method, and then click Next.
4. Click Repair your computer. 
5. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, choose the drive of your Windows installation and click Next. 
6. At the System Recovery Options Dialog Box, click on Repair your computer.
7. Click the operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next.
8. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click Startup Repair.

Refer the following link for more information:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/What-are-the-system-recovery-options-in-Windows-7

To know more about “Startup Repair” visit the following link:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Startup-Repair-frequently-asked-questions

Method 2: Rebuild BCD using the Bootrec.exe tool

============================================

To run the Bootrec.exe tool, you must start Windows RE. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Put the Windows Vista or Windows 7 installation disc in the disc drive, and then start the computer.
2. Press a key when you are prompted. Select a language, a time, a currency, a keyboard or an input method, and then click Next.
3. Click Repair your computer.
4. Click the operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next.
5. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click Command Prompt.
6. Type Bootrec.exe, and then press ENTER.

Refer the following link for more information:

How to use the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to troubleshoot and repair startup issues in Windows

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392

Method 3: Use the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) to run System Restore

============================================

1. Insert the Windows 7 installation disc into the disc drive, and then start the computer. 
2. Press a key when the message indicating "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD …". appears.
3. Select a language, a time and currency, and a keyboard or input method, and then click Next. 
4. Click Repair your computer. 
5. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, choose the drive of your Windows installation and click Next
6. At the System Recovery Options Dialog Box, click on System Restore.
7. Follow the System Restore Wizard instruction as usual and choose the appropriate restore point.
8. Click Finish to restore the system.

To know more about “System Restore” visit the following link:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/System-Restore-frequently-asked-questions

If the above methods do not help, you may try to follow the methods mentioned in this article:

Error message when you start Windows Vista: "The Windows Boot Configuration Data file is missing required information"

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927391

Note: This article also applies to Windows 7 Operating system as well.

Regards,

Divya R – Microsoft Support.

Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

Answer 2

I had this problem and I didnt have a windows dvd, I switched it off a few time to no avail and then removed the battery and power supply and put the battery back and rebooted and it did the trick...

Answer 3

I fixed my system by disconnecting all drives except for the hard drive with W7 Ultimate 64 bit.  Vola!

First I had clicked on "Repair your Computer", and frozen in panic when it offered me the simple solution of using drive "H"!

I can imaging the mess I would have been in if I had gone along with WinRE.  Changing the main drive from "C" to "H" would have messed many of the programs settings, even though windows would have probably worked.

Why doesn't WinRE offer you the option of correcting the drive letter, or at least tell you to disconnect the other drives?

I suppose later on the OS main drive letter could have been changed on Computer|Manage|Disc Administration.

My problem, I suspect, was caused by somehow my ASUS board switching around the Intel SATA ports vs the Marvell SATA ports.  I prefer to use the Marvell ones for the OS because they are faster (6Mb/sec).

Answer 4

Thank you it worked.

Answer 5

I have the Windows 7 disk from dell.  When I boot from disk, i hit enter then it goes to black screen saying "windows is loading files"  a progress bar moves very slowing during this and it takes quite a while.  When the progress bar completes (pure white-left to right) the computer stops.  The disk drive quits working and it freezes.

I have run all hardware diagnostics and there is no hardware problem.  Somebody please help me.