Wrong Partition Marked As Active.

[PaulF]

Hi. Windows 10 Lite Ed
I accidently marked my C: as active instead of System Reserved one. I believe that all I need to do is to undo that and I'll be fine. The easiest way would be getting a win10 usb repair tool or to download an installer with "repair my computer option".
Am I right? My internet acess is limited so my request is for someone to point me to an installer with repair tool. I tried win10 lite ed from Whitedeath but cant see any repair option - must have been removed.
Help and Thanks!

 

[joed4u]

I hope you need to take backup of C using a live CD

 

[SiteWizard]

IMPORTANT Before performing the steps listed below, make sure that you have a good backup of your critical data files.

To resolve this behavior, use one of the following procedures:

• Try changing the active partition by booting to a floppy disk and then using disk utilities to manually change the active partition:
  1. Boot to a command prompt by using a Microsoft Windows boot floppy disk /CD.
  2. At the command prompt, type fdisk, and then press ENTER.
  3. When you are prompted to enable large disk support, click Yes.
  4. Click Set active partition, press the number of the partition that you want to make active, and then press ENTER.
  5. Press ESC.
  6. Remove the boot floppy disk / CD, and then restart the computer.
• Boot the computer by using a Windows boot disk.For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
  
  
  You must be registered for see links
  How to create a bootable floppy disk for an NTFS or FAT partition in Windows
  
  
• If the partition that has been incorrectly marked as active is formatted in the FAT file system, the FAT32 file system, or the NTFS file system, you may be able to use the Windows Recovery Console to correct the behavior.
  
  For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
  
  
  You must be registered for see links
  Description of the Windows Recovery Console
  NOTE: The system partition refers to the disk volume that contains the files that are needed to start Windows (for example, Ntldr,Boot.ini, and Ntdetect.com). On Intel x86-based computers, the system partition must be a primary partition that is marked active. On Intel x86 computers, this is always drive 0, the drive that the system BIOS searches when the operating system starts.
  
  Using the Recovery Console, copy the Ntldr file from the Windows CD-ROM to the root directory of the current active partition. Follow these steps:
  1. Start your computer by using the Windows Setup floppy disks or by using the Windows CD-ROM.
  2. At the "Welcome to Setup" screen, press F10, or press R to repair.
  3. Press C to start the Recovery Console.
  4. Copy the Ntldr file from the Windows CD-ROM to the root of your system partition by using the following commands, pressing ENTER after each command:
     1. Type cd .. to go to the root of drive C.
        
        Note that there is a space between the d and the two periods (..).
     2. Type the letter of the CD-ROM drive.
     3. Type cd i386.
     4. Type Copy ntldr c:.
     5. Type Copy ntdetect.com c:.
     6. Type Bootcfg /add.
        
        For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
        
        
        You must be registered for see links
        A discussion about the Bootcfg command and its uses
        
        
     7. Type Exit.
  If the partition was not formatted by using Windows, you might also need to run the Recovery Console fixboot command to make the active partition bootable.

After you can boot into Windows, it is recommended that you use the Windows Disk Management snap-in tool to reset the original system partition as the active partition, and then restart the computer.

I hope this helps
Also please tell US when the problem is healed So we can close this thread then

 

[PaulF]

This article os great, thank you Wizz.
Unfortunately only way for me to boot anything is by a bootable USB. Its a laptop.
Does anyone recolect any recovery tools or a program with diskmanager stuff that I can make into a bootable USB?
If not, I'll try to backup my files by some live Linux and then reinstall OS. Could anyone let me know whats the best live build that will do that?

 

[rajeeshap]

ok try this. boot ur computer using win10lite ed.
when the screen shows hdd partitions, hold shift+f10.
cmd will open.
1) type diskpart
2) type list disk
3) type select disk x
(x is ur windows installed hdd/ main hdd)
4) type select partition x
(partition x is ur c drive)
5) type inactive
6) type select partition x
(partition x is ur system partition)
7) type active
8) exit

 

[ShiningDog]

what @rajeeshap said is a perfect solution for you, anyway if you are looking for bootable repair tool with best collection of softwares to solve your future problems then i recommend to use "sergei strelec winpe"

 

[PaulF]

I love you guys.
Use of diskpart with your help was a piece of cake. My laptop runs happily and fast just like before. Informations I gained thanks to you will surely help me in the future.
Have a great day and thanks to you all.
Problem solved.

 

[Hawkeye]

thats awesome news @PaulF, i do appreciate everybodys help on this matter you all rock

thread locked and completed