[modemite]

2.6 GHz Celeron / 1.5 GB DDR SDRAM / Supermicro P4SDA, PCB Version / Intel i845D rev. 04. / Western Digital 120 GB / Western Digital 300 GB / ATI Radeon 9000 - 128 MB / Sony DVD-RW

I just did a routine reformat and reinstallation of Windows XP Home. This was the first reinstall since I added a second 300gb storage disk.The Boot HD has 120GB (WD1200BB), the second one has 300GB and is only used for storage. Both are Western Digitals. The storage drive (D) (WD3000JB) had 260GB of data on it prior to reinstall. Both drives were NTFS and fully operational before the Windows reinstall. After I reformatted and reinstalled windows XP on Drive C and rebooted, I can no longer get access to my 300GB drive. When I click on the drive in Windows Explorer, Windows prompts me to format the HD. Further, the drive properties now list the drive as being in RAW format with zero used/free bytes. Disk management sees the drive but also prompts me to format the drive. It says the file system is unidentifiable. How could it change? Win XP now has had all updates and service packs added since the reformat/reinstall. The drive DOES show up in the BIOS as a 300GB drive. I have run diagnostics on the drive and it is mechanically sound. I used the WD Data Lifeguard Tool to install the support for 48 bit LBA for ATAPI disk driv es. It shows up in the registry but has not helped with the problem. I disconnected the second drive and REINSTALLED windows again, got all of the updates and then shut down and booted up with the new hard drive. Still no success. If I continue with the Western Digital Data Lifeguard Tool, it wants to erase the 300gb disc with a subsequent loss of data. How did I lose my file system? PC Inspector reports a "Bad parameter in boot sector". What do I need to do to get Windows to access the second drive without losing the data or am I now out of the "rescue" stage and into the "recovery" stage?

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Sorry to dissapoint you.. but the same thing happened to me. My only option was to reformat

[-=Ac3=-]

Sorry to dissapoint you.. but the same thing happened to me. My only option was to reformat

[modemite]

That IS dissapointing! There HAS got to be a way to prevent this the next time I reformat the boot disc.
Does anyone have a clue? Would "slipstreaming" SP2 onto the Windows install image help?

[gerryf]

have you tried chkdsk?

start > run
chkdsk d: /r
<enter>

[modemite]

just tried (except the storage drive is now 'E")
somehow that changed with the reinstall as well.
anyway, i tried it and the dialog box is only up for a nanosecond
so i can't tell what it says....

[Vaillant]

modemite...

Slipstreaming a service pack simply adds it into your windows install CD, so that you don't need to download that update later.

This problem isn't going to be solved by slipstreaming it, cause you most definately already have SP2 downloaded.

Don't know what the problem is, but keep trying... Don't go off formatting the 300gb one just yet. I'll keep looking.

[gerryf]

sorry

start > run
cmd
<enter>

type chkdsk e: /r

say yes
reboot

[modemite]

i don't have any time to respond with a "yes" to the dialog box.
it only flashes for a nanosecond. wonder what is up with that?
arrgh.

[modemite]

modemite...

Slipstreaming a service pack simply adds it into your windows install CD, so that you don't need to download that update later.

This problem isn't going to be solved by slipstreaming it, cause you most definately already have SP2 downloaded.

Don't know what the problem is, but keep trying... Don't go off formatting the 300gb one just yet. I'll keep looking.

thanks. i will let it sit for now and keep searching for answers.
i think that the file structure/partition of this drive got affected during the reinstall on the other drive.
the storage drive is mechanically sound otherwise.
i emailed western digital and asked for suggestions.

[gerryf]

start > run
cmd
<enter>

this will create a black commandline box for you to type in

then,

type

chkdsk e: /r
<enter>


say yes
reboot

[modemite]

duh. i think i unnnerstand now.

i did that and the cmds dialog was this:
"The type of the file system is RAW.
CHKDSK is not available for RAW drives."

thanks for trying.

[gerryf]

that sounds grim....try this program

http://www.pcinspect.../uk/welcome.htm

install on c: and see if it can find/recover the partition

[modemite]

already tried that.
"bad parameter in boot sector: root directory cluster (4143380214) > count of cluster!"
looks grim indeed!

[gerryf]

this program has had success in recovering data from drives reported as RAW

http://www.runtime.org/gdb.htm

[modemite]

cool.
thanks. i will try it out!
i will let you know if i have any success.