Vista Won't Boot - BootMGR is compressed :(

tartarian

New Member
Don't ask... but I've managed to compress the partition of my HD with my Vista install on (by checking the little box on the HD properties in Vista). So now whenever I try and boot up I get an error message saying
"BOOTMGR Compressed, press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart"

I've already tried the stuff a google search brings up ie:

Win Vista DVD > Command Prompt>
C:
expand bootmgr temp
attrib bootmgr -s -r -h
del bootmgr
ren temp bootmgr
attrib bootmgr -a +s +r +h

But I still get the error after i've done that. I've tried doing that for every archived file in the C: root directory and that still doesn't help. I've downloaded Hirens Boot CD and tried a load of tools on there (including zeroing my MBR and then getting windows vista to fix it with its auto-repair feature) and i still get the same message!
oh and when i go onto the Vista dvd, open up a command prompt and type attrib for my C: the bootmgr attribs are RSH (no A)
ARGH!!!!!

Please help!!! Need my computer back!
Thanks in advance
 

My Computer

Im having the same problems on my laptop running Vista Ultimate.I have only a older computer running a older version of windows.I have no clue about computers.Just learning. And I don't have the disc.My brother does all that for me. I am trying to learn but it goes to the black screnn and says bootmgr is compressed. press ctrl+alt+del to start.I do that and it doesn't work. i went into the Phenoix bios and tried different things and nothing works.it does give me a new option to push f-12 and boot from lan but i don't know how..Did anyone reply to this question and can someone help please and I am sorry but explain it in laymens terms..thanks
 

My Computer

Never seen that :)
Anyway, one thing to try would be to boot from the Vista DVD and click 'Repair my Computer'.
At the prompt to select your OS, click on the button 'Load Drivers', it should appear an explorer-style drive browser.
Right-click on the drive (C:\) and untick 'Compress this Drive', which should still be ticked on, apply including subfolders/files.
Reboot.
It should take time to perform this action.
 

My Computer

Thank you so much..problem is my brother installed it for me when I bought the laptop..i dont have a disk. I rewrote what all is going on to give better detail.So here is a copy and paste.Maybe you pros can help me..:)
Also I think my bro said it was a 84bit? whatever that means I dont know..Sorry I am trying very hard to learn on my own.
Hello, I am new so please speak like you would to a cave woman. I have vista ultimate on my laptop.Its a hp pavillion dv600. I was running tune up utilities and pressed ok to compress c. drive... I stopped it as soon as I saw I had hit the button and cancelled it. Then when it restarted it says BOOTMGR is compressed Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart..I do and it doesn't restart. It says Intel (r) Boot Agent FE V4.1.18 Copyright 1997-2005 Intel corporation
and then the ctrl+alt+del to restart..I went into the Phenoix bios and tried restoring defaults by hitting F10 like it says at the screen on the bottom left when the HP screen comes up for a min.I changed it to stay up for 5 sec cause it was just flashing. It also gives a option to push esc to change boot and F12 to boot from Lan. My desktop is a old compaq presario and i believe my brother just installed Windows Crystal? If there was a way to boot it from the Lan how would I do it..also on this crystal it has A program called ISO that appears to be some kind of program where you can make CD/DVD I am guessing..Could I somehow get the boot file from my Desktop and put it on my Laptop?? If that was a dumb question sorry but I figure you have to ask to learn..Thanks
 
Last edited:

My Computer

Just a new install..nothing personal..Just dying to watch the tudors second season on the media center..LOl And having withdrals from it i guess you could say.i am trying to learn and i guess I get into places I shouldn't being so inexperienced. I do have the product key and all the numbers with the barcode on the Vista sticker on the bottom of my laptop..if that helps??
 

My Computer

In this case i think you should make a reinstall from th HP hidden partition, i think that with HP you have to press F11 when you switch on your laptop.

But the problem is that your bro apparentely made a "new install", so ask him what he did exactly.... Did he format first, did he clean up the HP partition?
 

My Computer

Thanks..my bro is Missing in action as usual. i am in the PhenixBIOS setup utility running a hard disk diagnostic test.I did this earlier when it first messed up..It came out ok as far as i could tell.. Should I cancel out restart my laptop and just push F11? what Is a Hidden partition and is it self explanatory? i don't know what he did. I am sorry forgive meI have never posted before so i am not familiar with all this..i really appreciate your help. Also is remote desktop a possible solution or is that not involved in this section..Also I forgot but my dads laptop is running vista ultimate too..would that help? thank you
 

My Computer

Usually HP do not deliver any DVD with their laptops, then in case of problems the system can be restored in its original state by pressing F11 when you switch on the laptop. The HP partition contains everything which is necessary to perform this.
The problem, if i understand, is that your bro installed ultimate on your computer and we have to know what he did exactly.
In some cases, replacing the OS by another on this kind of laptop may destroy the HP partition, therefore it would not be possible to use the HP restore system, especially if you had XP on it originally (it is an example).
Do you know if the laptop was delivered with ultimate X64 on it ?

