Windows 2000: how to set active partition

[KrisG]

hello all,

I have the following problem:

IBM A30 notebook, 30 GB Harddisk with 3 partitions (FAT 32) of only 2 GB. During an attempt to add another partition using Computer Management -> Disk Management in Windows 2000 (with the rest of the disk) I made a false manipulation :
The original Primary Partition was set to 'Boot Partition' and is no longer active (computer doesn't boot anymore).

Does anyone know how I can set the Primary partition active again?
I was thinking about using a bootdisk and than the FDisk command, but I don't know exactly how to proceed.
Also I don't want to lose any data ....

Your help is greatly appreciated !!

Thank you

KrisG

[randyrhoads1981]

The best i can offer here is for you to grab your Windows 2000 CD and 4 new floopies, get on another computer ..view the contents of the Windows disc by rightclicking on the cdrom icon in My Computer and choosing Explore. You should see a folder that says Bootdisk go in there and make the 4 bootdisk if you dont have them already. Bootup with those and see if there are any options to restore the master boot record or to any options to view the partition info like the Fdisk will using a 98 or Me bootdisk..which you can use instead, if the main bootdrive is a Fat 32. IF that is possable, just type Fdisk at the dos prompt after booting from the floppy and being you have several partitions select NO when it ask if ya wanna use the enitire drive. Go to the option 4 which is to view partitions ,the very 1st one should have a "A" to the left meaning its set as active. If its not then press the ESC button and select option which is to set partition active..it will ask which one, you would pick the 1st by entering ither the letter C or the # 1..sorry its been a while here as well . Exit out of Fdisk and then type FDISK/MBR and press enter. Then take the floopy out and reboot and see if ya get lucky. Ive never tried this on a partition that has already had a Windows install so i cant promise that it will work nor that you will loose data..but at the current state it doesnt look any worse anyway.

[iisbob]

use your windows 2k CD to boot from, then choose the " Recovery " console, once you are logged in use the FIXBOOT command to reset your MBR, if this doesn't work then choose a " Repair " install and overwrite the previous version of 2k, this will not damage any of your personal files.

[KrisG]

Thanks a lot for your help.

The system is running again

KrisG :)