# Missing Operating System - Windows Vista



## kevintth (Feb 13, 2007)

Hi, i'm new to here. I just got to know that techsupportforum.com is helpful from Yahoo. So i hope someone here can solve my problem.

I just got a new computer from Dell C521 yesterday. Then, i on the computer and trying to install new applications from CD to C drive provided by Dell (eg.: Microsoft Works) and other mp3 songs from my own cd to my E Drive. C drive is for OS, and D drive is Dell recovery drive. However, everytime i tried to install new softwares or copy mp3s to my computer, after that i restart or reboot my computer, a black screen with an error message occur saying that "Missing Operating System".... So i reformat again the OS with the CD came from Dell. Then doing the same things.... and restart it. Same issue happen. What is the problem out there? 

However, if i do nothing on my new computer (no install any softwares or copying files to my pc) my computer can reboot or run properly.

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Well, i already contact local Dell supported team. They say will update me. So i hope can get their response soon. But i cant wait for them. 

I have the same problem similar to the website below. In the mean time i already tried out these solution from Dell community website: 
http://www.dellcommunity.com/suppor...d=vista&message.id=9617&query.id=210868#M9617

But it doesnt work for me. So can someone tell me the solution? My hard disk got no problem.


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

dell stated that all computers that come with vista would come with the vista disk and instead of reformatting on the bottom left of the install screen
is the repair option
if the computer has sata h/drive after reformatting you probably need to load a driver with f6
the inicial install goes to ram and when it reboots it goes to load the h/drive
if it needs a driver loaded it will stop dead because it cannot find the h/drive


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## kevintth (Feb 13, 2007)

Yup, my comp has a sata hard disk and vista disc. 
ok. Thanks for the reply anyway. I'll try it later.


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## kevintth (Feb 13, 2007)

yes, there is a Startup repair option. Dell support team told me to use that tools to repair the startup. I did. It works. But then this problem SOMETIMEs happen again... How to solve this problem forever...?


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

virus and malware check the stuff you are loading of your own before you load it


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## kevintth (Feb 13, 2007)

alright.


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## kevintth (Feb 13, 2007)

I scanned the computer with AVG. It found and changed my partition table without asking me any permission. Then i restart the computer. I can load the computer. After loaded the Microsoft Corp status, then i cant enter to the user login page...it just a blank screen.

Then, i used the repair tools to repair the startup... Just like before, I cant see any OS on my C Drive when it ask for choosing which OS do u want to repair... So i just ignore and click NEXT and click Startup Repair (for Unknown OS on unknown drive). After restart. I can enter the Windows.

How come it says Unknown OS on Unknown Drive, i still can use startup repair to fix the startup problem? I guess this is the problem why sometimes I got Missing OS message...


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

i have never run into it,is it starting ok now


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## kevintth (Feb 13, 2007)

yup... starting is ok now. But sometime it might happen "Missing OS"...

*Additional details:*
When i have Missing OS error message then i use Vista Dvd to run the Windows repair tool. Before that I click on my C drive, it ask me to Format it in order to use this drive. And i reliase it that suppose my C drive is used 11GB out of 70GB. But then I check it, it was back to 70Gb of 70GB. So i guess this is the problem i got the error message. So i just ignore it, and use the repair tool to fix my startup. It works then. It is weird problem how come the C drive shown me 70GB out of 70GB while my OS is still in the drive. After repair the startup, i went to MY COMPUTER to check it, no problem, my C drive is 59.6 GB out of 70GB.


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

a hard drive when it reports an empty drive will not show 70g for 70g drive it is always less because of the way the h/d manufacturers caluculate space is different to how the computer calulates
d/load and run the h/drive manufacturers diognostic utility on the h/drive
if it comes up clear run
chkdsk /r


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## kevintth (Feb 13, 2007)

no no... i know empty drive will not show exactly 70gb. It must be less. My problem is how come I got the OS installed on the C drive, it still showing me 70Gb of 70 GB on the Windows Installer page... But If I enter to My Computer to check it, it shows correctly, 59.6Gb out of 70Gb.

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*This is summary details of My Dell Computer system settings:*

Boot Sequence:
1. onboard floppy drive
2. bootable hard drive
3. onboard cd-rom drive
4. non-Integrated NIC [not present]
5. USB - FDD [not present]
6. USB - ZIP [not present]
7. USB - CDROM [not present]
8. USB Device [not present]

HDD Boot Sequance:
1. SATA 0: ST316XXXXXX
2. Bootable Add In Cards

Drives:
Drive 0: SATA 0 - ON
Drive 1: SATA 1 - ON

IDE Drive Diagnostic test results:
SATA 1st Master -> PASS
SATA 2nd Master - DVD +/- RW -> Diagnostic not supported

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Since I can use Windows Vista dvd to repair and start the computer, so i guess it is not the hard drive problem... maybe some other problems. I have read this articles about Missing Operating System on HP computer althought not for Dell pc: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...&cc=us&dlc=en&product=18703&docname=c00476274

One question, how to fix the Master Boot Record on Windows Vista?


