Windows no longer detetected (MBR,GPT,Ubuntu)

[mattsb]

Hi all,

I attempted to install Ubuntu on a spare hdd and it looks like I made a mistake or two in the process. I tried to install ubuntu from a flash disk and all was going well, until during the installation from the USB stick to the hdd I got an error (I can't recall it sorry). It suggested I restarted the computer so I did, and alas it still did not work. I deceided I would give up and attempt to just launch windows from my ssd, but I got a black screen with a flashing cursor. I then decided to use the flash drive to for windows 10 iso to try repair, but there was no repair option, so I wiped the hdd and have now installed windows there. (A right mess I know). When trying to install windows though, I noticed that the ssd partition formatting type had changed to mdr (which I assume I must have accidentally done during the Ubuntu installation). Furthermore, when I look at devices and drives now, the ssd no longer has the windows sign next to it indicating it doesn't detect a windows installation? Doing research most people seem to suggest backing all files and just wiping the ssd. However I'm coming here to find out if there is anyway of fixing this problem? Any help is greatly appreciated.

tl;dr: tried to install ubuntu from flash drive on hdd (failed), ssd with windows partition type changed to mdr, can no longer boot into windows(black screen with flashing cursor), wiped hdd and installed windows onto hdd.

SPECS
mobo: ASUS p8z68-v lx
cpu: intel 2500k sandybridge
gpu: geforce gtx 970
ssd: samsung evo 850 500gb
hdd: generic 1tb

 

[nobspls]

The way to fix this problems, assuming you have not done more screw up the situation as actually modifying the data portions, is to somehow magically reinstate the partition tables, the boot sectors, and put back the gpt etc.

Assuming you only re-installed windows on the HDD and not the SSD, and didn't further screw up your SSD, what you can do to essentially recreate that a bootable SSD, is to
Step 0a. Backup your SSD as it is first.
Step 0b. Get a guinea pig media, another SSD, HDD, etc. whatever you can afford, that has the same capacity as your SSD. (unethical if you are really tight on money, buy an ssd use it for a week or just few hours to do the clone and restore etc. and return it for refund)

Step 1 Create images of your partitions on the SSD, assuming those partitions are valid.
Step 2. Install a clean windows install on the guinea pig SSD
Step 3. Now restore the windows 10 partitions that are not the boot and recovery partitions and overwrite the "windows" OS partition the clean install created on the guinea pig SSD.
Step 4. Verify now that you can boot your old windows on the guinea pig SSD
Step 5. Clone guinea pig SSD back to your original SSD and you should be good to go.

You probably will need good disk cloning software like Acronis, Macrium, Easeus, etc. to create and restore the partition images. What ever you do, you do not mess with your original SSD until you can prove things are good on the guinea pig.