[ReCuRsIoN]

Hi guys,

Someone in my household hasn't heard of the shutdown command. The PC was switched of from the power button and now my PC is ruined!

Basically everytime i switch it on, it goes to then blue screen where chkdsk takes place, but the following error message is displayed:

chkdsk program not found - SKIPPING AUTOCHECK

it stays here for around 30 seconds and the boots up again and loops like this continously. Now i have been looking through google to find a solution, and there are many, but none which i can really do.

The reason for this is because:

I can't get into command prompt or safe mode, the computer just prints of loads of random lines and once again reboots
I can't use last known configuration or anything in that list really.
I cant seem to boot from a XP setup disc (CDROM) has i have a file missing???

The only thing i can do is use the recovery CD i got with the PC and either use the recovery console -- or reinstall windows XP by formatting my drive

Now that is the LAST resort, and im sure i can get through this. I have been reading and its something about a hidden NTFS in a partition.

I have a 320GB hard drive (two seperate 160GB harddrives, but it only displays as one harddrive), but it is not partitioned.

If anyone could help it would be so great, ive had no computer for 3 days and counting.....

btw im at work :-(

Thanks.

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Enter the BIOS by repeatedly tapping the DEl or F2 keys immediately after you press the power button. Look in the BIOS for bootup priority and make the cd first priority drive. Insert the xp installation Cd to the drive. Save the changes in the BIOS and let the computer boot. If ok then you will be asked to press any key to start setup.

Let Setup run until three setup options are shown. Choose Recovery Console by pressing R. When asked for XP installation type 1 (assuming you have only one operating system installed). When asked for password type your password or press Enter if you don't have a passwoed. A black DOS-like screen will show up.

Now type chkdsk /r and let the process run to the end.

[The Skeptic]

Enter the BIOS by repeatedly tapping the DEl or F2 keys immediately after you press the power button. Look in the BIOS for bootup priority and make the cd first priority drive. Insert the xp installation Cd to the drive. Save the changes in the BIOS and let the computer boot. If ok then you will be asked to press any key to start setup.

Let Setup run until three setup options are shown. Choose Recovery Console by pressing R. When asked for XP installation type 1 (assuming you have only one operating system installed). When asked for password type your password or press Enter if you don't have a passwoed. A black DOS-like screen will show up.

Now type chkdsk /r and let the process run to the end.

[ReCuRsIoN]

Hi,

thanks for the fast reply. I did that yesterday and it said the there is one or more unrecovrable errors.

Thanks

Zishaan

[The Skeptic]

Could you tell us the make of the hard disk? I'll give you a link to the manufacturer's site from which you can download a bootable diagnostic tool and run some more tests on the disk.

[ReCuRsIoN]

Hi,

my harddrive is:

320 GB NVIDIA STRIPE 298.10G

I now have a new problem, it is no longer going to the "chkdsk program not found- skipping autocheck"

Now when I switch the power on I get NTLDR is missing.

I have tried various solutions on the web with no success. I can boot from my XP home cd and get into the recovery console, but i dont know what I can do from there without formatting my hardrive. I don't want to do that, got important work from uni on there :-S

If any one could help it would be great, thanks in advance.

Zishaan

[The Skeptic]

Try to repair the problem by using Recovery Console. For this you will need xp installation cd.

To get to Recovery Console insert the disk into the cd drive and reboot the computer. Setup Windows screen will show up. If it doesn't, enter BIOS and set the cd drive to be first priority boot device.

Let Setup run until three options are shown. Choose Recovery Console by pressing R. When asked for XP installation type 1 (assuming you have only one operating system installed). When asked for password type your password or press Enter if you don't have a passwoed. A black DOS-like screen will show up.

At the prompt type:

COPY X:\i386\NTLDR C: and press Enter
COPY X:\i386\NTDETECT.COM C: and press Enter.

Note: X should be replaced by the drive letter of the CD drive in which the disk is.

Take out the CD and type exit

[ReCuRsIoN]

Hi Skeptic,

I did that yesterday and copied over the NTLDR AND NTLDETECT.COM files from the XP installation disc I was given from where I bought the PC.

So i checked the C:\ drive and the two files were present. I also carried out ATTRIB -H, -S, -R on NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM and etc, but when I restarted the computer I got the same problem.

Any ideas?

Thanks

[The Skeptic]

My post, no.4.

I see that everything I suggest you have already done. Well done.

[ReCuRsIoN]

sorry

it still doesn't work, i tried the stuff you mentioned last night, but thanks anyway.

[Neil Jones]

Do you have Norton Goback on this computer?

If so, press Spacebar on the Goback screen to disable it, system should now boot.