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

during beta testing vista at one stage i had a
C
and a 
New C 
both at the same time both independant drives
i forget what the boot files come under look in the c drive for boot


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## kevintth (Feb 13, 2007)

Is this "BOOTSECT.bak" file you meant? So how to repair the MBR in Vista? Through Vista DVD?


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

you boot from the vista cd into install and on the bottom of the first screen let hand side you will see repair
click on that
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa468626.aspx


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## kevintth (Feb 13, 2007)

Alright. Thanks for the useful info. I'm not sure my MBR is corrupted or not, so if i replace to new one it wont goes wrong, right?


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## kevintth (Feb 13, 2007)

So when I click and enter to Repair tools, I can see there are few options, including Startup, Restore, Command Prompt, etc. So is it click on Command Prompt and then type "FIXMBR"?


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

from memory it gives you a list of the op.sys to choose which to repair and you select your from what is listed


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## Barnsey (Feb 20, 2007)

i know some people might not agree with me but dell are alittle crappy i had loads of problems with them. maybee you should go with a different company or even build your own computer.


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## kevintth (Feb 13, 2007)

I'm not sure how is the Dell pc quality is, but what i'm very sure is here in my country many people are choosing dell. This is my first time using dell.

Anyway, i wish to inform those other member here are experiencing the same problem as mine, then get the latest "nVidia MediaShield Storage" driver update from http://support.dell.com/support/dow...s=gen&SystemID=DIM_P4_E521&typecnt=2&vercnt=1


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## userXX (May 23, 2008)

I had this problem on a fairly new (Spring 2008) HP Desktop (Pavillion Elite). This is what I did and it worked:

I inserted recovery disk 1 into the bottom DVD drive. When it came up to the "Welcome to the Recovery Manager" screen, I clicked on "Advanced options"

I selected "Microsoft Setup Repair Tool" and clicked "Next"

I let it "leave system recovery" and do the "Startup Repair"

I got "startup repair cannot repair this computer automatically", I selected "Don't send"

When I clicked on "view advanced options for system recovery and support", it started over by rebooting to the DVD. 

So the next time around, I clicked on "Finish". After a bit, it rebooted from DVD and started all over again.

So after a reboot, I went through all of the above again and (after "Advanced options") I selected "Microsoft System Recovery".

I picked the latest system recovery point and then let it "recover". The latest system recovery included an NVidia driver update that was supposed to fix a problem after the computer hangs after entering sleep mode. 

Afterwards, it rebooted and I popped out the DVD. It apparently found the repair files on the hard drive this time, but it wanted to repair again. 

So this time, I picked "Microsoft Setup Repair Tool" and got the above symptoms again.

It rebooted and came up "frozen" at the last location that the computer was showing before it froze and was subsequently rebooted. I let it sit awhile longer but it stayed frozen.

I decided to reboot. It came up to giving me the option to boot from safe mode. So I did (I didn't choose to boot windows normally.)

After bootup, I let it do a check of the filesystem and perform a chkdsk. it corrected "error in index $I30 for file 19189". After a little bit, it rebooted.

But after a reboot, it came to a blue screen and something about "collecting data from a crash dump" and some kind of registry error. Then it immediately rebooted.

It came up to "Lauch Startup Repair (recommended) or "Start Windows Normally". I chose to start windows normally Again, a blue screen with crash dump. So the next time I launched startup repair as recommended. After a reboot, it entered "Startup repair".

This time I decided to restore using "System Restore".

After awhile, it rebooted and came up OK.... but, it prompted me to install the Nvidia driver. So I think it "system restore"d the first time after the nvidia driver install and "system restore"d the second time prior to the driver install. I asked the computer user if he was prompted to install the driver before the system froze. He said that he was prompted and so he installed it. So thinking that the installed driver caused the crash, I decided to cancel its installation and never be prompted for it to be installed again.

The system came up just fine. I don't know if it was the Nvidia driver, but I didn't want to take the chance again. I figure we'll live with any sleep mode hangups (which we never had anyway).


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## computerstar (Aug 19, 2009)

kevintth said:


> I'm not sure how is the Dell pc quality is, but what i'm very sure is here in my country many people are choosing dell. This is my first time using dell.
> 
> Anyway, i wish to inform those other member here are experiencing the same problem as mine, then get the latest "nVidia MediaShield Storage" driver update from http://support.dell.com/support/dow...s=gen&SystemID=DIM_P4_E521&typecnt=2&vercnt=1


good information.


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## DT Roberts (Jun 22, 2009)

computerstar said:


> good information.


...Wow...two and a half years old...


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## DT Roberts (Jun 22, 2009)

Please start your own thread here: http://www.techsupportforum.com/f217/


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