Fix BootMgr is Missing Error Message

BootMgr is Missing

So you've got a new Vista/Server 2008 (Server 2008 was the culprit in my case, but I've read of it happening on Vista as well...) install on your desktop, and you reinstall to finish some updates. As you're booting, you hear a beep, and see: "BOOTMGR is missing. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart." Crap. What now? The Windows repair disc doesn't fix it, and you're not sure what to do.

As best I can tell, Serv08 just got confused between my IDE and SATA drive, and even though it installed Server 2008 to my SATA drive, it dumped the boot files on the IDE drive. Why? I'm not sure.....but it did. Thus, the error.

Using the Repair Disc, I loaded into the Command Prompt, figuring that I'd need to copy files over. The problem is, what files should I move?

First, I needed to find out where everything was:

• c: to switch to the C drive.
• dir /a to view all the files. The "/a" switch is to show the hidden ones (the files you are looking for, listed below, are hidden).
• d: to switch to the D drive.
• dir /a to view all the files there.

What you're trying to find is your BOOT folder and the BOOTMGR, since this is what's missing. Then you also need to find the WINDOWS folder, since the BOOT and BOOTMGR need to be on that drive.

Once you know that, you need to copy them....

• c: to switch to the C drive, or wherever you determined the boot files to be.
• xcopy /h bootmgr d: to copy the BOOTMGR file to the D drive, or whichever drive you need to copy them too. The "/h" switch ensures that you'll include hidden files, which is important.
  
• robocopy c:\boot d:\boot /mir to copy the entire BOOT folder from the C drive to the D drive. The "/mir" grabs the entire directory and its' sub-folders and files, keeping the same file structure.
  

Sure enough, once I moved those files over, everything booted up fine. Thank heavens.

Remotely Logoff Terminal Users

One of the things I use this blog for is to augment my bad memory. Specifically, when I find a solution or fix a problem, I like to document it so I can easily find it later. Today I've got two. If nothing else, I'm sure I'll be using these again down the road.


Remotely Log Off Users

I frequently use Remote Desktop, especially when I'm at home and need to access my desktop at work. Nothing stinks more than logging in, only to see this:

This happens because Windows by default only allows two simultaneous terminal services connections to the same machine. Usually one is my console user, but at various times other people remote into my machine to grab things, and don’t explicitly log out of machines when they disconnect from remote desktop which causes their sessions to remain active.

First, how can we query to find out what users have a session on a remote machine? Windows provides the qwinsta.exe command which we can use to query for the sessions that are running The format is as follows (from a command screen, of course, so go to Start | Run | cmd - and you must be an administrator on the target machine - for instance I'm an admin on the 10.1.2.230 box):

qwinsta /server:

So, in my case it's qwinsta (or quser works as well) /server:10.1.2.230

It shows the user and the session ID, and quser shows the idle time as well (which is handy for determining who to boot).

Now that we know what users are on a machine, the next step is exercising those Administrator functions, and kicking them off. The command is logoff.exe.

logoff  /server:

So for mine, it was logoff 1 /server:10.1.2.230. That kicked Nate off my box, and allowed me to remote in.

WARNING BEFORE YOU DO THIS:
If you log someone off, whatever they had open or whatever they were doing is lost. Be prepared for angry people, unless you're really sure they're idle or done...

Windows 7 Release Candidate pt 2

Upon further use.......I still like Windows 7. The RC seems to be a little "heavier" than the beta, so it's not quite as "snappy" as I initially experienced with the beta, and this is on a faster machine then the beta was on, but I'm still a happy customer.

I haven't had any driver issues, and haven't had any other issues to speak of really, other than the typical change management issues one experiences when using a new OS. You know, the typical "Crap I know where that link was located on [insert other OS/software here]....now where is it?!" moment that one has when using an updated piece of software.

Anyway, I've had a few people ask how to get their hands on a copy, so without further hesitation, here's the information on downloads and other stuff:

Get the RC here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/download.aspx

Main points of info
1) How long is the key good for?
June 1, 2010

2) What happens then?
You will need to upgrade to a newer version of Windows 7 before then (generally the releases go Release Candidate (one or more) -> Final version).

3) Can I upgrade from the beta release to the RC, or from RC to Final?
Yes, with the workaround discussed here, but let's be honest, I wouldn't recommend it. By 2010, you'll be needing a fresh reinstall anyway.

4) Where can I get an antivirus program that works on Windows 7?
Check out this page

5) Will my Vista drivers work on Windows 7?
Yes.