Jacques E. Bouchard wrote:
> Barry Watzman <WatzmanNOSPAM@neo.rr.com> wrote in news:h23jcr$o4k$1
> @news.eternal-september.org:
>
>> I think that is incorrect; I think that a clean install does NOT
>> necessarily create a new MBR.
>>
>> You have some options when you do an install; you can use an existing
>> partition (with either a "full" format or a "quick" format) or you can
>> delete and/or create new partitions. But NONE of those actions replaces
>> the MBR, which is a portion of the drive itself and not of any one
>> particular partition (each partition has it's own boot record, but those
>> are separate from the MASTER boot record).
>
> But what if you start from scratch on a brand new, sealed HD, as I did? How
> could the MBR be corrupted on that?
>
>
> jaybee
I don't see how. After reading anew your initial post, I must say I am
wondering about what is going on. Is the new you install properly
recognized in the BIOS? Have you tried booting from a CD and running
chkdsk on the HD? Lastly, have you tried restoring the BIOS to its
default values? This might clear some error in it. I seem to remember,
doing so solved an apparently impossible problem for me.

Beyond that, it would be nice - ideally - if you could locate an
identical working machine and switch hard drives.

--
John Doue