[fleetwood021]

Hello

I've got blue screen and the error is unmountable boot volume. I've been reading through other posts and I've tried some if the things listed but xp still won't start. I've got a xp pro boot disc but my computer is running xp home. When I pull up the recover console it doesn't recognize a c drive. It only sees d:/miniNT. I've tried chkdsk /r and fixboot. But neither have solved my problem. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Edited by fleetwood021, 09 April 2011 - 01:36 PM.

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The computer is a HP pavilion533w. My BIOS recognizes the hard drive. When I tried fix boot, the recovery console said that the file system type was unknown it then determined that is was ntfs ,and the boot sector was corrupr. Then it wrote a new boot sector. But that didn't solve my problem.

Edited by fleetwood021, 09 April 2011 - 01:34 PM.

[fleetwood021]

The computer is a HP pavilion533w. My BIOS recognizes the hard drive. When I tried fix boot, the recovery console said that the file system type was unknown it then determined that is was ntfs ,and the boot sector was corrupr. Then it wrote a new boot sector. But that didn't solve my problem.

Edited by fleetwood021, 09 April 2011 - 01:34 PM.

[happyrock]

Hi fleetwood021 ... ..

first a little general info...
MFT...(master file table) Describes all files on the volume, including file names, timestamps, stream names, and lists of cluster numbers where data streams reside, indexes, security identifiers, and file attributes like "read only", "compressed", "encrypted", etc.
MFTMirr is a Duplicate of the first vital entries of $MFT, usually 4 entries (4 KB).
TestDisk will use the MFTMirr to rewrite the MFT...
The first sector of NTFS partitions is reserved for the partition boot sector. This contains the information that allows the OS to read the partition. Without it, the partition cannot be accessed.

NTFS keeps a backup copy of the boot sector on the last sector of the partition which can allow recovery programs to restore it. The FAT equivalent of this is also called the boot sector, and resides on the first sector of the partition. The difference is that FAT does not keep a backup copy of this information, making recovery much more difficult...
this is in addition to the other advantage of using NTFS..so you can see you really should use the NTFS instead of FAT

The first file stored on an NTFS partition is the Master File Table(MFT) which is essentially a listing of the names, properties and locations of all the other files in the partition. This is referenced by the operating system to access individual files.

NTFS stores a backup copy of this file. Data restoration software will attempt to access or restore a copy of the MFT in order to access files on the partition.

If the MBR (master boot record) or partition table are damaged, the drive will become unbootable, and may appear to be blank if the partition information has been erased.

TESTDISK will attempt to access and restore a copy of the MFT in order to access files on the partition.

• Please download the Ultimate Boot CD here.
• Please burn the file to a CD using a ISO burner. (If you do not have a ISO burner you can get one here)
• Please boot to the CD using the disk you just burned.
• Press enter to boot to the disk when prompted.
• Using the up and down arrow keys select File System Tools.
• Select Partition Tools.
• Select TestDisk
• Let it load do not press anything until you get to the screen that says at the top:
  TestDisk 6.6 Data Recovery Utility
• Unless you have more then one hard drive installed take the default option and press enter to proceed.
• Due to you are on a PC select Intel and press enter.
• Select analyze
• The next screen will display the current partition structure. If your System shows anything but No partition is bootable please post back with what it says.
• Click Enter to Proceed.
• The next screen is where TestDisk will analyze your disk.
• After that it will come back with the results. It should show. Under Partition NTFS. With a Star Indicating Primary Bootable.
• Press enter to continue.
• Use the Left and Right arrow keys to select write.
• Type Y and press enter to confirm.
• Remove the disk.
• Restart your computer.

[fleetwood021]

Test disk says
Current partition structure

Partition start end size in sectors
1 P FAT32 0 1 1 696 239 63 10538577 [HP_RECOVERY]
2 * HPFS - NTFS 697 0 1 7751 239 63 106671600 [HP_PAVILION]

After I hit proceed it says

Warning: the current number of heads per cylinder is 240 but the correct value may be 255

[fleetwood021]

now I'm at the screen where I should use the arrows to select write but the * is now by fat32 and the P is by HPFS - NTFS

[happyrock]

did you try to press 2 key

[fleetwood021]

Thanks for the help. I just gave up and did a clean install. I did lose some important things but most of my data was on an external drive.by the way geeks to go is Hands down the best site for computer help on the net.

[happyrock]

thanks for letting us know...