Hi,

Big Trouble! I can only access the Bios menu. It started with being unable to access Windows (XP) safe mode (I run virus scans and such in safe mode from time to time.). And before I could look into it - the computer upon a restart would only access the Bios menu. I cannot get into the Windows Recovery Console or Windows anything! Please Help!

Thanks!

Schlackeye

When in the BIOS menu, does the hard drive show correctly (or at all)? If not then it's quite likely the hard drive is bad. If BIOS can't see it then there is no way to boot XP from it.

If it does, then try running chkdsk as follows:

Set the CD/DVD drive as the first bootable device in BIOS Setup so you can then boot your XP CD.

If you don't have an XP CD, download and create a bootable CD from the .iso file XP Recovery Console

You don't burn the iso file itself to CD., you create a CD from the iso file using your CD burning software. There is a good freeware burner called ImgBurn which will
do this.

Boot the CD and at the first opportunity, enter R to start the Recovery Console.
Next, choose which XP installation you want to login to. Normally this will be 1.
Lastly you will be asked for the Administrator password. Just press the Enter key as the Administrator does not have a password (unless you gave it one, then you would enter it).
From the command prompt, enter: chkdsk c: /r
Allow it to complete undisturbed. It can take an hour or more depending on the size of the hard drive.

Remove the CD, type exit and the computer will reboot. Hopefully that will have fixed the problem (corrupted file system).

Thank You for replying so quickly! I've done as you asked. I should mention that the hard drive in question would not work at all in the computer it was originally in- all I could get was a blank black screen- but when I put the drive into a second computer I could enter the BIOS menu and the boot menu. I could also see the hard drive in the BIOS menu. Then I did as you asked and with a Windows XP Installation disc I went into the Windows Recovery Console and typed CHKDSK C: /R and this was the result:

It told me when the volume was created, and the serial #. It next stated that "CHKDSK is checking volume" "CHKDSK is performing additional checking or recovery" - (three times.) and then "CHKDSK has finished checking the volume" it next stated the "total disk space", KB's Available" , "bytes in each allocation unit", "total allocation units on disc", "allocation units available on disk" . . . . . I wrote down the #'s involved if you need them.

I then typed exit and removed the Windows Installation CD and restarted.

It got me as far as the menu with the varioous safe mode options. I chose the option to start windows normally and got the blue screen of death telling me windows was shut down to prevent damage to the computer and that after checking for viruses I should "run CHKDSK /F to check for hard drive corruption and then restart + the technical info:

***STOP: 0x0000007b (0xf78a2524, 0xC0000034, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)

What should I do next?

Thank you for your help and time!

Boot to the Safe Mode selection screen again, and select Last known configuration that worked, see what happens.

If no help, start with this MS article, see if any of it helps. Post back with any questions: Advanced troubleshooting for "Stop 0x0000007B" errors in Windows XP

Hello Again!

You Said:

Boot to the Safe Mode selection screen again, and select Last known configuration that worked, see what happens.

I get the same blue screen! Same error info! This is the same for “Start Windows Normally, Safe Mode, Safe Mode With Command Prompt, etc. . . . . . .

I’ve read the articles and most of the info hovers just slightly over my head . . . . But! The best I can determine is that the only thing that fits would be a boot sector virus. This is what the articles say about a virus:

“If a virus has infected your Windows XP-based computer and a virus-detection program cannot remove the virus and repair the system, you must repartition and format your hard disk and reinstall Windows XP.”

Which would be really bad news because I would lose everything that was on it if I had to reinstall Windows . . . . . . I would also need someone to hold my hand to reinstall Windows as I’ve never done it before. But I also read this:

“If a virus has infected the Master Boot Record (MBR), you cannot run the Emergency Repair Disk until the virus is cleaned. Most virus programs have the same limitation as DOS so you cannot run a scan against the hard disk drive; however, DOS 6.22 Msav.exe will clean the MBR and RAM of the computer.”

