Sometimes virus/spyware infections or other corruption can cause degradation of the boot sector resulting in error messages when trying to start your computer.

Here’s how to fix it…

1)      Insert your Windows CD and boot from the disc (press a key when prompted to boot from disc).

2)      Press R when prompted to boot into the recovery console

3)      Choose appropriate OS and enter admin username/password (default 1)

4)      Type fixboot and hit enter.  Follow the prompts

5)  Type FixMBR and hit enter.  Follow the prompts

6)  Type bootcfg /rebuild and press enter

7)      Enter Load identifier (name of OS i.e. Microsoft Windows XP Professional)

8)      Type /fastdetect for OS load options and press enter

9)      When the process is finished, type exit to reboot and remove the Windows CD

Once the computer reboots, you may want to remove the OS selection prompt when Windows starts.  

To do so…

1) Right-click my computer and click properties.  

2) Click Advanced system settings (Win7) or the advanced tab (Winxp)

3) Click the settings button under startup and recovery

4) Uncheck time to display list of operating systems and click ok.

Finito!