EDIT:
BTW, if your father has an ultimate DVD, try to repare as explained in my first post.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

It had windows black i believe and i wanted something real..my dad doesnt have the cd but i do have his laptop here if there is some way to hook them up?
 

My Computer

First, you have a spare computer...Do you have CD burner?
When your brother mentioned that you Vista is 86 it meant 32 bit (x86)
Do you know what torrent files are?
if you do download Utorrent for your self and follow this link to dowload Vista recovery disc
http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/download-windows-vista-x64-recovery-disc/

you need to download Vista recovery disc x86. Burn it to a CD, change boot setting in your BIOS to boot form CD and try to repair installation through command prompt using option 1 in your first post.

Hope this will help you
 

My Computer

System One

  • CPU
    Q6600
    Motherboard
    MSI P36 NEO2
    Memory
    4GB 5-5-5-12
    Graphics Card(s)
    8800GTS 512Mb Overclocked
    Sound Card
    5.1 surround sound
    Hard Drives
    500Gb Samsung SATAII XP
    500GB Samsung SATAII
    PSU
    1000W CoolerMaster power supply
    Case
    CoolerMaster Cosmos 1000 case
    Cooling
    120mm ThermalTake Big Typhoon CPU cooler, 3 x 120mm exhaust
    Keyboard
    Wireless Keyboard and mouse 3000
    Other Info
    1TB WD My Book Office edition external drive x 2, Dual layer LG DVD-Rom burner,
    15 in 1 card reader
    Triple boot: XP, Vista Ultimate 64 and Windows 7 Ultimate 64
I just stayed up all night trying to do this. I used utorrent to download the vista repair cd.. but i don't think it worked..I used a imgburn and it seemed to work but when I put it in the laptop it did nothing even when i changed the boot order. i am just so frustrated! And dissappointed. i cant believe its not easier,i cant understand how to do any of the instructions to burn and then it says the disc is not rewritable..I found 1 that was and it looked like it worked. i even tried the file transfer from this laptop(dads) to mine..didn't work..:( I love vista but this is jacked up!
 

My Computer

You need to get the original OS CD and key to reinstall properly. Can you install two hard drives in your laptop? I would suggest getting a newer larger hard drive. Reinstalling the OS on it. Then, taking ownership of the files on your original hard drive.
 

My Computer

System One

  • CPU
    pair of Intel E5430 quad core 2.66 GHz Xeons
    Motherboard
    Supermicro X7DWA-N server board
    Memory
    16GB DDR667
    Graphics Card(s)
    eVGA 8800 GTS 640 MB video card
    Hard Drives
    SAS RAID
@ Halsangels,
What burning software do you use?
You can burn the iso file either on a standard CD or a CD-RW.
I guess that the vista version your brother installed is 32 bit (ask him to confirm), not 64 so download the right iso.
 

My Computer

I managed to do the same exact thing and i thought i had to wipe my hard drive but i found out a way to uncompress the boot drive..

1. Boot from Vista cd.
2. When the screen comes up asking which OS to load pick the Vista OS and then click load drivers.
3. A screen kind of like My Computer will pop up and you will see the Vista partition
4. Right click then go to Properties
5. Under the General tab uncheck the box that says "Compress drive to save disk space"
6. Click Apply and then Ok
7. Restart the computer and everything should boot up normally.
 

My Computer

System One

  • CPU
    Pentium 4 3.0ghz/ Dual Xeon 2.8ghz 8 cores
    Motherboard
    Intel D915GUX
    Memory
    4gb DDR2 533MHz Memory/4gb DDR2 FB-DIMM
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon x600 Series/ATI Radeon x2600xt
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dual 19" Gateway FPD1965
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    2tb WD
    Velociraptor 300GB WD
    40gb
    Mac Pro - 500gb, 2x 320gb, 150gb
This will only work if you have enough space available to uncompress all your files. If you have 50GB of files, you need 120GB of disk space to make sure they will uncompress properly. Otherwise, you can lose files. I would not do it if you are close to filling the space compressed.
 

My Computer

System One

  • CPU
    pair of Intel E5430 quad core 2.66 GHz Xeons
    Motherboard
    Supermicro X7DWA-N server board
    Memory
    16GB DDR667
    Graphics Card(s)
    eVGA 8800 GTS 640 MB video card
    Hard Drives
    SAS RAID
I managed to do the same exact thing and i thought i had to wipe my hard drive but i found out a way to uncompress the boot drive..

Hi, did you read my fist post in this thread?:party:

ah i just read it.
sorry i just went to the first unread post and posted it right away.
 

My Computer

System One

  • CPU
    Pentium 4 3.0ghz/ Dual Xeon 2.8ghz 8 cores
    Motherboard
    Intel D915GUX
    Memory
    4gb DDR2 533MHz Memory/4gb DDR2 FB-DIMM
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon x600 Series/ATI Radeon x2600xt
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dual 19" Gateway FPD1965
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    2tb WD
    Velociraptor 300GB WD
    40gb
    Mac Pro - 500gb, 2x 320gb, 150gb
Yes Michael, but apparentely she made a new install with no "personal datas" and she compressed the partition by mistake, so uncompressing should not cause any problems.
 

My Computer

Back
Top