can ONLY boot to HP PC system recovery

Hi everyone,
I was trying to install Windows 7 on a partition (I'm not quite ready to say bye to my XP yet), and it seems to have deleted my MBR or something. Everytime I turn on/restart the computer, it automatically goes to HP PC System Recovery. I have no option to choose XP, 7 or System Recovery. I have tried to repair the MBR using Recovery Console from a Dell PC with no luck. I currently can't access my XP or 7. Of course.. I was too excited about installing 7 that I was dumb and forgot to make a new backup of my XP partition, so I REALLY don't want to have to reinstall everything.
Anyone know what to do??
Thanks for the help,
*EQL*

 

Hi Lisa,

Yes, Windows 7 does hijack the boot procedure; in your case, it sounds like it's misread your partition data somehow, probably because of some hidden partition(s) created for the HP recovery software.

Can you give us the PC serial and model numbers please, they should enable us to discover the original partition layout so we can workout what we need to do here.

 

umm.. model is a620n, as for the serial number, where would i find it without using windows?
thanks,
*EQL*

 

Umm, usually on a sticker at the rear, sides or top if it's a desktop/tower model.

 

ok, here we go:
system number: PC028A-ABA
Serial number: MXK42618WQ

Thanks,
*EQL*

 

Ok,

I'm not seeing anything obvious after a quick look in the HP forum or their upgrading to Windows 7 page.

Did you run the Windows 7 Advisor before attempting the upgrade? Did you check for a BIOS update?

Do you have access to another PC, so that you can get any important data off your hard drive before proceding further?

 

Yes.. the results seemed to say it should work, basically i figured I would try and see since it was on a different partition.

Yes and No - I'm waiting on a new power supply..., so I can switch the power supply from Computer A to Computer B (i've tried before and it works) and put in Computer A's HDD, but i'm not sure how I would be able to access it if the MBR is all screwed up on Computer A's HDD.
I do have a disk image from a few weeks ago. If I get fed up trying to get the data back, is it possible to put that disk image back on?

Thanks for your help,
*EQL*

 

If you can add the drive as a secondary to Computer B, you should be able to access the data and possibly modify the drive so that the active (booting) partition is set for the original C drive (at the moment, it seems like it's reverted to the Recovery partion as the Active partition). You could also delete the Recovery partition and you may then be able to replace the drive and run a repair from the Windows 7 DVD.

Can you download and burn a UBCD? If so, you could boot Computer A from that and pull any data off to a pen drive or similar and also take a look at the partition structure and MBR.

It's late for me now, I hope someone else will chip in to help you through this, I'll drop by later to checkup, good luck.

 

thanks for your help so far, ill see what i can do.
I tried reinstalling 7, and now that is at least booting up.. so there is hope yet!
*EQL*