Bad MBR - want to repair, SATA drive

"Gwen Morse" wrote in message
...
I have a SATA drive with a bad MBR, and data on it that I'd very much
like to recover.

Windows Recovery will not run -- I need the SATA/RAID drivers in order
to get it to read the disk. They do not come on a normal XP disk. I've
tried slipstreaming them into a new XP disk. The slipstream disk boots
and shows the install process, and shows that it's loading the correct
drivers during the text mode. However, it still doesn't see any sata
drives connected when I choose "R" for recovery.

I have a laptop with an external drive connector with an adaptor for
SATA. So, I can plug the SATA drive into my laptop. I think the USB
drivers interface with the SATA and it works that way. The laptop has
Windows XP pro on it.

Is it possible to run some sort of utility or repair program that can
"fix" the MBR of my SATA drive, via an active session of Windows
(rather than using the repair disk, which is a sort of mini-version of
the OS that is missing those key drivers)???

Alternatively, is there some way to clone the SATA drive onto an IDE
drive, with some software that recognizes SATA _at least_ enough to go
through the clone process?

Gwen
--
Gwen Morse


Gwen:
Just so we have a better understanding of your present situation and exactly
what you're trying to accomplish...

1. Your SATA HDD is from a desktop PC? There's no present connection between
it and your laptop, right? If I have this right - the SATA HDD is still
installed in the desktop machine or do you have it in some sort of SATA or
USB enclosure?

2. The SATA HDD was a formerly bootable HDD and somehow became corrupted so
that it will not boot. Is that right? How do you know that drive has a "bad
MBR"? Any reason to believe that you might be dealing with a defective HDD?
What's the make & model of the SATA HDD?

3. Is your present objective (at least at this point) just to access that
SATA HDD so that its contents - your user-created data - can be accessed? Is
that the reason you mention a possible connection to your laptop? Or is your
main objective (at this time) to return that SATA HDD to a bootable,
functional state?

4. Could you clarify your idea about cloning the contents of the SATA HDD to
a PATA HDD? This can be done, of course, but what would the purpose be? Just
to "safeguard" the contents of the SATA HDD?

I think I might have some suggestions for you, but before posting them, I
really would like to get a clearer picture of just what machines &
configurations you're working with and your precise objectives.

If you want to go on in this vein, please provide as much detail as you can
re where that SATA HDD came from; what kind of problem did you experience
with it and how did it arise; specifics as to the PCs you're working with
and whatever other details you think are pertinent.
Anna