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

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?
>
Just for giggles, does that HD require a pin adapter to install in the
laptop???

There is no MBR at all on a brand new hard drive. In the absence of any
MBR, all Microsoft OS installation setup programs (and this goes back to
MS-DOS) will create one. And in that situation you have a reasonable
assurance that if the hardware is not defective, the MBR won't be
corrupt (note, defective hardware other than the drive or drive port can
result in drive corruption .... defective memory, for example).



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

"Jacques E. Bouchard" <invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote in message > 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 asked one time but did not get a reply. As you started with a new drive
did you partition the drive and did you mark a partition as Active ?

In news:h26mmp$gph$1@news.motzarella.org,
Barry Watzman typed on Sat, 27 Jun 2009 23:05:45 -0400:
> There is no MBR at all on a brand new hard drive. In the absence of
> any MBR, all Microsoft OS installation setup programs (and this goes
> back to MS-DOS) will create one. And in that situation you have a
> reasonable assurance that if the hardware is not defective, the MBR
> won't be corrupt (note, defective hardware other than the drive or
> drive port can result in drive corruption .... defective memory, for
> example).

Lots of programs can and do change and modify the MBR. EAZ-FIX, GoBack,
and multiple boot loaders just to name a few. And once they change it,
changing back to the standard MBR will likely break something.

--
Bill
Windows XP Pro SP2 (5.1.2600)
Asus EEE PC 702G8 ~ 2GB RAM ~ 16GB-SDHC

"Ralph Mowery" <rmowery28146@earthlink.net> wrote in
news:6qmdnXrii_9GfdvXnZ2dnUVZ_tWdnZ2d@earthlink.co m:

>
> "Jacques E. Bouchard" <invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote in message > 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 asked one time but did not get a reply. As you started with a new
> drive did you partition the drive and did you mark a partition as
> Active ?

Yes, during the installation WinXP will ask to create a partition then
formats it (not a quick format).


J.

John Doue <notwobe******.com> wrote in
news:_6u1m.188$Y67.98@read4.inet.fi:

> 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.

Yes on everything.


jaybee