[Jintan]

Bummer - my fault. WD used to provide a Data Lifeguard download to create a bootable Windows CD, but apparently no longer does. Yes, you will have to use the DOS copy.

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Still unable to boot automatically using the DOS cd. So, I went into the system recovery options menu via "f8". Then went into command prompt from there. Tried launching the exe file but it said: This version of dlgdiag5.exe is not compatible with the version of windows you're running. Check your computer system information to see whether you need a x86 or x64 version of the program and then contact the software publisher.

Think I'm supposed to run the exe file in a DOS mode environment. Did a quick google search on how to boot to DOS mode and most said that the DOS environment for windows7 is already obsolete (?)

[kenchew]

Still unable to boot automatically using the DOS cd. So, I went into the system recovery options menu via "f8". Then went into command prompt from there. Tried launching the exe file but it said: This version of dlgdiag5.exe is not compatible with the version of windows you're running. Check your computer system information to see whether you need a x86 or x64 version of the program and then contact the software publisher.

Think I'm supposed to run the exe file in a DOS mode environment. Did a quick google search on how to boot to DOS mode and most said that the DOS environment for windows7 is already obsolete (?)

[Jintan]

Although I sense the drive is failing, I admit I cannot locate a boot disk to check it. Even the old standard Seagate Tools seems to be run from a Windows environment now, which really makes little sense. I will keep looking.

[kenchew]

Good news! Finally able to successfully start Windows again! Yay!

Managed to do a checkdisk via this command: chkdsk /r e: Didn't have to change the directory to the specific drive to launch the checkdisk.

After a gruelling 6-7 hours checkdisk, windows replaced some bad sectors and finally managed to start windows. But still facing the same problem with windows trying to install the previous updates which failed.

Anyway, should I resume performing the repair install with the Windows 7 bootable disk?

[Jintan]

No, no repair install. Run a chkdsk and see if there are errors still.


Go to Start Search, type cmd.exe in the Start Search box. Cmd.exe will appear at the top of the Menu. Rightclick on it and choose "Run as administrator". At the prompt copy/paste the following, pressing Enter after:

chkdsk c: |find /v "percent" >> "%userprofile%\desktop\checkhd.txt"

A check of your disk will run. When that finishes, it will create a checkhd.txt log on your desktop. Post those contents back here please. The check disk will take a while to run, so please be patient.

[kenchew]

Got this from the log created:


The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is Acer.

WARNING! F parameter not specified.
Running CHKDSK in read-only mode.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)...

Errors found. CHKDSK cannot continue in read-only mode.

[Jintan]

So needs to run a repair check disk, though I still feel the drive is in trouble.

Go to Start Search, type cmd.exe in the Start Search box. Cmd.exe will appear at the top of the Menu. Rightclick on it and choose "Run as administrator". At the prompt copy/paste the following, pressing Enter after each:

chkdsk /r

It will likely find volumes in use and ask if you want it to run on reboot - select Y for yes, then reboot. This will scan for files as well a locate and repair bad sectors of the disk.

Then use the system for awhile, and redo the earlier step:

Go to Start Search, type cmd.exe in the Start Search box. Cmd.exe will appear at the top of the Menu. Rightclick on it and choose "Run as administrator". At the prompt copy/paste the following, pressing Enter after:

chkdsk c: |find /v "percent" >> "%userprofile%\desktop\checkhd.txt"

A check of your disk will run. When that finishes, it will create a checkhd.txt log on your desktop. Post those contents back here please. The check disk will take a while to run, so please be patient.

[kenchew]

Done the checkdisk on the reboot. Found 4 file record segments that are unreadable in stage 1. In stage 2 it deleted some incorrect index entries.

After logging into windows again. I repeated the chkdsk c: |find /v "percent" >> "%userprofile%\desktop\checkhd.txt"

Got this log:

The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is Acer.

WARNING! F parameter not specified.
Running CHKDSK in read-only mode.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)...
File verification completed.
309 large file records processed.

0 bad file records processed.

0 EA records processed.

43 reparse records processed.

CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 3)...
Index entry EXCEL.DEV_K_COL.HXK in index $I30 of file 2917 is incorrect.
Index entry EXCELD~2.HXK in index $I30 of file 2917 is incorrect.
Index entry CbsPersist_20130330170018.cab in index $I30 of file 3780 is incorrect.
Index entry CBSPER~1.CAB in index $I30 of file 3780 is incorrect.
Index verification completed.

Errors found. CHKDSK cannot continue in read-only mode.

[Jintan]

Failing hard drive, given so much file corruption so soon after a full repair check disk. You will need to replace the hard drive. Any of this I can help with (offload files, ID the drive, purchase it etc.) just ask.

[kenchew]

Yup. Guess you are right. It went into startup repair again when I switched on the computer this morning.

Guess I need to run checkdisk again so that I can login to windows. Will need a temporary external hard disk too to transfer my important files. Will put on hold replacing the hard drive at the moment as I am thinking of getting a whole laptop replacement.

[Jintan]

Hard drive replacement is usually easy, and of course costs a lot less than buying a laptop. If the system won't boot successfully into Windows any longer, I can provide Linux-based usb software tools to offload your personal data.

[kenchew]

Unable to login to windows as checkdisk now takes too long. I left it on for 2-3 days and it still unable to finish the scan. Guess I will need the linux software that you've mentioned.

[Jintan]

Download http://unetbootin.so...dows-latest.exe & http://noahdfear.net.../xpud-0.9.2.iso to the desktop of your clean computer

• Insert your USB drive
• Press Start > My Computer > right click your USB drive > choose Format > Quick format
• Double click the unetbootin-xpud-windows-387.exe that you just downloaded
• Press Run then OK
• Select the DiskImage option then click the browse button located on the right side of the textbox field.
• Browse to and select the xpud-0.9.2.iso file you downloaded
• Verify the correct drive letter is selected for your USB device then click OK
• It will install a little bootable OS on your USB device
• Once the files have been written to the device you will be prompted to reboot ~ do not reboot and instead just Exit the UNetbootin interface.

Place the usb into the problem computer and boot it.

You will need to adjust the BIOS settings on your laptop so that it boots from usb stick rather than using the Hard Drive.

Often there is a spash screen right at bootup that tells you which key to select to reach the Boot menu, where you can change the boot drive to the usb. If not, you can make the change through the BIOS.

Different Motherboards will have different keys to access the Bios but you can get some general indications of the key combinations here

http://www.michaelst...anufacturer.htm

Here's some general instructions for changing the boot order

http://www.hiren.inf...bios-boot-cdrom

http://www.windowsre.../articles/bios/

------------

• A Welcome to xPUD screen will appear
• Follow the prompts (press Enter when the English selection shows)
• After it loads, press File
• Expand mnt
• sda1,2...usually corresponds to your HDD
• sdb1 is likely your USB

Then you can just copy/paste folders from your mnt partition (your C drive) to your usb drive. If the usb drive doesn't show as first, remove the usb stick and reinsert it, or use a different usb stick.

Hope that made sense. It's kinda a compiled version taken from a few different saved steps.

[kenchew]

Finally will be getting a new hard disk to replace this faulty one. Just a quick question, how do I reinstall windows on the new hard drive? Do I use the existing windows 7 bootable dvd that we created earlier?

[Jintan]

Yes, that's a legit install disk. Should work just fine. Just need the Windows 7 product key from the sticker, though you can skip entering that during the install.