Computer will not boot OS, using Hiren's Boot CD to work on the pc

Hi I am working on trying to fix an internal hard drive in this old machine. It is an IDE drive 40 gb. I also do not have any other computers that have a IDE interface on the motherboard, only ATA. So it’s kind of difficult for me to test the drive on another machine because it’s incompatible. I also bought a new HD just in case this old HD is not able to be fixed. I have to kind of go over what processes I have taken so you can completely understand what I been through already. First of all this is my sisters computer and it’s a very old one. Not extremely old, but I will get to that in a sec and give you specs. She wanted me to fix her computer, she had a power outage and after that she told me her computer was very slow, the internet was slow and copying files, installing programs, etc. She is very computer illiterate so their was nothing she can do.

So naturally the first thing I checked were drivers. Low and behold I found that the video drivers were not installed correctly or corrupted. There were two Yellow Question marks in the disk manager. They were for the integrated graphics drivers and one other drive that was “unkown”. First I used the disk that had the drivers supplied on it and tried to install them, it didn’t work at all. Brough up a pop message that said “some of the drivers may not of installed correctly” So I checked the drivers and they were still not installed. I rebooted the machine even and still, no drivers. The next thing I tried to do was do a repair recovery console on the partition table. After doing so, it would not boot to XP AT ALL! This is what caused a major problem to the computer making it pretty much in operational. I tried everything I could possibly do. Including reformatting the drive, tried to repair the OS, and then as a last resort I deleted the partition table and formatted the hard drive with a NTFS file system potentially losing all data.

After I formatted the HD, I tried reinstalling windows XP Pro with Sp3. It still would not boot. I could get to the “setup” screen, install windows on the OS and it would come up with an error saying “that you cannot install windows on this partition” I could not get past this screen no matter what I tried. I then tried to check to see if hard ware was the issue. I re swapped different IDE cables with some brand new ones, nothing changed, I plugged it into a different power source, and that was not the issue either. I checked to see if the jumper on the HD was in the proper place; it was because when I changed it. I got another error stating that it had a missing boot file right when I turn the pc on. So I put the jumper back into its rightful position and I was back to square one. So my only other conclusion at this point was to use a CHDSK scan to see if it found any bad sectors or clusters in the drive, it didn’t. I then ran a memory diagnostic test, it came up fine, no problems with ram. Everything came out fine. So I really didn’t know what was the problem, considering the HD would actually boot to the set up screen, and actually show the partition table, indicated that the HD must have been still working somehow. Because when an HD is fried completely it just won’t boot simple as that, usually a STOP error message which was not the case. So my last option at this point was to buy a new hard drive. So I did, a 160 gb IDE drive. I have not tried using it yet, because I am still convinced that this drive can be repaired somehow. So I am working on that now.

The specs of this machine are:

Intel CeleronR
CPU 2.7 GHz L1 Cache 8 Kbytes
Motherboard
TriGem Computer Inc.
Model – Glendale Motherboard
Memory (Ram) – DDR 2GB
Brand - Gskill
Dram Frequency – 133.2 MHz
Graphics – Integrated Intell graphics chip (Not sure on the specifics of the graphic chip since that is not showing up. Could be due to the missing drivers.

These results came from CPU-z software.

Now you’re probably asking how was I able to boot to windows and get this type of information when the HD was not booting. Well then came my next step. I went to this link.
http://www.softexia.com/hirens-bootcd.html

And I downloaded Hiren’s BOOT CD from my other pc. I am not sure if you guys are familiear with this software, you probably are, but it has lots and lots of tools for fixing computers, recovering hard drives, checking to see if partitions are damaged, fixing disk read errors, pluss a lot more programs I probably will never use. Some of the software is used by whatthetech forums.

This is a list of all the software that HIren’s Boot CD uses.
http://www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd

So now what I did I was I downloaded the ISO image file, burned it to a CD and booted it on the old machine. There is a mode called “mini windows XP mode” so I used that and it booted to XP. That is the first time since I reuined the partition that I was able to see clearly that the HD was still fine. The mini windows XP mode has limited functionality but it allows you to run the “HBCDwindows.exe” program so you can then run all of the software that comes with this package right from windows. I was able to see the hard drive, the 40 gb HD on their and also the RAM drive. Now reason I ask if you are familiar with this application is because I am not. I am kind of a green horn at this and mostly just checking it out, but before I run any other applications, I want to post here to see if you can provide me any feedback on what I should do in this case scenario. The first thing I noticed was that I had trouble trying to connect to the internet with mini windows XP, I also had trouble unzipping files. But it is the only XP mode I can get on this machine currently with Hiren. The regular XP disk as I said before will not boot. Right now I am running a software called “DATARESCUEDD” It’s a software that Is supposed to locate any sectors or clusters and try to create an image file of any recoverable data from the drive. I am trying to recover some of the data on the drive if possible, so far that is what I’m doing right now and it’s going to take around 3 hrs before its finished. I am using an external HD to copy the image file to that disk.

