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Although nowhere near the power and flexibility of the equivalent Linux commands, there are a number of Windows commands that can be employed for fixing and restoring the Master Boot Record [MBR] and or the partition table.
The BOOTREC command can be used to rebuild or replace the MBR
:: Repair the Master Boot Record. bootrec /fixmbr :: Write a new boot sector to the system partition. bootrec /fixboot :: Scan for Windows installations and add them to the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) store. bootrec /rebuildbcd
If you need to repair or modify the partition table, use the DISKPART command .. For example:
:: Using "diskpart" Open Command Prompt as Administrator and enter "diskpart" List Disks: "list disk" to see available disks. Select a Disk: "select disk [disk number]" (e.g., select disk 1) List Partitions: "list partition" Select a Partition: "select partition [partition number]" Common Commands: create partition primary size=[size in MB]: Creates a primary partition. format fs=ntfs quick: Formats the selected partition with NTFS file system. assign letter=[drive letter]: Assigns a drive letter to the selected partition. delete partition: Deletes the selected partition. extend size=[size in MB]: Extends the selected partition (available space must be contiguous). shrink desired=[size in MB]: Shrinks the selected partition (available space must be contiguous). exit: Exits the diskpart utility.
You may need to verify that you have a valid MS license. If you do a google search for "where is my Product key?" you may get a match for "BackupProductKeyDefault", which refers to an item in your MS Registry. However if your machine has been sold to you by a third party, that distributes MS software to their customers, this key may not have been populated when the machine was provisioned.
This was something that you should have done when you first received your machine, and that you may have over-looked during the excitement and anticipation that accompanied the unpacking and setup of your new purchase. Most PCs shipped with a genuine MS license will have a sticker on one of the sides of the machine. These can come loose ... So if it had been sitting in a warm environment on your dusty desk, beside a north facing window, the sticker may no longer be there ... If you can still find the paperwork, the key may be quoted in the receipt, packing slip or invoice that accompanied the parcel. If you received your key online, then it may be in an email archive, or some form of electronic notification. When you find it, take a copy of the key and store it somewhere safe.
Next you should Check the backup product key exists in your registry. Run the following from a CMD prompt:
:: Query backup product key:
reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform" /s | findstr Product
::
:: You should see something like this:
::
BackupProductKeyDefault REG_SZ xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
:: Where each character is an upper case alpha or numeric character.
If the product key does not match the actual key that you cited on your machine, packing slip, invoice, etc. ... Or if it is missing, you should add it with the command "regedit" [Run as "Administrator"]
Finally, verify that the backup product key has been stored successfully:
reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform" /s /t REG_SZ /v BackupProductKeyDefault :: You should see a product key that corresponds to what you copied.
Note: This backup key does not serve an obvious benefit ... Unless you lose the other copies that you made of this important item ... In which case, you can, as a very last resort, retrieve it from the Registry on your computer, after running a desperate Hail Mary google search for "Where is my product key?" ... In which case the above query will give you the key.
For the copies I have purchased, I verified that I had copied the key correctly by reading through each character from left to right and checking that it corresponded with the copy I made. Then I read back from right to left and verified (again) that each character corresponded to what I had written. That may seem a bit extreme ... Maybe even a little obsessive? And I must admit that I have only, personally, purchased 3 product keys. Over the past 35 years, when I dealt with Windows, server and workstation, I have relied on the organisation that hired me to handle the licenses. I should add, however, that unless you are a medium to large size organisation that has a site-wide agreement with Microsoft or you have a long term relationship with your IT provider (who, hopefully, does have such an agreement), you really should make it your first priority to create an accurate copy of your product key. Yes, this can take up to 2 minutes of your precious time ... And yes, you can always purchase another copy, if you lose it. But bear in mind that it is going to cost you around $200 for each [legitimate] copy of Windows 11 pro that you have to purchase. [YMMV] ... So if you own less than 10 machines, and/or your time is worth more than $6000 per hour, you can just skip this tedious step ... Otherwise it would be prudent to verify that you have copied and archived the product key correctly for each machine.
There are also some trends in the licensing of Windows and associated software that may become head-winds for Microsoft, who seem to have concentrated on the security of their distribution model, rather than the best interest of their customers. This includes the mandating of TPM, the persistent nagging to sign on with a Microsoft [rather than a local] account and baking in AI and Bing. This would probably have gone unnoticed were it not for two other trends that have, to date, not occurred in the history of manuracturing computing hardware, firmware and software:
- The price per byte of memory is increasing ... Gradually so far. But given the lag times on developing and cutting new wafers, and potential disruption of global trade, caused by the current US administration, could become more dramatic.
- The performance of a [major] new OS [W11] has decreased when compared to previous versions, despite the "improved" hardware.
This could impact the roll-out of Windows 11. MS decided to roll out W11 in an aggressive manner, because TPM offers the potential to make it more difficult for users to switch, and to make it more likely that they will agree to a "subscription" model rather than an ownership model for their software services. However the gradual increase in AI data centres is hoovering up some of the spare capacity for CPUs, GPUs and RAM. By forcefully retiring a considerable amount of otherwise perfectly functional hardware, mainly as a sweetheart deal with chip manufacturers, Microsoft have placed additional stress on these markets and now run the risk of alienating gamers. This group is not the most enthusiastic segment of their fanbase, but to date have been vital in pushing the new technology, especially with reagrd to performance, cost and advanced graphics.
Already I have seen are a few YouTube channels featuring disgruntled gamers promoting how to downgrade systems to W10. Depending on how the markets perform over the next few quarters, this could become an important game-changer [if you will allow the pun]
Note: If you are concerned about performance, reliablity and security, possibly you should consider installing Ubuntu.