Unlike Windows 7, its prior versions Vista and XP don’t allow you create a system repair disc. Many of us don’t have an installation disc to repair our Vista or XP installations. If you are a Windows Vista user, you can always download the Vista Repair Disc for free to repair Vista boot and other problems.
But there are no such options available for XP as you have to use the default Repair option present in the installation disc. As novice users always find it difficult to fix Windows XP boot problems or installation problems with or without the installation CD, here we have a cool solution to repair Windows XP boot problems without the installation CD.
Note that you can also use this guide to repair Windows Vista and Windows 7 as well. In this guide, we use a simple free tool called “Paragon Rescue Kit” that helps you repair most of Windows boot problems.
The beauty of this free program is that it offers you a simple step-by-step graphical user interface to repair Windows issues. Follow the procedure given below to repair Windows without the installation disc.
Repair Windows Windows 7/Vista without reinstalling
1. First you need to download Paragon Rescue Kit software. The setup file is 45 MB and is available to download for free at cnet download center.
2. Kick start the setup to see Unpack and Burn Wizard. As the title suggests, it allows you burn the Rescue Kit image to the CD/DVD. You need to register this program to receive the free product key and serial number. Simply click the given link and enter your name and email ID to receive registration key and number.
3. Once the rescue kit is ready to use, you can use the rescue CD/DVD on any PC.
4. Insert the previously burnt ISO-image of the bootable CD into the drive and then reboot your machine. Wait for a few seconds to see the first screen of the Rescue Kit program (see the screenshot below). If you are not able to boot into the Rescue Kit program, please make sure that you have set the default boot priority to CD/DVD drive in the BIOS.
5. Select normal mode to enter into the main menu.
6. In the main menu, you will see the following options:
# File transfer wizard
# Boot Corrector
# Undelete Partition
# Log Saver
# Reboot the computer
# Power off
7. As we need to repair boot problem (s), select Boot Corrector option to see the boot repair options:
# Search of valid Windows installations
# Correction of the Master Boot Record
# Correction of partition boot records
# Modification of partition parameters
# Correction of boot parameters (boot.ini, BCD)
As we are here to repair Windows boot related problem, select “Correct the Master Boot Record” option first and then follow the onscreen procedure to repair the Master Boot Record. And if you have been getting boot.ini missing or BCD related errors select the last option (Correct boot parameters).
You can always click the Help button to find more information about the options available in the program.
8. Once you are done, click Finish button to revert to the main menu.
9. Click Reboot the computer option to eject CD and then to reboot the machine.
Windows 7 users can always refer our how to repair Windows 7 boot problems using the start-up repair tool guide.
Corey F. says
THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM…. I had to use it in safe mode as it wouldn’t boot in Normal… I had to do every option in the fix boot to finally get it up it cleared the Ubuntu/Windows 7 selection at boot and it is booting windows. (scanning disk now) I would say if this program didn’t work for you either your issue isn’t boot sector related or maybe you just haven’t found the right combination of options yet. I have been trying to get this my laptop to boot for 6 hours now… This did it for me. I will be holding on to this disk as I am going to try and install Ubuntu on it’s own partition here soon… Thanks for the great FREE program… That’s another thing folks. Someone took the time to produce this and offer it for free… I would have easily paid for it to keep all of my files…. THANK YOU!!!
Robert says
This is perhaps the most USELSS toolkit for XP ever made, as well as having a useless walkthrough.
Notes: Walkthrough uses version 9.0 screens, current verion is version 11.
Tried for over a half hour to manage the repair on my own before giving up and sending my desktop out to a repairman.
Long story short: Save yourself the trouble, CALL A REPAIRMAN instead of using this worthless product.
prijm says
ow .. it helps me a lot to install windows
ostone says
this worked great on windows 7 64 bit, had to try a few different options to get the right fix but it fixed the problem.
Micky says
Awful – at best it leaves me with a blank screen. Got more or less the same poor results as Lee. Really beginning to think than most of these so called disk repair utilities really are totally crap.
lisa says
THANK U !!!!!!!
This is an awesome tool !!!! If it doesn’t work the first try, don’t give up !!! U may need more repairs……
4nick8 says
Why register when you can just use 7zip to extract the iso and burn it…
Felipe says
When I first tried the Normal Mode, it didn’t work. Had to go with the Safe Mode. Fixed my problem perfectly. Thanks a lot! =)
Lee Davis Sucks says
Wow lee…chill out. This is all good information, you should appreciate it. You probably deserve that broken computer.
Anyway, when I try to correct windows installations, it says it “can’t create/open file”, and all the other functions (in this menu option) are disabled. any ideas?
Sam says
Dah, burn the disk before you have a problem, keep it handy for when you need it. Kind of like having Antivirus protection, before your infected!
Quackers says
To get this running and working, you need to create a bootable image of the Rescue Kit on CD (on another computer). Then in BIOS, before anything boots, select your CD drive as priority 1 on the boot list to load the RK.
Search on Google on how to do this.
Don’t criticise what you have no knowledge of. =)
Lee Davis says
Nice try, genius. But, tell me this; how in the name of some unholy goat are we supposed to do this if we can’t even get past the endless reboot loop that won’t let you onto your desktop to manage this spurious fix?!?! If you can’t get to the screens pictured in this useless drivel, how are you going to pull this off?!?! Nice work…..NOT.
Someone says
This is totally a fake, it does not work?!
I tried it to fix a windows XP sp2… ofcourse without result.