How to Fix MBR Error 1, MBR Error 2 or MBR Error 3

David Darlington

Dec 16, 2024 • Filed to: Windows Computer Solutions • Proven solutions

1What is MBR and MBR errors

The MBR is the master boot record, and when you fire up your PC the first thing the PC does is look for where the operating system is located. It finds this by looking at the MBR. If there are any problems with the MBR, the operating system cannot be loaded and the PC will grind to a standstill.

You may get a message indicating that there has been a boot failure because the operating system cannot be located, or you may be given no indication at all of what has gone wrong and face only a blank screen. The error may be MBR error 1, MBR error 2, or MBR error 3 (or MBR 3 error). All of these point to corruption or failure within the master boot record. Restarting your system from a restore point should be the next step.

The cause of such a problem boils down to two things. The less likely one is that your PC is trying to load the operating system for an external device or drive, such as an external hard disk, and finding that it can't reboot because there is nothing there. Try disconnecting the external drives to see if that is the problem.

More likely, the MBR has become corrupted or gone missing for some reason. If this is the case, the ideal solution would be to restore it along with any other missing files from your system backup device. However, many people have mislaid this or have never made a backup, so it will not be an option for them.

2How to fix MBR errors

To fix MBR Error 1, MBR Error 2, or MBR Error 3, you will need to enter the Recovery Console. Type "fixmbr" and then press Enter. If the master boot record has been corrupted, this command will fix it. You will then need to remove the system CD, type "exit" and then restart the machine.

The instructions are:

1. Boot from the Windows 7 installation DVD
2. At the “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD…”, press any key to boot from the DVD
3. Select a language
4. Select a keyboard layout
5. Click Next
6. Select the operating system and click Next. The “Use recovery tools that can help fix problems starting Windows” must be checked when you select the operating system.
7. At the System Recovery Options screen, click on Command Prompt
8. When Command Prompt successfully loads, type this command:

   bootrec /rebuildbcd

9. Press Enter
10. Type the next command:

    bootrec /fixmbr

11. Press Enter
12. Type the next command:

    bootrec /fixboot

13. Press Enter
14. Remove the installation DVD from the disk tray and restart your computer

3How to restore the lost data/files caused by MBR errors

MBR errors often come along with data loss on your hard drive, and it`s also possible that some files/data on pc are accidentally deleted or formatted during the process of fixing this issue, under these circumstances, you`ll probably need a powerful data recovery tool to make sure no important photo, video, email or document file get lost because of the MBR errors.

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