One of the effective troubleshooting steps, to fix boot issues is to repair Master Boot Record or MBR in Windows 11/10. One of the common reasons why an MBR can get corrupted is malware infections. Improper shutdowns can also lead to MBR corruption. Sometimes we may find issues where Linux Grub is installed and Windows cannot detect it. On some occasions, you may get the Bootmgr is missing error. In such cases, you can run the rebuild or repair MBR to fix these issues.
What is the Master Boot Record MBR?
The Master Boot Record (MBR) is a critical data structure found in the first sector of a storage device like a hard disk. It contains the boot loader and partition table, determining the location of the operating system. This enables the system to boot and load the OS into the computer’s RAM.
How to repair Master Boot Record (MBR) in Windows 11/10
The process is almost the same for Windows 11/10/8/7. First and foremost, you need a Windows installation DVD. Without that, it will be hard to proceed.
1] Press F8 while booting the system to the Windows Recovery Menu.
2] Click on Troubleshoot.
3] Click on Advanced options to get into the Automatic Repair menu.
4] We need to use the Bootrec.exe tool. Click on command prompt and type in the following commands, one after the other:
bootrec /RebuildBcd
bootrec /fixMbr
bootrec /fixboot
Exit, and now reboot your system. In some cases, you may need to run additional commands.
bootsect /nt60 SYS or bootsect /nt60 ALL
It’s wise to backup MBR or create a System Recovery Disk so that in case something like this happens you don’t have to run for the Windows Recovery Disk. To create a system recovery drive in Windows, follow these steps:
- Press Win + R and type in RecoveryDrive.exe
- Click Next
- Once you insert the USB drive, it will start creating the Recovery for your USB drive.
I hope you find the article helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to post them in our comments section or in our forum.
Read: Fix MBR Error 1, 2 or 3 on Windows
MBR Backup & HDHacker are two freeware that can help you backup and restore the MBR & Boot Sector. This post shows how to rebuild BCD.
What happens if the Master Boot Record is corrupted?
If the Master Boot Record (MBR) is corrupted, your computer may fail to boot properly or display errors during startup. The MBR is crucial for loading the operating system so that any corruption can result in boot failures. To restore functionality and ensure smooth system operation, repair tools or reinstalling may be required.
Related reads:
