Forum Home
Press F1
 
Thread ID: 16503 2002-03-10 07:19:00 Using FDISK /mbr Guest (0) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
38583 2002-03-10 07:19:00 There is a potentially dangerous piece of advice on page 103 of the March PCW headed up 'Booting out Viruses'. Using FDISK /mbr will only work if the virus in question has not moved the partition table (and/or the boot loader). If this has happened, restoring the MBR will result in an unusable system (since only the virus knows where it has placed the files!)

Ref. www.claws-and-paws.com
Guest (0)
38584 2002-03-11 01:44:00 I've used fdisk/mbr before.

If you run the setup for windows after doing it. The windows setup will build a new mbr.
Guest (0)
38585 2002-03-11 02:40:00 FDISK /MBR is not harmful.

It does not touch partition tables. All is does is install the standard first level boot routine (which loads the boot sector of the active disk, and transfers to that code).

FDISK /MBR will sometimes make a disk bootable when one of the things which 'can never happen' has happened.

It is always worth trying (because it is a quick, non-destructive thing), but it is not a cure for major sabotage.
Guest (0)
38586 2002-03-11 06:46:00 Sorry!! I disagree with the above posting. I have been personally bitten by this one. Graham - you are right - FDISK /mbr does not touch the partition tables but what if the virus has shifted them or encrypted them? The system will not go!

Have a look at the web page in my first posting and:

www.cknow.com

It does not always work and cannot be said to be a safe procedure without knowing what the virus has done.
Guest (0)
38587 2002-03-11 06:49:00 If the partition tables have been encrytped by a virus I doubt that you would get as far as reinstalling Windows. Guest (0)
1