BOOTMGR is missing: how to reach SERVICE-partition?

[BigCatAndy]

Hello,
I recently received one R61 in a working state. When I boot it, it shows error message "BOOTMGR is missing". I could boot with Linux LiveCD and saw, that HDD had a SERVICE-partition. But when I pressed "Thinkvantage"-Button to start "Rescue and Recovery", I got again "BOOTMGR is missing"-message. Can anyone give me a hint, how to reach SERVICE-partition?

I know the way with F8-key while booting the laptop (in this way I recovered once Fujitsu-Siemens laptop), also I found a hint with F11-key on Lenovo-forum. Will it work for me?

Thanks in advance,
regards,
Andrey

[theterminator93]

If the recovery partition is functional, F11 is typically the key to boot to it during startup so you can do a factory restore. However no R61 shipped with Windows 7, so if it is indeed the factory preload it would most likely be Windows XP, possibly Vista.

If you are certain of the OS loaded on the machine, you can use installer media to load recovery tools to help you rebuild the startup files/records to try and get the system to boot.

For Windows 7, when booting to the installation DVD/USB, select "repair this computer" at the first screen, and after a period of time (it will do a brief check and try to fix issues for you) you will come to a menu allowing you to open a command prompt. Do so, then run a few commands:

chkdsk c: /f (replace c: with your OS drive letter)
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /fixmbr
bcdboot c:\windows (replace c: with your OS drive letter)
exit

From there, reboot to your HDD and see what happens...

[BigCatAndy]

If the recovery partition is functional, F11 is typically the key to boot to it during startup so you can do a factory restore. However no R61 shipped with Windows 7, so if it is indeed the factory preload it would most likely be Windows XP, possibly Vista.

Hello,
1) the F11-way did not bring anything, same "BOOTMGR is missing" error;
2) you were right, the license sticker on the bottom of the laptop is for WindowsXP. I have one WinXP disk. Can I use that disk to recover the boot manager?

P.S. Sorry for posting in "Windows 7"-thread. I somehow considered that R61 was shipped that tie with Win7.

[theterminator93]

It's been a while but Windows XP installation discs have recovery console, which can give you a command prompt to restore boot records/sectors and other repair tasks.

If you prefer however, I do have XP factory restore media for R61 I can provide. Let me know.

[BigCatAndy]

It's been a while but Windows XP installation discs have recovery console, which can give you a command prompt to restore boot records/sectors and other repair tasks.

If you prefer however, I do have XP factory restore media for R61 I can provide. Let me know.

Hello theterminator93,
thanks a lot. I will try first to use built-in recovery partiotion, because I need Windows in German. I suppose, your restore media is in English, isn't it?

Regards,
Andrey

[theterminator93]

Correct, while I do have some sets in German the R61 set is not among them.

[BigCatAndy]

Correct, while I do have some sets in German the R61 set is not among them.

Hello,
today I started laptop with installation CD of WindowsXP and when I clicked F3 to recover the Windows installation (one of the menu items in the beginning), I received message saying that no hard drive was detected. This is strange, because BIOS shows HDD, and also Linux could detect HDD and show its content.

My idea was that installation media could not cope with SATA drive. I checked SATA-settings in BIOS - AHCI.

I will try once again with Win7 installation DVD. Hope it will work.

Regards,
Andrey

[BigCatAndy]

How can I upload photo here? I would like to demonstrate you my partitioning of the HDD.

[RealBlackStuff]

You can't.
Just upload your picture to e.g. https://imgur.com and copy/paste the link to it here.

[BigCatAndy]

Hello everyone,
I could resolve the issue: I started laptop with Linux Mint, then "GParted", then I made partition SERVICE001 bootable, and after restarting the laptop "Rescue and Recovery" environment started automatically. Then full recovery - and here is my R61 with fresh "WindowsXP".

I found this solution on the German Wiki-page for Thinkpads - www.thinkwiki.de. Thanks a lot for those who wrote it down!

regards,
Andrey