Bootcamp partition was 'missing' and now won't boot

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Bootcamp partition was 'missing' and now won't boot

Yesterday I installed an OS X update (Yosemite 10.10.3). After which BOOTCAMP was missing from the start up boot menu (when pressing alt) and not available on the Startup Disk list and also showed greyed out as disk0s4 on DiskUtility. Following a bit of searching on forums I followed the advice given by Loner T and using a combination of TESTDISK, GPT and FDISK I managed to locate and repair the Windows partition and create a hybrid MBR. This appeared to have repaired the situation because BOOTCAMP became visible again on DiskUtility and appeared as an option on the Startup Disk list and all the files on BOOTCAMP are visible in Finder. Windows was also available from the alt boot menu at start up... HOWEVER ... it won't boot into Windows. I get the error "Windows Boot Manager" "Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the cause to fix the problem 1. insert your Windows Installation disk 2. Choose language 3. Click 'Repair your computer' Status 0xc000000e The boot selection failed because a required device is inaccessible"

I have tried booting to the windows installation media which is on an external DVD drive but that also gives the above mentioned error.

Some other details; Verify Disk and Repair Disk are greyed out on DiskUtility for the BOOTCAMP partition.

I read on a forum that slightly resizing the MACINTOSH HD partition could rebuilt the GPT and MBR but DiskUtility won't allow the partition to be resized as it gives an error "Partition failed with the error File system resize support required, such as HFS+ with Journaling enabled"

Any advice would be appreciated because I don't want to completely wipe the BOOTCAMP partition and start again.

Some terminal outputs are below;

Jamess-iMac:~ james$ sudo gpt -vv show disk0

Password:

gpt show: disk0: mediasize=1000204886016; sectorsize=512; blocks=1953525168

gpt show: disk0: Suspicious MBR at sector 0

gpt show: disk0: Pri GPT at sector 1

gpt show: disk0: Sec GPT at sector 1953525167

start size index contents

0 1 MBR

1 1 Pri GPT header

2 32 Pri GPT table

34 6

40 409600 1 GPT part - C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B

409640 976562496 2 GPT part - 48465300-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

976972136 1269536 3 GPT part - 426F6F74-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

978241672 1912

978243584 975280121 4 GPT part - EBD0A0A2-B9E5-4433-87C0-68B6B72699C7

1953523705 1430

1953525135 32 Sec GPT table

1953525167 1 Sec GPT header

Jamess-iMac:~ james$ sudo fdisk /dev/disk0

Disk: /dev/disk0 geometry: 121601/255/63 [1953525168 sectors]

Signature: 0xAA55

Starting Ending

#: id cyl hd sec - cyl hd sec [ start - size]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1: EE 0 0 2 - 1023 254 63 [ 1 - 978243583] <Unknown ID>

*2: 07 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 978243584 - 975280121] HPFS/QNX/AUX

3: 00 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 [ 0 - 0] unused

4: 00 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 [ 0 - 0] unused

Jamess-iMac:~ james$ diskutil list

/dev/disk0

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *1.0 TB disk0

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD 500.0 GB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk0s3

4: Microsoft Basic Data BOOTCAMP 499.3 GB disk0s4

OUTPUT FROM rEFit PARTITION INSPECTOR

*** Report for internal hard disk ***

Current GPT partition table:

# Start LBA End LBA Type

1 40 409639 EFI System (FAT)

2 409640 976972135 Mac OS X HFS+

3 976972136 978241671 Mac OS X Boot

4 978243584 1953523704 Basic Data

Current MBR partition table:

# A Start LBA End LBA Type

1 1 978243583 ee EFI Protective

2 * 978243584 1953523704 07 NTFS/HPFS

MBR contents:

Boot Code: Unknown, but bootable

Partition at LBA 40:

Boot Code: None (Non-system disk message)

File System: FAT32

Listed in GPT as partition 1, type EFI System (FAT)

Partition at LBA 409640:

Boot Code: None

File System: HFS Extended (HFS+)

Listed in GPT as partition 2, type Mac OS X HFS+

Partition at LBA 976972136:

Boot Code: None

File System: HFS Extended (HFS+)

Listed in GPT as partition 3, type Mac OS X Boot

Partition at LBA 978243584:

Boot Code: Windows BOOTMGR (Vista)

File System: NTFS

Listed in GPT as partition 4, type Basic Data

Listed in MBR as partition 2, type 07 NTFS/HPFS, active

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.3), Windows 7 64 bit

Posted on May 31, 2015 7:20 AM

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Answer 1

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

May 31, 2015 7:47 AM in response to NorthernSoul

Please see https://neosmart.net/wiki/0xc000000e/ for you specific case. Your MBR looks to be a non-standard 2-entry rather than the standard 4-entry setup. It can cause future problems when OS X is updated. OS X will not recognize such an MBR.

