Bad PBR (Primary Boot Record)

Saturday, 25 February 2012

I was playing scrabble (on the pogo.com) and at the same time learning a dance (from the youtube.com for almost an hour) when the message of dumping physical memory flashes on the monitor.

Dumping physical memory had happened before and the operating system rebooted successfully all the time. But this time the computer could not reboot! This was what the monitor said:

Loading PBR for description 2... done
Bad PBR

No boot device available
Strike F1 to retry boot, F2 for setup utility.

So I hit F1 and the computer tried to boot but ended up with the same message.

Hit F2 and changed the boot sequence. It didn't work either.

Took out the disc and the flash drive that I had on the CPU when the dumping memory happened and hit F1 again. Didn't work.

Switch off and on the CPU. It wouldn't boot the Operating System.

Pulled out all the connections and reconnect them. Can't restore the Operating System.

I didn't know what else to do, so I called for advice. Kim gave me 3 names of computer literates (in our church branch) whom I could checked with. Cathy told me that Tiffany (in our branch) could help. Peter named 2 stores that I could send my computer to look at. Stanley said to open up the computer to check for amiss connections. Clifford said to reboot from a reinstallation CD (that did restore the computer the following Monday). Unfortunately he was not free to walk me through the steps that night.

Since I could not google for instructions from my computer, I tried on the cellphone and amazingly this message popped up when I searched for "Bad BPR". I am glad that I copied the message because I couldn't find that message again. It said:


Quote:

Oops! That usually happens only on DELL systems. This is because they have 3 partitions:
- A Hidden Dell Utility Partition.
- The OS Partition (Windows).
- A hidden Dell PC Restore Partition.

The error you are getting is due to a corrupt boot record.

Try this:
1 - Start up the computer and click F12 to give you the boot-up options.
2 - Insert Windows Installation/Recovery CD into CDROM, choose CDROM boot option and click enter.
3 - Let the installation process continue until it prompts you "Press R to repair" ... this should then take you into the DOS mode.
4 - Type in FIXBOOT and when prompted, press "Y" to start creating the new boot partition. If everything goes right, you should get a message saying the partition was corrupted and a new one was created successfully.
5 - Remove the CD and reboot your system, everything SHOULD be okay now.

NB. Don't try a FIXMBR or you'll loose your hidden dell partitions, meaning if you haven't backed it up onto DVD, you can't go back to the original factory settings if you ever need to.

Unquote


I tried the reinstallation CD, it didn't work.

So I am thinking maybe if I did the diagnostic tests that were available in the computer, I would be able to know what is wrong with it. That way, it would help others to trouble-shoot as well.

So I run:
(1) The hard-drive diagnostics:
Drive O: Hitachi HDS721616PLA380 - Pass.
Drive 1: TSSTarp DVD+/-RW TS-H653A - Diagnostic not supported (I don't know what it means)
Drive 2: No device.
Drive 3: No device.
Drive 4: No device.
Drive 5: No device.
(2) MpMemory V0433: All 8 tests passed.
(3) Test of Devices in the System: All tests passed.

Then I run the following "All Systems"
(1) No Sound or Audio: 5 (analog sound playback, surround sound playback, central/LFE sound playback, front mic record and playback, rear mic record and playback) of 8 tests failed. (Don't know what they mean!)
(2) Problems with Fan(s) or System Seems Hot: All 7 tests passed.
(3) Problems with USB Device or USB Device Not Detected: All 9 tests passed.
(4) Abnormal noise coming from my system: All 3 tests passed.
(5) Mouse, touchpad or pointing stick non-responsive: The only 1 test passed.
(6) Cursor Movement is Erratic - USB Mouse - Mouse Test: The only 1 test passed.
(7) Cannot Boot the OS: There were 36 tests, however 2 went untested, remaining 34 passed.
(8) System Lock Up: There were 43 tests, 2 went untested, remaining 41 passed.
(9) Hard Drive Errors: All 10 tests passed

I didn't continue with the following "All Systems" testing because I felt that the testings I have seen so far seem to be the same. I am wasting my time!

