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Is Your Master Boot Record Missing? Here’s What To Do
5 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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The simplest thing you may ever try to do with a PC is turning it on, but however unlikely it may seem, even this operation can be met with some issues.
If you’ve ever triedbootingyourPCand were met with an error message stating that theBOOTMGR is Missing. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restartthen you should know that this is quite a common issue.
The MBR (Master Boot Record) is what controls where thePCboots off of, and is thus essential for a computer’s well-being.
That is why we’ve compiled a list of solutions for you to try that will fix your missing MBR issue, so be sure to read on.
What can I do if my MBR is missing?
1. Restart your PC
Sometimes the fact that yourPCcan’t detect yourMBRmay be just the result or a random mishap.
As such, when the error message appears, simply follow the instructions to perform a restart. If this doesn’t work, you should proceed to the next solution.
2. Remove all of your removable media
Because theMBRdetermines where thePCboots from, removing all removable media will force thePCtobootfrom its hard drive.
This includes removing all CDs, DVDs and removable flash drive, and connecting them after thebootis finished.
3. Change your Boot order in your BIOS
4. Repair your Master Boot Record
Sometimes the missing MBR error can be caused by a severely damagedMBR. If that seems to be the case, then you will need to repair it.
You could try to use a professional third-party tool namedMiniTool Partition Wizard, and then follow the above steps.
5. Mark the partition as active
6. Test the hard drive
One common reason for the missingMBRerror is the presence of too many bad sectors on that drive.
Once more MiniTool Partition Wizard. come to the rescue, as it also comes with tools that allow the testing of a drive’s disk surface.
7. Perform a Windows Startup repair
8. Check your cables
Something as simple as old, damaged or improperly plugged cables can also cause the missingMBRerror.
As such, turn off yourPC, and make sure all cables are plugged, or even try to replace them with new ones (especially the IDE cable).
9. Update your Motherboard’s OS
Sometimes an old BIOS version can also lead to a missingMBRerror. Thus, it is always good to update yourBIOSto the latest available version. If you don’t know how to do this, check out ourdetailed guide.
10. Perform a clean Windows install
If none of the other 9 solutions seemed to work, then your only choice is to perform a clean Windows install.
Keep in mind that this will remove everything from yourPC, so it is a good idea to back up all of your data before proceeding with this solution.
Also, if you need to back up your PC professionally, take a closer look at ourcomprehensive guide of the best backup software for Windows 10.
11. Replace the hard drive
If the missingMBRerror seems to be caused by a combination of too many bad sectors, and not even a clean Windows install can fix it, then it is time to retire your hard drive and replace it with a new one.
While this is the most costly solution, it is surely the one that will definitely get rid of any missingMBRerrors.
Because the investment is quite serious, you should look for the best hard drive that your budget can afford.
If you’re looking for a good hard drive replacement, you should check out ourdetailed articlefor some good suggestions.
Did you find this article useful? Let us know what you think of the missing MBR error in the comment section below.
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology.
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.
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Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s specialized in Windows errors & software issues.
