Solved EFI System Partition missing files, Repair Disk won't boot

[bobbyk]

I rebooted to Linux Mint and in GParted I see a file on /sd3 that says unknown. It is 128 mb in size. Could this be the file?

 

[aenda]

It should be a partition with the flag "boot".
File system should be fat32. It might be mounted in linux mint at /boot/efi.

 

[bobbyk]

The only file I see with boot flag is fat32. The file I said earlier has to be the one even though it says unknown. GParted is not showing a /boot/efi so I think that is it it. It is on a partition.

 

[aenda]

Can you mount it with

sudo mkdir /mnt/efi
sudo mount /dev/sda3 /mnt/efi

?

 

[bobbyk]

It says I must specify filesystem type.

 

[aenda]

mount -v -t vfat /Dev/sda3 /mnt/efi

 

[bobbyk]

 

[aenda]

Your /dev/sda3 has no filesystem, strangely enough. I'm not sure what's going on there. /dev/sda1 is the EFI system partition. Mount it using the same command (obviously change to /dev/sda1).

 

[bobbyk]

Days mount point efi does not exist. I guess I'm not smart enough to do what you are asking. Maybe someone with some smarts will step in.

 

[aenda]

Days mount point efi does not exist. I guess I'm not smart enough to do what you are asking. Maybe someone with some smarts will step in.

Did you

sudo mkdir /mnt/efi

 

[bobbyk]

It already exists.

 

[aenda]

It already exists.

I really don't understand then. All you really need is to make the folder, then mount the partition to that folder. Are you sure you haven't made a typo or something? Can you show me a screenshot?
Edit: I won't be available for the rest of the night. I understand this has been a pain for you, but you are really my last shot besides contacting Toshiba and buying their recovery tool. I hope it works; if not, I totally understand. Thanks so much.

 

[bobbyk]

Sorry I couldn't help. Seems I have a lot to learn.

 

[Saltgrass]

It already exists.

I really don't understand then. All you really need is to make the folder, then mount the partition to that folder. Are you sure you haven't made a typo or something? Can you show me a screenshot?

Did you ever get the Windows Recovery media to boot so you could access the command prompt?

If it is still hanging, try removing the Hard Drive to see if it will boot then. The fact it hangs at the splash screen might be it is trying to read the hard drive, or even something in the DVD. I suppose the recovery drive you made may be bad, but hopefully not.

If all else fails, download the Windows 8.1 preview and burn that .iso (as an image) to a DVD and use that to get into the Command Prompt. The partitions you guys were talking about have very specific Type IDs and may not function if they are not correct. Just being formatted as Fat32 is not sufficient.

 

[aenda]

It already exists.

I really don't understand then. All you really need is to make the folder, then mount the partition to that folder. Are you sure you haven't made a typo or something? Can you show me a screenshot?

Did you ever get the Windows Recovery media to boot so you could access the command prompt?

If it is still hanging, try removing the Hard Drive to see if it will boot then. The fact it hangs at the splash screen might be it is trying to read the hard drive, or even something in the DVD. I suppose the recovery drive you made may be bad, but hopefully not.

If all else fails, download the Windows 8.1 preview and burn that .iso (as an image) to a DVD and use that to get into the Command Prompt. The partitions you guys were talking about have very specific Type IDs and may not function if they are not correct. Just being formatted as Fat32 is not sufficient.

Instead of wasting more time burning DVD's and preparing flash drives, I'm just going to buy the Toshiba recovery media. It's only $25. I don't see why that wouldn't boot, (especially if I try taking out the hard drive), as from a hardware perspective, everything is fine. Thanks for all your help. I suppose the message here is that some ****-ups are unfixable.

 

[theog]

To clean install:
1) Clean the HD Drive, using Step one in this tutorial:
SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation - Windows 7 Help Forums
than
2a) Clean install with the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Disk.

[DEL]2b) http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2299-clean-install-windows-8-a.html[/DEL]

[DEL]2c) http://www.eightforums.com/tutorial...e-firmware-interface-install-windows-8-a.html[/DEL]