[drayaj]

I was having problems with spyware, namely security2k pop-ups/system alerts.

After following the advice of another forum post i have the following problem;

I booted my system into safe-mode and ran a full system scan in Ewido. The scan found no issues so i rebooted.
I now get a black screen with the following message.
A DISK READ ERROR OCCURED
PRESS CTRL+ALT+DEL TO RESTART

I do this and nothing happens. All i can do before this message occurs is boot to set-up F2 or Boot Devices F12. I tried F8 to boot last nown configuration but nothing happens, the machinejust beeps at me.

Any help would be appreciated as my machine is useless in this state and i am stuck in a CTRL+ALT+DEL circle!!

I am running a Toshiba Satellite Pro M30 with xp SP2

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Put your XP cd in and boot from it (changing boot order in BIOS if you dont get the 'press any key to boot from cd' message when you reboot your computer with your xp cd in. Once there, go to the recovery console option (PRESS 'R" at the first screen that you have to make a choice at) Once at the recovery console it should ask you what version of windows you want to boot into. Most computers have just one being 1. C:\WINDOWS. If that appears GOOD! If it doesn't post in here. The administrator passwords are almost always blank so just hit ENTER and you should be a C:\WINDOWS prompt. Once there type the following seperately:

• chkdsk /r /p <---- This will take awhile so be patient
• fixboot
• bootcfg /rebuild <---- HIT 'Y' and ENTER ENTER when it asks for input.

Then type exit, take out your XP cd and let the computer reboot itself and see if you can't get into wndows now.

Post back with how things went.

Fenor

[Fenor]

Put your XP cd in and boot from it (changing boot order in BIOS if you dont get the 'press any key to boot from cd' message when you reboot your computer with your xp cd in. Once there, go to the recovery console option (PRESS 'R" at the first screen that you have to make a choice at) Once at the recovery console it should ask you what version of windows you want to boot into. Most computers have just one being 1. C:\WINDOWS. If that appears GOOD! If it doesn't post in here. The administrator passwords are almost always blank so just hit ENTER and you should be a C:\WINDOWS prompt. Once there type the following seperately:

• chkdsk /r /p <---- This will take awhile so be patient
• fixboot
• bootcfg /rebuild <---- HIT 'Y' and ENTER ENTER when it asks for input.

Then type exit, take out your XP cd and let the computer reboot itself and see if you can't get into wndows now.

Post back with how things went.

Fenor

[drayaj]

Thanks for your responce... this is what happened.

- I booted from the XP CD and selected recovery mode.
- In the command shell the prompt was only C:\>
I was not offered a windows installation to select or asked for an admin password. I tried to change the command prompt to windows but got the following message - The path or file specified is not valid.
I carried out your three commands from C:\> anyway and got the following on screen messages.

chkdsk /r
2% completed
The volume appears to be contain one or more unrecoverable problems

fixboot
The file system on the startup partition is unknown
The boot sector is corrupt
FIXBOOT is checking the file system type...
The partition is using the FAT file system.
FIXBOOT is writing a new boot sector.
The boot sector cannot be fixed.

bootcfg /rebuild
Error: failed to successfully scan disks for windows installation. This error may be caused by a corrupt file system, which would prevent Bootcfg from successfully scanning.

--------

[Retired Tech]

Try here

http://www.geekstogo...ws-XP-t138.html

[drayaj]

Thanks Keith

I tried the instructions at the link you suggested.

However, When I select F8 to continue i do not receive the same screen as in the directions. Instead of the options to repair or carry out a fresh install I get;
- Set-up Windows XP on the selected item
- Create a partition in the unpartitioned space
- To delete the selected partition

The installation listed is not XP as your diagram suggests it should be.
C: Partition [unkown] 57232 MB

This is not lookin good.

[Retired Tech]

Try here

http://support.micro...kb;en-us;307545

Print the page if possible

Whilst you have a different error message, this will replace the registry which will either allow XP to load or allow you to run the repair

Ahead of this it is worth looking here

http://www.theelderg..._windows_xp.htm

The last in list, Windows CD to repair the current installation uses a different method

[drayaj]

Keith

I went through your second link 1st and the outcome was the same as my 2.57pm post.

I then followed the Microsoft instructions and fell at the 1st hurdle.
When entering the receovery mode i do not get asked to select an installation or for an Admin password. The dos prompt displayed is only c:\> and not c:\>windows.

I try cd windows to change the directory and get 'Path or file is not specified'
I tried md tmp and get 'Access is denied'
I assume the second one is because i have not logged in as administrator, but i do not get asked to.... it goes straight to the c:\> prompt.

Any ideas why the recovery console is not picking up my XP installation?

Anyone????

[Retired Tech]

Are you able to remove the drive, connect it as the slave in another computer, with a view to saving the data you need

This is a suggestion as the PC has completely ignored attempts to repair / recover and now cannot find files / won't install files to replace the registry

Files intrinsic to XP have got lost / corrupted