The problem I have right now is that I can’t send you any logs, information, or anything, on the conflicted machine. I have to use another computer to comment to you because for some unknown reason Hiren’s will not allow me to install the network adapter and run the internet, I have a Ethernet cable plugged in though. I did however use software with HIren that detects missing drivers, it was able to detect the network adaptor and install it, but for some reason, I still can’t go online. There is an internet explorer on the desk top in mini windows mode. But when I click on it, it opens up a “opera” browser and it says “cannot locate the remote server”.

Ok so now that I have went over everything, to summarize, I am trying to fix this computer’s HD and recovery the data, IF it can’t be recovered, I want to try the new HD and see if I can install windows XP back on the machine so its operational again, if the hard drive was the issue. I am hoping its not a motherboard issue but i doubt it.

So if you got any information, help or anything of the matter, please respond as soon as you can, I really need some expertise help in this matter, with installing the new drive, recovering the drivers and possibly recovering the data on the old drive. thanks!

I forgot to mention that in case the windows OS disk was corrupt, i used a different windows OS disk. But still could not install any OS on the partition. So i have tried pretty much everything but i want to be able to install an OS on this hard drive because i do not want to trash a drive when it could be fixed. Besides alot of the data that was installed on that drive, was very immportant data, so if i can recover it, that would make them very happy as well. Well will just have to take it a step at a time.

sorry can't help you with that disc your using (not even sure if it's allowed here at wtt) but if you want to use a different disc ie. puppy linux :- http://puppylinux.org/main/Overview%20and%…g%20Started.htm
i can try and help you.

here's a direct link to lucid puppy 5.2.8 (lupu)
http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distri…upu-528.005.iso

just click on it and save it to your desktop and then burn it as an image to a cd.

then i suggest you follow this guide and save "all" recoverable files to your external hard drive using photorec. (DataRescueDD just saves an image of your drive)
http://forums.whatthetech.com/index.php?showtopic=120830

once that is completed and what data can be saved is saved, i'd completely wipe(zero) the old hard drive deleting any/all partitions, re-partition, format it using puppy and then try to install your os again.

sorry can't help you with that disc your using (not even sure if it's allowed here at wtt) but if you want to use a different disc ie. puppy linux :- http://puppylinux.org/main/Overview%20and%…g%20Started.htm
i can try and help you.

here's a direct link to lucid puppy 5.2.8 (lupu)
http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distri…upu-528.005.iso

just click on it and save it to your desktop and then burn it as an image to a cd.

then i suggest you follow this guide and save "all" recoverable files to your external hard drive using photorec. (DataRescueDD just saves an image of your drive)
http://forums.whatthetech.com/index.php?showtopic=120830

once that is completed and what data can be saved is saved, i'd completely wipe(zero) the old hard drive deleting any/all partitions, re-partition, format it using puppy and then try to install your os again.

Why would Hiren's Boot be prohibited on WTT. Its just a bottalbe CD with lots of applications that you can use to work on your computer for such a situation? Can you confirm this by asking an admin.

Yeah umm, i am not very familiar with Linux and that guide looks extremely complicated. Does this process have any danger of causing damage or deleting files on the external HD that i am going to try and copy the files to? Because i will say that my back up external has alot of files on it and i do not want to accidently format or cause those files to delete or become corrupt. Its a 1 TB HD that im using. But their is a load of files on their that i want to keep.

Jeff Matthews,

Terry is correct.
WhatTheTechForums does not support the use of Hiren's Boot disk, nor others such as Ultimate Boot CD, etc.

The reason for non-support is provenence. Specifically, there is no verification that the distributor of the device has obtained permissions from the authors and publishers of various of the components they include in their distribution.

Microsoft and most other prominent software authors and publishers have strict rules prohibiting extracting components, modifying components and/or distributing components of their softwares without direct and legal license permissions having been granted.

Yes, you have seen some of the tools used separately and in their original forms and attributions, here in these Forums.
Such use by an individual who downloads the utility for own use is governed by rules between the publisher and the individual user.
We certainly can recommend use of legitimate and effective utilities, but we do so in a way that prompts the user to enter into agreement with the author/publisher prior to personal download and use.

Hiren's and others seem to have collected and distributed various proprietary properties without demonstrating their licensed permission to use or distribute those tools.

Whether or not you individually decide to use such tools is a matter of your own consideration, and private contemplation of potential consequences.
However, we will not allow discussion nor assistance with such products,
____________________________________________

As to your Present Topic, you have launched a variety of utilities and procedures which have reportedly risked or caused chaotic result.

It is only later in your descriptive posting that you call attention to possible need to preserve documents, files, media and other saved material that may be important to the original owner/user of the machine.

This is not good.

I highly recommend that you STOP doing what you report to have been doing, and immediately give your attention to competent methods of file backup to preserve files that may be important to the original owner/user.

The recommendations offered by Terry1966 are competent and may well be an excellent avenue for you to consider.

In the meantime, I will CLOSE this Topic and not allow any further discussion of the material from your earlier postings above.

In the event you wish further assistance, you may open a New Topic, as long as you heed the rules and conditions as they have been articulated to you above.