Repair / Fix MBR in Windows 8 using the Command Prompt
If you can’t boot Windows 8 and you get a message about missing MBR, you should consider repairing the MBR via the command prompt and the Installation DVD.
In Microsoft Windows-based architecture Master Boot Record or MBR plays an important role in order to boot Microsoft Windows successfully. In a nutshell an MBR is a record which keeps track of every booting file that is required to be loaded into the memory in order to boot computer successfully.
Normally MBR does not get corrupt that easily, however there might be times when because of any reason, for example, abrupt shutdown or dangerous viruses the MBR might not function properly. When this is the case many non-technical or professionally unskilled technical people opt to reinstall the operating system right from the scratch which is not at all recommended.
Same is the case with Windows 8.
There are certain ways using which you can eliminate the requirement of reinstalling Windows 8 if its MBR gets corrupt. As a Windows 8 user if you want to fix MBR without reinstalling the operating system you are required to follow the steps given below:
1 Insert Microsoft Windows 8 installation disc in the drive.
2 Make sure that first bootable device is set to CD/DVD from BIOS.
3 Start your computer with DVD support.
4 On the main page click on Next button leaving everything as default.
5 On the next page click on Repair your computer link.
6 On Choose an option window that appears click on Troubleshoot option.
7 On Troubleshoot window click on Advanced options.
8 On Advanced options window click on Command prompt.
9 On the opened command window type BOOTREC /FIXMBR command and press enter key to fix MBR.
10 Restart your computer to see the computer working properly.
Thank you so much. This saved me.
Thank you very much for this article. This saved me from having to reinstall windows 8 after grub was leftover from a linux install that went wrong.
Exact same as Richard, I almost thought it didn’t work because it was instantaneous, but that one little command solved the problem.
Thanks!
Hi, thanks for the advice. unfortunately this didn’t work, it made no difference, I am able to boot into windows 8 ONLY if the windows 8 CD is in the drive, as soon as I take it out it fails to boot. I followed these steps exactly. Any more advice would be gratefully received.
Many thanks
Thank you SO much for this support.
)
After buying and using Windows 8 for a few hours, i wanted to downgrade back to windows 7 but messed up my boogsector.
I am very happy with your advice and will try this in the morning
thanks mate top advice.
Does FIXMBR only work on x86 systems? I just read something that it does.
I have a boot issue and I have tried the FIXMBR with no luck
I recently partitioned my hard drive. I was running windows 8 and decided to dual boot with Linux Mint. How do I go about removing Linux Mint and restoring my MBR to the normal windows 8 boot up?