Being able to recognize the signs of a malfunctioning computer is an essential skill for any Windows user.
What Is the Master Boot Record?
It contains a record of any partitions and information about the operating system for the boot process.
It also includes software to prompt the rest of the OS to load.
When you press the power button on your PC, the BIOS software starts.
The BIOS locates and executes the MBR, which completes the boot process.
In short, without an MBR, your Windows computer would be unable to start.
What Can Cause the MBR to Fail?
Numerous things can cause problems with the MBR.
There are also a few types of malware that can change or even wipe the Master Boot Record.
In terms of malware, the worst-case scenario is ransomware such asPetya.
This is thankfully now a rare cause of the boot record failing.
No matter the cause, the signs or failure and the error messages you will see are usually obvious.
If you know what to look for.
But boot failure can be because of other things.
Here are the most common error messages that appear if the Master Boot Record is the problem.
No Bootable Devices Found
This is another common sign that the Master Boot Record is damaged.
It can also be worded asNo bootable media found.
As explained above, the Master Boot Record is required to load the operating system.
If it fails, so will the OS.
The lack of an oops message can be confusing.
Thankfully, a damaged or corrupted MBR is rarely terminal.
