# BOOTMGR.EXE missing message if I dont have my Windows Vista CD in the drive.



## Cooto3s

Okay so I wrote about this a few weeks ago, my BOOTMGR.EXE has stopped working, so my friend came over and fixed it. Now, when I start my computer up, it comes up again.. _unless_ I have my windows vista home premium CD in the drive. Whats wrong? Also, if anyone knows how to fix this aswell, that would be great: I got COD5 today, and I cant join any servers.. I get a 'No or bad challenge' error when I try to join one. I've tried disabling my firewall aswell, but with no luck. I'm currently not using a router either.. Any ideas?


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## Respital

Trying making a repair installation?

I believe you have to press "R" to repair although it may be different in Windows Vista.


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## PC eye

That would be the Vista dvd not cd to correct that. You most likely left the boot order set to cd rom as the first in the boot order and can set that to hard drive first and disable the rest in order to force the bios to look for the boot information on the hard drive.

The installation dvd itself has a new startup repair tool that will repair startup problems automatically when used. When first seeing the Vista installer load up look for the repair tools option seen below the install now button to proceed to the next screen there. Give that a try.


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## Cooto3s

I forgot to say; That's how my mate got it to work. He used the repair feature on my disk. However, the normal repair thingy didnt work so he had to use some command thingy, Lol. Anyways I do have my first boot device set to my disk but if I dont set it there, I can't load the CD on bootup and wont be able to repair it.


EDIT: It didnt work. I still get the same BOOTMGR.EXE is missing error. My computer also started shouting really loud a few hours ago on startup, I had to restart it with the power button..


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## PC eye

Shouting loud in what way? I'm beginning to suspect the drive itself may be the actual problem if that is on the way out. When hearing any odd loud sounds listen closely especially if you are hearing any clicking sounds since that would point at the drive itself.


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## Cooto3s

It was more of a BEEP sound over and over  I'm going to open my comp up today and clean it out, and make sure all the wires are connected properly. I havent done that in a while


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## Cooto3s

I just found this scattered across my computer aswell: Trojan Horse PSW.Generic6.AQPD Can it have something to do with my BOOTMGR malfunctioning?


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## mep916

Cooto3s said:


> I just found this scattered across my computer aswell: Trojan Horse PSW.Generic6.AQPD Can it have something to do with my BOOTMGR malfunctioning?



Follow the steps in this thread. Post the logs in this thread, or you can start a new thread in this section.


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## Cooto3s

I removed it, but could it be the cause of the problem..?


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## PC eye

A trojan or virus could gum up the works for Windows as well as boot sector viruses causing startup problems. Your friend most likely used the command line method of expanding a fresh copy of the bootmgr.exe file at the time in order to replace a corrupted or missing one.

The method generally advised like mentioned before for seeing that corrected with the Vista disk is seen at http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/wind...ing-error-while-trying-to-boot-windows-vista/

The alternative method your friend used would be seen as rebuilding rather then referred to as expanding a replacement from a cab like seen in XP at the recovery console. That is also seen as Step #2 in another article on how to repair or rather rebuild the boot information(bootmgr.exe).

SOLUTION 2

If the previous method does not resolve the problem, you can rebuild the BCD store by using the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment. To do this, follow these steps: 

- Get your Vista installation DVD and pop it into your drive.
- Then restart your computer.
- Press a key when you are prompted.
- Select a language, a time, a currency, and a keyboard or another input method, and then click Next
- Click Repair your computer
- Click the operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next
- In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click Command Prompt
- Type bootrec /rebuildbcd and then press ENTER

• If Bootrec runs successfully, it will present you with the installation path of a Windows directory. To add the entry to the BCD store, type Yes . A confirmation message appears that indicates the entry was added successfully.

• If Bootrec cannot locate any missing Windows installations, you must remove the BCD store, and then you must re-create it. To do this, type the following commands in the order shown below: (Remember to press ENTER after each command)

bcdedit /export C:\BCD_Backup

ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old

bootrec /rebuildbcd

- Restart the computer.  http://cyberst0rm.blogspot.com/2007/04/how-to-fix-bootmgr-is-missing-in.html

Most trojans are better referred to as spies or downloaders that bring more crap onto the system while bootsector viruses tend to trash things like the bootmgr.exe seen in the newer Vista version of Windows. I suggest running a few full system scans with more then just one malware remover but a good antivirus program. A few sites like Symantec amd Trend Micros's House Call are better suited for that type of virus if present.


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## Cooto3s

Okay he used a bootrec /fixboot command and it came up as successful. I'll try this one out though. Hopefully it'll work


EDIT: It didnt work. Bootrec /rebuildbcd came up with Repairing critical disk units and then a bunch of commands that didnt work. But still nothing. The other commands ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old came up as unknown. I also tried bcdbcd.old and bcd.old, still nothing


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## PC eye

Well then you know to try the bootrec /fixboot command to see how far you get with that. Your last option of course since Vista no longer sees the repair install option would be a full reinstall of Windows. I'm sure you want to see that only as a last resort for the time being.


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## Cooto3s

I guess I'll have to live with it. I really don't feel like formatting my PC right now..


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## PC eye

Lately I had to see a full reinstall when I couldn't get the application for either of two tv tuner cards to work correcly. One saw no picture while hearing good sound while the other wasn't even seen in the device manager at first. The later was a replacement of the same make and model that went before trying a different make.

Once Windows was on again fresh the card was seen and works normally. Having run Vista in beta and later when released I haven't run into the problem you are seeing there while startup problems dual booting with XP plus testing a new tool for Vista have been corrected easy enough with the repair tool or the restore mbr option seen in the prebeta stages.


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## Lascaux

ok, I have the exact same problem with bootmgr.exe missing.

I rebuilt the bootrec with the following commands.

bcdedit /export C:\BCD_Backup

ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old

bootrec /rebuildbcd

everything came up successful. upon doing bootrec /rebuildbcd, it detects the windows installation and allows me to add it to boot list.
but then directly after that i do a scanos and it can't detect it again, and the bootmgr.exe error still comes up.

ive done a complete hard drive wipe and reinstalled vista, but the error still comes up.

i could live with having the DVD in the drive everytime i boot, but ive got a load of ram problems and need to run a lot of memtest progs etc from startup.
each time i startuip, it goes back to not being able to identify windows installations when i try to rebuildbcd, even though it shows the installation there in the screen before.

is there anyway i can fix this within windows?

edit: chkdsk showed nothing wrong with the drive.
 im now doing a proper full format of the drive in dos, then ill reinstall and pray it works.


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## Theblackoutow

Guys, I'm in kind of a similar situation. I was on my computer and I wanted to clear space off my hard drive and I saw this option called "Compress files", and I did that. Then when I was done I retarded my computer to a error saying bootmgr.exe has been compressed. I have read everywhere that if you use a system repair disk it can fix that, but is their any other way because I don't have a system repair disk.


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