(10) System Shut Down or Reboots Unexpectedly - CPU Fan - Fan On/Off.
(11) Windows Blue Screen.
(12) Problems With Memory
(13) Intermittent Shutdowns - CPU Fan - Fan On/Off Test.

Finally I did run the last test:
(14) Video Corruption: All 8 tests passed.


Monday, 27 February 2012

I am so grateful I didn't have to take the computer to any place or anyone. I am so grateful that Tiffany sent her son to the house to look at the computer instead.

Finally, Tyrnan restored the Operating System for me, using the reinstallation CD, using the steps that I received through my cellphone last Saturday night.

Tiffany said she did not need the diagnostic results, which took me more than 12 hours and would have been more if I run all the tests! She said she had to look at the computer and then go from there.

Incidentally, I missed watching Tyrnan did the step 1 and step 2. I thought I did exactly what the instructions said for that first 2 steps last Saturday night, but no response. Maybe I didn't choose the CDROM boot option from the F12 boot-up options.

What a scare! I am glad that my computer is working again!

Thank you Tiffany for sending your son. Thank you Tyrnan for fixing it.

Thank you to whoever you are, who posted that message of rebooting the Operating System using the Windows Installation/Recovery CD.

Thank you Kathy for ordering the Reinstallation CD Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2, back in 2009.

Someone left the Dell Dimension E520 to me, in 2009, without the original Windows Operation System. The computer was then about 1-1/2 years old and there were some problems so Kathy ordered the reinstallation CD for me, just in case. The computer is now 4-1/2 years old. If it wasn't for this CD, I probably have to spend on a new Windows Operation System or buy a new computer!

Using Computers at Cybershop

Thursday, 21 May 2009

What do you do when you have a computer but you don't have Internet connection at home? I have always been blessed with both, in the comfort of my homes, until now. It is not because Internet service is not available in this area. It is because we chose not to subscribe yet.

Having been so used to taking all the time I wanted do my email, Facebook, blog, surf, etc. I still can if I am willing for the time, which is more expensive.

I don't dare to go into the https:// even though they are secure sites for fear that this public computer have been fixed with device to store our personal particulars. I don't dare to upload pictures from a pendrive for fear that it might be virus affected. It happened once when a photoshop uploaded pictures, for the purpose of reproduction, from my pendrive to their computer. I just can't trust public computers, and even private computers unless they belongs to people I know and trusted! I guess that is why we say "personal computers" where you have your own settings, favorites, etc.

Anyway, I am thankful that there is a cybershop, that is only a few minutes walk from where I am staying for this time. They charged MR2 for members and MR2.50 for non-members, so I signed up for membership even though I am not a permanent resident. It is life membership and you don't have to pay any fees of any kind to maintain that membership, except to top up when your credit runs out.

At least I am able to do my email and be connected to my friends as well as to blog (minus the pictures) for the time being. That will do.

And for not having Internet connection at home, I will just use the computer to do other works that don't need Internet access. I have a weakness to be glued to the computer, especially when the Internet connection is on, so this is a time to enjoy other things in life!

Without the Personal Computer

Saturday, 20 September 2008

Why the silence? What is going on? What have I been doing? Where have I been? Check my blog - Miri, Kuching. I haven't blog since my birthday!

August was buzzzzzzzzzzzzy, no time to blog and not in the mood to blog either! September, I had the time and mood to blog mood but no computer.

Here I go again................ what is like to have no personal computer to use?

I thought I could use other people's computers. I thought I could use my nephew's and my niece's. No wonder it is called a 'personal' computer.

Different computer have different settings. I don't feel comfortable using their computers to do anything else but check my email. I told my friends to stop forwarding me mail for the time being. I have no time to read forwards so I deleted most of them, since it is my habit to clean out the mail box. I replied to email but only with a few lines or so.

Worst experience was preparing my talk for a sacrament meeting. A friend's computer was working perfectly but she does not have a printer, so I saved my document in a thumbdrive. Took it to my nephew who has a printer but the computer couldn't read it nor any other documents of mine! Niece's computer is waiting to be reformatted. I was happy that my former classmate, a computer graduate, agreed to let me use her home computer, even though I have to come after 9:30 pm. That was okay, anytime so long as I can print out my talk for that Sunday. I can sleep in the next day. Happily I continued with my talk but unfortunately her (or her son's) printer wouldn't print at all. Her son said it wasn't working due to some virus. I felt disappointed but I had a good visit catching up with my classmate until 11:30 pm. The computer in her house was only used by her son so it was not surprising. My nephew, my niece and now my friend's son are all teenagers! Don't know where they surf in the internet!

