How do I format a hard drive which won't boot

The MBR may be messed up. Just a guess though.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 8.1 Industry Pro x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion Elite HPE-250f
    CPU
    Intel i7 860 Quad core 2.8 ghz
    Memory
    8 gb
    Graphics card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD 5770 1 gb ram
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Alienware 25 AW2521HF
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 &1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.cnet.com/products/hp-pavilion-elite-hpe-250f/
  • Operating System
    Windows 2012 R2 Data center/Linux Mint
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Poweredge T140
    CPU
    i3 9100 3.6GHz, 8M cache, 4C/4T
    Memory
    8GB 2666MT/s DDR4 ECC UDIMM
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB & 360 GB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/productdetailstxn/poweredge-t140?~ck=bt
After trying to get this drive working with the Ultimate Boot CD, I decided to buy a new hard drive (as mentioned in my other thread on Vista partition size limits). I ultimately decided to make it my master drive and installed Vista and installed all my software. I copied all the personal files from the unbootable old Master drive to the new drive.

As I mentioned before, when I tried to install Vista on the old master drive, it wouldn't complete. One of the things I install on all my Vista drives is Norton System Works from Norton System Works Premier which is anti-virus plus the System Works. Since I switched to Norton 360, I only install the Norton System Works. One of the things I noticed on one of the discs is that it said it could be used as a bootable system recovery disc. So, I booted from it. One of the tools it has is Checkdisc. So I ran it. While it was running, I noticed that it was checking C:\Windows.old. Apparently, when I tried to install Vista earlier, it had created that folder. So, using my new drive to edit the old drive, I moved all the Windows folder and other folders back to the C: drive.

When I tried to boot the old drive, it blue screened. It provided the error codes and I found recovery solutions but one assumed I could boot to Safe Mode, which I couldn't, and the other required Windows to be running (kinda stupid). So, I tried reinstalling Vista. It would get all the way to Completing Installation and then blue screen as before. I did this about four times with the same result. One of the things I noticed in the message is that it talked about installing new software or hardware could cause that problem. I got to thinking about it and, in the middle of this whole mess, I had installed a new sound card and blu-ray drive. I disconnected both and tried the Vista installation again. It worked! So now I have two working discs. I haven't even started on the one that got me into this. That's next.

I do have a question.

Even though my new drive has never seen the old slave drive that I'll be working on next, System Works says that the MBR is corrupt because Disc 2 is corrupt and needs to be formatted. Is that information contained in the CMOS? If so, how can I fix it?
 
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My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Vista Home Premium 64 bit SP2
    Manufacturer/Model
    Cyberpower
    CPU
    Intel Quad CPU Q6700 2.67 GHZ
    Motherboard
    NVIDIA 780i
    Memory
    4 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    MSI GTX 560 TI Twin Frozr
    Sound Card
    Sound Blaster SB Audigy
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Viewsonic VG2436
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080p
    Hard Drives
    Samsung HD 105SI WDC WD20
    Case
    Apevia XJupiter
    Cooling
    air
    Mouse
    Logitech MX 600
    Keyboard
    Logitech MX 3200
    Internet Speed
    30 Mbps

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 8.1 Industry Pro x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion Elite HPE-250f
    CPU
    Intel i7 860 Quad core 2.8 ghz
    Memory
    8 gb
    Graphics card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD 5770 1 gb ram
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Alienware 25 AW2521HF
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 &1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.cnet.com/products/hp-pavilion-elite-hpe-250f/
  • Operating System
    Windows 2012 R2 Data center/Linux Mint
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Poweredge T140
    CPU
    i3 9100 3.6GHz, 8M cache, 4C/4T
    Memory
    8GB 2666MT/s DDR4 ECC UDIMM
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB & 360 GB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/productdetailstxn/poweredge-t140?~ck=bt
What's interesting is that I booted my new hard drive for the first time with the old recovered Master drive and System Works now says that it's Disc 3 that has the problem, instead of Disc 2. Makes sense but it doesn't fix the MBR. I don't really care since both drives are now fully functional except for the formatting of the second Tb on my new drive which is discussed in a different thread.


I'm at the point of trying to recover Disc 3. I tried to install Vista on it yesterday and told it to create a new partition but it said it was unable to. The MPT on that disc is truly screwed up. I thought about wiping the disc but, from what I read, the disc has to be functioning (I don't know what that means since it does work except for the boot issue caused by the MPT). I also don't know if wiping will delete the multiple partitions. I looked at the cost of EaseUs from which I can create a bootable disc to fix the MPT but the cost is as much as a new drive.

Perhaps one of you have an alternative solution.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Operating System
    Vista Home Premium 64 bit SP2
    Manufacturer/Model
    Cyberpower
    CPU
    Intel Quad CPU Q6700 2.67 GHZ
    Motherboard
    NVIDIA 780i
    Memory
    4 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    MSI GTX 560 TI Twin Frozr
    Sound Card
    Sound Blaster SB Audigy
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Viewsonic VG2436
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080p
    Hard Drives
    Samsung HD 105SI WDC WD20
    Case
    Apevia XJupiter
    Cooling
    air
    Mouse
    Logitech MX 600
    Keyboard
    Logitech MX 3200
    Internet Speed
    30 Mbps
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