Major Problem, Please Help

[weters]

Okay, I'll quickly go over the problem I've experienced over the past two days., followed by a few questions.

Okay, so I went to go into a folder I just extracted when suddenly my computer reboots on me. I'm then prompted with the black menu giving me choices of how to boot up Windows (the various safe modes, etc.). No matter what I chose, the computer has a UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME error and automatically restarts.

According to support.microsoft.com, there are two causes for this. You are using an old IDE cable, or the harddrive is bad. It also said that if the second hecidecimal is equal to a certain value than it is the malfunction of the harddrive. Mine was not that hecidecimal.

I also tried going into the System Recovery Console through the XP Pro CD. Normally I shoudl've been prompted with which installation to chose from (like all the online help pages show) but I am not. None of the commands work either, and I cannot ascend into my windows directory.

Anyways, I spent all day yesterday with no solution and no real answer to my problem. I heard of knoppix and decided to download it.

Today I was able to get knoppix up and running (I use linux frequently, not exactly a pro or anything, but definetally not a noob), and I was able to view my files. All of them infact. I went to delete the folder that I last used and I noticed I couldn't (I now vaguely understand the reason [different file saving formats]) which is fine. I then heard of another program similar to Knoppix but for windows called BartPE. However, using BartPE I was unable to view my files, and when I went to check my harddisk it had many, many errors.

This all leads me to the following questions...

1. What could've caused my problem?
2. Is it possible to fix this so windows will work again without a re-install?
3. Why is it that Linux can view these files but Windows cannot?
4. Any suggestions on how I can try to edit my Windows files so I can try to fix my problem?

Thank you for your time, and your help.

BTW, my current system which I've had for a little over a year now with no trouble, spyware, viruses, etc.

Gateway 3.06 GHz (Hyper-threading)
1024 MB RAM (Rambus)
nVidia GeForce 4
Maxtor 200GB Harddrive

[CrashedAgain]

1. What could've caused my problem?
2. Is it possible to fix this so windows will work again without a re-install?
3. Why is it that Linux can view these files but Windows cannot?
4. Any suggestions on how I can try to edit my Windows files so I can try to fix my problem?

1. No idea.
2. No idea.
3. Linux can view many file formats and iffy files that Windows cannot. Windows generally regards 'reinstall Windows' as the solution to anything but the most trivial problems.
4. Not really, but you can maybe use Linux to copy the files to somewhere safe, such as a usb drive or connect another machine & save them via a network connection. Be very careful about attempting to write to the ntfs filesystem on the HD, you must use captive ntfs or you will damage the ntfs filesystem.
You could try partitioning the HD with QTparted then copying the data to the new drive (if the data survives the partitioning process, which it might if you use QTParted). The data will not survive if you use a Microsoft partitioning tool.
If/when you reinstall windows, partition the HD into at least two partitions first so you can keep your data on a separate partition from the O/S.

[rcook]

Your first proiority is to get that drive imaged onto the hard drive of another computer, a usb drive or something. Whether the last digit of the hex code shows mechanical problems or not, that drive has had or is about to have a major crash, either mechanical or software/directory problems. You need to make an image of it using some tool, before another program or O/S finishes it off or before it has further attacks. Check forensic techniques or data recovery for details on how to make the image. If you don't image the drive and the problem gets worse or is aggrevated by an attempt to recover data, you loose it all. If there isn't any thing of value, apply the microsoft solution and reformat and reinstall.

I am on break at work so this is necessarily short.

Dick

[mpeden]

Install XP to the HD but make sure it installs to a different folder than Windows. When prompted for an install point, give it a name other than Windows and you should be able to read and access the files. Another possibility is to make the HD a slave to another machine.

Of course you will want to make sure it leaves the drive setup alone; same partiitions and same format.

[donax]

Listen to the rcook answer. That is the way to handle "rotten" disks.

Good Luck!

[shah]

Sometime the problem can be solve as simple as running : CHKDSK c: /FIX

[OErjan]

shah said

Sometime the problem can be solve as simple as running : CHKDSK c: /FIX

yes, BUT it can allso permanently destroy the data on a damaged disk.