Computer is unable to boot into Windows 8

Hi, recently I was trying to upgrade my Windows 8 Pro computer to Windows 8.1 Pro. But I had no working USB sticks so I thought I could make a NTFS partition into my hard drive and extract the Windows 8.1 Pro installation setup files on there. So when I restarted my computer, it booted up into the Windows 8.1 Pro installing setup but said that I needed to boot up into Windows and put the installation media back in. But I could not and just kept booting into the installation. So I thought that if I delete the partition I could go back to Windows. So I did with DISK PART. Now when I restarted it, it now gives me "DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER". I'm guessing that when I deleted that partition, there is unallocated space left and my computer is trying to read off that but not the Windows partition. Is there anything I can do to fix this?

PS: I have a Compaq computer (I know it's old)

Please note that this fix ONLY works if the hard drive has an MBR partition table.

How to determine if a hard drive is configured with the MBR or GPT partition table (see screenshots below).





Note that bootrec /fixmbr and bootrec /fixboot commands are not needed at all, if the hard drive has a GPT partition table. UEFI boot mode do not use boot sectors on the hard drive and do not require active partition to be set.

How to fix the Windows 7/8/8.1/10 bootloader if the hard drive has an MBR (Master Boot Record) partition table.

For example, if you have deleted the System Reserved partition and then you get an error message "Operating System not found".

Note that these instructions does not wipe the hard drive.

- Boot the computer using the Windows 7/8/8.1/10 installation media.
- On the first screen, press SHIFT+F10 to bring up the command prompt.
- Run the following commands at the command prompt.

bootrec /fixmbr (writes a MBR to the system partition but does not overwrite the existing partition table)

bootrec /fixboot (writes a new boot sector to the system partition)

bootrec /rebuildbcd

The bootrec /rebuildbcd command will search for Windows installations not included in the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) and then ask you if you'd like to add one or more to it.

Other instructions.

- How to create a bootable Windows 10 USB flash drive or DVD. -> link
- How to download and clean install Windows 8.1 -> link

genet said:

Note that these instructions only work if the hard disk has an MBR (Master Boot Record) partition table. Here is some info about MBR and GPT partition style: link

- Boot the computer using the Windows 7/8/8.1 installation media.
- On the first screen, press SHIFT+F10 to bring up command prompt.
- Run the following commands at the command prompt.

bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /rebuildbcd

The bootrec /rebuildbcd command will search for Windows installations not included in the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) and then ask you if you'd like to add one or more to it.

Note: If you receive the error message "Element not found" when you execute the "bootrec /fixboot" or bootrec /rebuildbcd command, then you must first mark boot partition as active with diskpart. Note: If there is a partition labeled "System Reserved", it is the boot partition, if not, the Windows OS partition is the boot partition.

diskpart
select disk 0
list partition
select partition # Note: Select the "System Reserved" partition (if you have it) or the Windows OS partition.
active
exit

Click to expand...

Okay I'll try this when I have a working usb or sd card that I can use. Thank you for your response! But will this wipe my disk? I don't want to do this at all.

Boot the computer using the Windows 7/8/8.1 installation

I don't know how to boot my laptop with windows 8 installation media . and I don't know what is installation media plz tell me what is it? And how to use it.

jay dangar said:

I don't know what is installation media

Click to expand...

How to download and create a bootable Windows 8.1 installation media -> link

jay dangar said:

I don't know how to boot my laptop with windows 8 installation media.

Click to expand...

You do not need to change the boot order of drives in your UEFI firmware (BIOS) settings.
- Connect your Windows 8.1 USB flash drive or insert your Windows 8.1 DVD.
- Restart the computer.
- Press the correct key to enter the boot menu (see this link for help). Or, if you have a Lenovo computer, you can also press the NOVO button when the computer is turned off and then select "Boot Menu".
- Select your USB/DVD from the boot menu.

edit:

http://www.eightforums.com/bsod-crashes-debugging/67706-boot-problem.html#post509493

jay dangar said:

I have windows 8 and I used mini tool partition for partition. Now I accidental deleted my system reserved partition and then my computer requires reboot.so now it gives me error like ' insert bootable devices and press any key'. I don't have recovery or backup. So is that any possible ways to recovery? Where to download recovery?and how to do it?

Click to expand...

If you deleted the EFI System partition, not the System Reserved partition.

Take a look at this post: http://www.eightforums.com/general-...art-due-missing-efi-partition.html#post419519

Here is info about the EFI System partition and System Reserved partition: link