[JPratt]

Yes, I have the CD.

[Advertisements]

Try this REPAIR to your installation of XP. This procedure will not damage or change your current files or settings...it will just repair or replace damaged system files. You will be asked for your Installation CD and may be asked for your product key. Follow the instructions carefully...print them out if you can. Note: This option is not always available on OEM Recovery Cd's

Once this repair has completed, you will have to download all Windows Updates again.

[wannabe1]

Try this REPAIR to your installation of XP. This procedure will not damage or change your current files or settings...it will just repair or replace damaged system files. You will be asked for your Installation CD and may be asked for your product key. Follow the instructions carefully...print them out if you can. Note: This option is not always available on OEM Recovery Cd's

Once this repair has completed, you will have to download all Windows Updates again.

[JPratt]

The Repair function did not work. It seemed not to detect a version of Windows when it got to the right stage of the process. I just showed the partitions of the hard drive.

Based on this information, I'm guessing this was my last hope. So I have a question that follows based on this.

Is it possible to recover any data that may still be on the hard drive (whether by connecting it as a secondary hard drive on another PC, or some other way) before I attempt to reinstall Windows, effectively reformatting my hard drive?

Edited by JPratt, 10 March 2006 - 11:15 AM.

[wannabe1]

I'm guessing this was my last hope.

Nope...not quite yet.

Was your System Restore feature enabled and working before this happened? If it was, we can replace the registry hive and run a restore once the machine is running.

Let's try a couple more things from Recovery Console first, though. Use Recovery Console to get to a command propmt. At the prompt, type bootcfg /rebuild, and press "Enter". Once this completes, remove the cd from the drive and reboot...does it load Windows?

wannabe1

[JPratt]

I will try this when I get home.

System Restore? Can I guess that if it is something I don't recall activating, it probably wasn't?

[wannabe1]

The good news is....System Restore is enabled by default, so unless you or something else has disabled it, we should be good to go with that...should we need it.

[JPratt]

I ran bootcfg /rebuild and it brought up an error suggesting there may be a corrupt file system.

I ran the chkdsk command it told me to run to detect any errors, and it told me the volume appears to contain one or more unrecoverable problems.

[wannabe1]

What switch did you use with the chkdsk? Try running chkdsk /r. You're right, though...the unrecoverable error message is not a good sign. The data is still there, though...let's kick it a few more times and see if it will start up.

[JPratt]

I will run chkdsk /r.

I just entered chkdsk, not realizing there were switches.

*EDIT*

The same message came up when I ran chkdsk /r.

Edited by JPratt, 10 March 2006 - 03:38 PM.

[wannabe1]

Try chkdsk /f

[JPratt]

chkdsk /f was not a recognied command.

It recommended /? to learn acceptable commands, and the only two choices were /p and /r.

I ran chkdsk /p and the same message (one or more unrecoverable problems) appeared.

[wannabe1]

Try to run these two one after the other. I know you've already run the chkdsk /r, but we need to run it again after the sfc to see if there are any changes.

Click Start then Run...type sfc /scannow (Note the space between sfc and /) and press "Enter". You will be asked for your installation cd, so have it handy. Wait for the scan to finish (this might take up to an hour). When it's finished, click Start then Run...type chkdsk /r (Again...note the space) and reboot when prompted (type Y and press Enter). This will run on boot-up so restart will take a while...be patient.

[JPratt]

As I am not in Windows, I can not click on start, then run.

However, at the command prompt, I typed sfc /scannow. It said that the command was not recognized.

[wannabe1]

How about sfc /scanonce (Note the space after sfc)

[JPratt]

scanonce did not do anything either.

It tells me to type "help" to get a list of acceptable commands. Here is the list, in its entirety:

attrib, batch, bootcfg, cd, chdir, chkdsk, cls, copy, del, delete, dir, disable, diskpart, enable, exit, expand, fixboot, fixmbr, format, help, listsvc, logon, map, md, mkdir, more, net, rd, ren, rename, rmdir, systemroot, type

*EDIT*

On a side note, I am remarkably concerned that upon running dir, it brings up, first a note that says "Directory of C:\", then a note that says, "An error occurred during directory enumeration." I can't imagine this is a good thing.

Edited by JPratt, 10 March 2006 - 05:43 PM.