You may want to consider using bootrec.exe to rebuild your BCD.

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Answer 2

NorthernSoul Author

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May 31, 2015 8:07 AM in response to Loner T

Loner T - thank you for the quick reply, which has prompted further questions from me, sorry!

Any advice how i can change the non-standard 2-entry MBR to a 4-entry set up please?

Surely I need to be in Windows to use Easy Recovery Essentials and also to use bootrec.exe to rebuild the BCD? I can't boot to windows so is it possible to do this from OS-X?

Hope you can help. Thanks again.

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Answer 3

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

May 31, 2015 10:31 AM in response to NorthernSoul

1. To build a standard MBR, you will need to download GPT Fdisk. I assume you already have. The post you used to recover your windows, should have the Gdisk steps to put partitions 2 3 4 in a hybrid MBR.

2. Using your current Windows installer, you can use it start Windows Recovery using F8 of Fn+F8 or Shift+F8. The other option is to connect you installer and select Bootcamp (not the installer) from the System Preferences -> Startup Disk, and let the BIOS layer boot from the USB which should start the Recovery parts of Windows. Here is an example with W7 Recovery - https://imgur.com/a/1DaOE#0 .

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Answer 4

NorthernSoul Author

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Jun 2, 2015 7:38 AM in response to Loner T

I have managed to get the Windows 7 Installation to the first screen where you select Language, Time & Currency and Keyboard, but the keyboard and mouse are not available I am unable to continue. Even plugging in a USB wired keyboard and mouse does not work. I have searched round the various forums and come to the conclusion that it is a USB 3.0 issue.

As an alternative I have also created the BOOTCAMP installation media on a USB which boots up and gives me a mouse cursor and keyboard control, but this jumps straight into Windows 7 SETUP and does not offer a Repair Option.

Very frustrated!

Hope you can help because I am desperate.

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Answer 5

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Jun 2, 2015 8:50 AM in response to NorthernSoul

The Repair option is not visible because bootrec.exe cannot find a valid W7 installation. How was the BC installation media created?

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Answer 6

NorthernSoul Author

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Jun 2, 2015 9:01 AM in response to Loner T

The BC installation media was made using BOOTCAMP Assistant - by ticking the first two options. The Windows 7 ISO which was used for the media was made using Disk Utility > New Image

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Answer 7

Loner T

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59,471 points

Jun 2, 2015 10:06 AM in response to NorthernSoul

Is it possible to post a photograph using your phone of the first screen?

Do you see http://imgur.com/a/1DaOE#5 or similar?

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Answer 8

NorthernSoul Author

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Jun 2, 2015 12:03 PM in response to Loner T

This is the screen where I cannot go any further because the keyboard and mouse are not working (wired USB plugged in).

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Answer 9

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Jun 2, 2015 12:18 PM in response to NorthernSoul

Are you using a USB3 flash disk which contains the Windows Installer and BC Drivers?

Here is what to check.

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Answer 10

NorthernSoul Author

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Jun 2, 2015 12:33 PM in response to Loner T

Not sure if its a USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 - see screen snapshot below;

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Answer 11

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Jun 2, 2015 12:39 PM in response to NorthernSoul

It is a USB2 based on your display. Do you have any external storage (other then the USB and the internal disk) connected when you do this? If yes, please disconnect them. If you have any third-party NTFS software, temporarily uninstall it.

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Answer 12

NorthernSoul Author

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Jun 2, 2015 1:08 PM in response to Loner T

There was an external DVD drive with the original Windows 7 Installation DVD. I have disconnected this. The only devices plugged into the USB now are USB Mouse, USB Keyboard and USB Stick with installation media. Same outcome I'm afraid. It says Windows is loading files and then the 'Language to Install' screen appears but without keyboard or mouse so unable to continue.

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Answer 13

Loner T

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Jun 2, 2015 1:09 PM in response to NorthernSoul

Can you switch to a different USB flash drive? Are the USB devices directly plugged in to the Mac or are they connected via hubs? You want to make these directly attached to the Mac.

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