Is this a Linux bootloader?

[Dos_Box]

Just had this question fired at me for my helpline column. Basically, a guy has aquired a new hard drive (does not say if it is new or secondhand) and has installed W7 onto it. When he boots he is confronted with the screenshot below. I suspect the drive has been setup as a multi-boot device and is still running a non-Windows bootloader. What do you think? Oh, and my advice was to wipe the drive and format it correctly wiping the MBR.

 

 

Edited February 7, 2011 by Dos_Box

[Hightower]

Just had this question fired at me for my helpline column. Basically, a guy has aquired a new hard drive (does not say if it is new or secondhand) and has installed W7 onto it. When he boots he is confronted with the screenshot below. I suspect the drive has been setup as a multi-boot device and is still running a non-Windows bootloader. What do you think? Oh, and my advice was to wipe the drive and format it correctly wiping the MBR.

 

Not sure what it is, but to restore the boot loader could you not stick a Hirens disc in (it is legit now right) as I'm sure that has a tool on it for that.

[Dos_Box]

You have to remember that most people who write into columns like mine have very limited technical abilities and often what to us would seem to be a drastic course of action will often be the best for them. You could fix this by bootign from the W7 install disk and fixing the bootloader via command line. However this may or may not work, so the suggested solution will wipe his drive correctly and will leave Windows with a stable bootloader. Edited February 7, 2011 by Dos_Box

[webman]

According to this other post that describes a similar screen and text, it's software by Paragon - Boot problem

[DAZZD88]

I'd boot up using Super FDISK and erase the MBR. Require minimum technical skills and works nearly all of the time for issues like that.