Can this: “DOS 6.22 Msav.exe will clean the MBR and RAM of the computer” - find and take care of any boot sector virus? Is there anything else I could do through the recovery console without reinstalling Windows?

I also had ERUNT installed on the computer . . . . . Can this do anything to help?

There are 2 more issues that I’m worried about:

1) I told you that I dropped the hard drive from the “broken” computer into another computer. The “broken” hard drive doesn’t work at all (blank black screen) in the “broken” computer. The “broken” hard drive works in the 2nd computer well enough to get into the Bios menu, Setup, and with the Windows Installation CD into the Windows Recovery Console.
Can the “broken” hard drive in question infect the 2nd computer?

ALSO- The “broken” hard drive ran Windows XP Media Center Edition but the 2nd computer ran Windows Vista . . . . . is this significant?

AND- The “broken” hard drive runs Windows XP Media Center Edition, but my windows installation disks are Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition (Home Edition being the CD I used to get into the Recovery Console) . . . . is this of any significance?


2) Like I said, I really don’t want to have to reinstall Windows because I don’t know how. Nor do I want to lose everything that was on the computer. But - I follow instructions well (eg. Instructions from a What The Tech technician), But - I have a hard time with the Microsoft technical articles. I would definitely need What The Tech’s help if reinstalling Windows is the only option.

So . . . . . . . What do you think?

Thanks for Your time and help!


Schlackeye

The first thing you need to do is save your data. There are several ways you can do this.

See this post by Happyrck on GeeksToGo for using Puppy Linux:
http://www.geekstogo.com/.....=findpost&am...21#entry1197721
Get the latest version available as the one he recommends is no longer easy to find.
Ignore the stuff about saving data, you just need the info on downloading and creating the Puppy Linux bootable CD.

These two are iso images you download then use your burner software to create the bootable CD from:
EBCD
Ultimate Boot CD

This one you have to build on your system and you need a Windows XP Home, Pro or MCE CD. Takes a bit of work to set it up but it's not difficult and when you boot it, you have Windows XP:
Ultimate Boot CD for Windows
How to build UBCD4WIN

OK

I was (I think) sucessful in creating ISO Image files for "puppy-4.1.2-k2.6.25.16-seamonkey" and "EBCD061P" and burning them to CD's with the BurnCDCC software.

But I was not successful at building the UBCD4WIN. I tried it using a copy of the Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 CD files on my hard drive and from the CD itself and received the same error message each time. Attached is a pic of the error messages. I do not know how to fix the errors. The UBCD4WIN sounds like something I really need to have. Do you have any suggestions as to how to fix the errors on the build? I searched the website for answers and found nothing that pertained to the error messages in my build. Can the build be reset somehow and started from scatch????

I'm guessing that the puppy linux CD is to get into the data on the "broken" drive and rescue it but I'm not too clear on the role of the EBCD . . . . .

I'm venturing into uncharted waters with all this stuff so I will need some instructions as to how to use these tools effectively!

I'm going to go ahead and see if I can handle the whole "puppy linux" thing and rescue some data but I'm going to wait for you to tell me what to do with the EBCD and the UBCD4WIN build.

Thanks again for your time and efforts!

Sorry, can't help with UBCD4WIN. I've never had a problem using it. Your best bet is to post in their forum here: http://ubcd4win.com/forum/index.php?showforum=5

To start over, just delete everything, download UBCD4WIN and start from the beginning.

Both Puppy Linux and EBCD have File System browsers you can use to navigate to folders on your hard drive and (hopefully) copy them off somewhere safe. I haven't used EBCD in quite a while but I have used Puppy successfully to offload data to USB flash drives. I don't think I ever tried burning data to a CD/DVD from Puppy though so I'm not sure how you do it.

If you have specific questions, please ask them and I'll do my best to answer them.