I ended up handwriting the 10-12 mins talk. I didn't count how many times I had rewrite!

Computer does make life easier when it comes to preparing talk because you can edit them as many times you have to!

Someone said the computer is the devil's creation. I don't agree with that. It depends on how you use it. To me it is a blessing so far.

The On/Off Modem Button

Wednesday, 25 April 2007

Here I go again! Lift ignorance and now computer operations ignorance!

Exclamation mark on the computers icon said "local network - unlimited or no connectivity". I tried in a different room, it is still the same. All the wiring connections were checked. I heeded the computer prompting to "repair" but it couldn't repair and next prompted me to contact network provider. I called the network provider. A recorded message said there was service interruption in another state. I wondered whether that has affected the network connection in this area. A female staff, answering my call to the technical services, said it does, without asking me any questions.

Services was not "restored" in the afternoon so I gave up using the internet for the day.

This morning, I checked all my wiring connections - electrical, telephone again. I pull them out and insert them again! I phoned the network provider again. No recorded message of service interruption anywhere. This time, a male technician answered my call. He asked a few questions and guided me as to what to type on the computer so as to find out what exactly was wrong. He told me that the modem is not working. I agreed with him. There was not a single light on the modem. He said I could buy a new one at any computer shop.

Few minutes later, I remembered what I was told before and done before, probably a month or so ago. A network technician had told me about a button on the modem and had ask me to reset. It has worked before, with my own personal modem. But with this modem, I could see a 'reset' hole but there was nothing to reset.

There is a button on the side of this modem. What do I see? The push button was out. And of course there is no connection! I pushed in the button. The PWR, DSL and the LAN lights came on. Stupid me. There was nothing wrong with the network, nothing wrong with the system, nothing wrong with the wiring. It is stupid me again - didn't use my head again!

I phoned the network technician and we had a good laugh. He also learnt a lesson from there - to ask the customer to check all her connections and switches.

Cut off my LCD?

Monday, 11 September 2006

The above date reminded me of the September 11 World Trade Center (US) disaster!

What is wrong with my NEC notebook, this morning? I left it for half an hour and the display left the screen as well! I came back but it didn't, even after I switched it off for a while and on it again! It got angry with me! So I rang the nearest computer shop I know. It was also the shop that we have bought a desk top computer from, once upon a time. He said bring it there and they would check.

I had run out of Black Ink cartridge a couple of days ago and I was going to purchase it this afternoon, from another computer dealer, whom I bought the Canon BCI-24 printer.

Well, since the computer shop is on the way to the computer dealer, that suits me perfectly. The technician at the computer shop checked and reported that the notebook was okay but the LCD was spoilt. They said that it would cost me over 1K to have it repaired and even then no guarantee. They suggested 2 things (1) to cut off the LCD part, buy a separate stand-alone LCD + keyboard + mouse (amounting to about 800 MRinggit) and connect it to the notebook (using it as the CPU) alternatively (2) to buy a brand new notebook (they said this is the best option), price ranging from 2,XXX to 5,XXX MRinggit.

Both proposals did not appeal to me. First proposal - I can imagine how my computer desk would look like and didn't like it. Second proposal - I don't need a sophisticated expensive notebook.

I said I would think about it. I left for the Canon printer dealer, with the intention only to purchase black cartridges. Looking into their shelf, my heart skipped as I saw NEC products displayed. I asked the boss whether they deal with NEC computers and if they repair them. Yes, they do! You can imagine how happy I was when the technician spotchecked my notebook and reported that the display is dimmed only (he can see, I cannot!) and that it was possibly to rectify.

I collected back my NEC book 10 days later, because the spare part had to come from Kuala Lumpur. It cost me 200 MRinggit to have my LCD working again! I didn't have to cut off the LCD or buy another notebook! This old NEC notebook will do just fine!