Hello and Thanks again,

OK

You Said:

"Both Puppy Linux and EBCD have File System browsers you can use to navigate to folders on your hard drive and (hopefully) copy them off somewhere safe. I haven't used EBCD in quite a while but I have used Puppy successfully to offload data to USB flash drives."

My questions are: 1) Can either Puppy Linux or EBCD copy and save applications?

I used it to save some files (jpegs, mp3's, Favorites, etc.) to an external

hard drive and that went well . . . . But . . . . .

What else can these programs do in terms of saving the "broken" hard drive and saving
my applications ! ! ! ! !

Did you have me download and burn the Puppy Linux and the EBCD to saves files like jpegs, mp3's, and the like? Or are there tools on the Puppy Linux and the EBCD that can fix the "broken" hard drive and I don't even need the UBCD4Win? I read the stuff on the various websites about Puppy Linux, EBCD, and the UBCD4Win but I am uncertain as to what you want me to do with each of these programs and how to do it - other than saving jpegs, mp3's, Favorites, etc. ??????

2) Is the UBCD4Win to reinstall Windows or to fix Windows?

I would like to fix Windows if it's possible ! ! ! !

I went to the forum you gave me a link to and was able to complete the UBCD build.

3) What exactly is this UBCD? Most of this stuff is almost over my head!


OK- I was finally able to build the UBCD and boot up with it! Now I just need to know what you want me to do with it and how to do it. I'm starting to get excited! I ran some of the virus scans but they seemed to be scanning the UBCD RAM Disc and not the "broken" hard drive . . . . . I am looking for "How to Use" directions at the forum sent me, but I've yet to find anything telling me how and in what order I should be using this stuff on the UBCD. Hope you have a plan in mind!

For me the Goal is:

To repair the "broken" hard drive so I can put it back in the computer it came from and not lose any personal files or applications!

4) Is it possible to do this or are you telling me to save what I want and then reinstall Windows?

Thanks again for your time and expertise!




This post has been edited by schlackeye: Feb 12 2010, 02:18 PM

Puppy, UBCD, etc. are all just so you can save your personal data, nothing more. There is no way to save installed applications.

Since you now have your data backed up, you can try a Repair Install

From the above link: Don't worry; Windows XP repair feature won't delete your data, installed programs, personal information, or settings. It just repairs the operating system!

This may resolve the problem. If not post back and we'll go on.

Hi

"Since you now have your data backed up, you can try a Repair Install

From the above link: Don't worry; Windows XP repair feature won't delete your data, installed programs, personal information, or settings. It just repairs the operating system!

This may resolve the problem. If not post back and we'll go on."


I tried the repair Install and it wouldn't give me an option to repair! Just to install. I started that process to see where it would go and it (Windows) wouldn't install because there is already an operating system on that partition.

I did this correctly:

"When completed loading files, you will be presented with the following "Windows Setup" screen, and your first option. Select "To set up Windows XP now, press ENTER". DO NOT select Recovery Console."

But, still no option to repair . . . . .

What next?

Thanks for your time!

Do exactly what the directions say.

At the first screen, press Enter, do not enter R. That would take you to the Recovery Console which you don't want.
At the next screen, press F8 to accept the EULA.
At the next screen, enter R to start the repair process.

Have you done that?

Yes! There is no option to repair. Only three keys work : enter, d, f3 = install,delete partition, quit . . . . . That's as far as it goes! Sorry. What next?

I have to go home now and so I will lose my internet connection. I won't be back online for 7 or more days. Should I just PM you when I get back or should I start a new topic?

Thank you for all of your time and help. I learned a lot.

Shubert Schlackeye

Just add a reply here in this thread. I'm subscribed to it and will be notified when you do so.

I have a question though. I rereading this thread, it looks like you cannot do anything with this drive in the original computer, correct? You have been messing with it while installed in a different computer. Was it installed as the only (master) drive in the 2nd computer or as a slave along with the existing drive?

If the latter, then nothing we've done thus far has even touched that drive.

This post has been edited by Ztruker: Feb 13 2010, 12:07 PM