Most Parition Content made invisible and no boot Windows

Forced by circumstance I still had to use my barely patched up Windows over here, but I tried to keep it safe and scanned as often as I could. Except lately I did a ComboFix scan cause something didn't feel right, and by the time the scan finished, something happened (I don't know what cause I was away), but basically everything on the Desktop screen disappeared except My Computer and Recycle Bin, Start menu had everything gone except a few entries but their Icons displayed one of those slashed circles like it can't be found. Whenever I tried to open anything it gave one of those red error messages saying something like the specified path or task was deleted or moved, couldn't be tracked or anything. I reluctantly had to close the computer.

Since then Windows 7 doesn't boot and gives error 0xc000000f which I kinda looked into solutions. None of the boot options work, neither Debugging or Command Prompt now either as opposed to just the Safe Modes that didn't work before.

I put a Zorin Linux on a stick to try to get into there and browse and look for solutions but funny thing, my two drives were there, and the non-windows looked fine, with all files there and I could open them. But the Windows drive had like almost all files missing! No texts or pictures that I had a lot of, no nothing, just a few files that seemed somewhat virus protected by their Nature like Tor browser or the ComboFix folder. In Linux it still diplayed that drive as being 167 GB when C only has 151 maximum capacity, but none of the files are there.

I used a Hiren's Mini XP to look into maybe solving something, and it showed that C drive was 133 GB Free of 151, except all the files still visible in there are also just about 5 GB only with Windows being 4 GB of that. From what I looked into this it just sounds like its virus damage and my files are hopefully all still there. I tried some of the Partition and HDD Scan tools in Hiren's to see if they could do something but they just see that space as empty. I assume Mini XP is just as susceptible to whatever damage that was so none of the tools can read it right. Also mini XP tools often saw my Drive disk as just 1 320GB block as opposed to partitions, if that counts.

I didn't use much from Hiren's to be safe, but the one with more stability that I did use was a chkdsk on the Win 7 drive, and it found some errors but I only used it once.  However after using this, Linux can no longer see the two partitions at all, neither Zorin nor Slax.

And it gets weirder. While trying to boot the comp, 1 USB port and maybe the CD-ROM doesn't read right or register, because I had a Linux on a DVD too and it didn't boot into it. But when I do manage to get into Linux, they seem to work fine. So BIOS doesn't see 1 pen drive for some reason too.

Also the stick I had with Zorin I assume got attacked and corrupted while I was browsing (hacker maybe?) because now it won't boot into it either but this other stick seems fine.

Before using Hiren's I also tried a System Repair Disk with automated repair only and it gave these values for Problem Signature:
01=6.1.7600.16385

02=same^

03=unknown

04=1046

05=External Media

06=1

07=Corrupt Registry –> I looked to get details and from all checks it did the registry was the problem, said Rollback Fail.

Locale ID=1033

I tried it again last night cause I heard it helps to do Automated Repair more times. It even gave 07=NoFoundCause and I think a different number in 04? And at times it said no error found. But Automated Repair spots Win 7 on drive D instead of C.

So yeah it seems my registry got deleted or something, and even some other stuff. The whole "can't spot C drive" and maybe the startup error is the same problem I think I had back in Autumn when someone helped me, because I remember he had to do stuff in cmnd prompt to get C seen, but that was also a blue screen related error too and at least the files in C were visible. And I wasn't really sure how to use the Hiren Registry editors on the Win 7 or what to do.

My tools for now are a multiboot drive with a Win 7 Repair Disk, a Hiren's Boot CD, Ultimate Boot CD and Slax Linux and I have another 16 GB stick with the corrupted Linux on which I may as well put something else.

I was also debating using this guide: https://neosmart.net/wiki/recovering-windows-bootloader/to fix the boot because it sounds good, but due to complications such as the invisible files I thought it best to wait and ask for advice.

Shall I do virus scans first? Is there some optimal way and order in which to use all these instruments? Command Prompt navigation? And so on. I don't have any system restore, registry backups or image disks, those all seemed deleted or invisible at least anyway. I also heard Easy Recovery Essentials was great for handling all this, but that one stopped being freeware it seems.

My goal for now is really just to get the old Windows back and booting again, or at least have my drives and files visible in Linux, because I need the computer to work, and I need to work to fix the computer for good, so it would be much appreciated bailing me out here again Q.Q.

I (and many others recommend) you shouldn't use ComboFix unless you are trained and know what you are doing.

Anyways, it seems that you'll just have to get a fresh copy of Windows. It does seem that the registry may be corrupted or even deleted, and just listen to HowToGeek about it:

 

So yes, deleting stuff from the registry will absolutely positively kill Windows. And unless you have a backup, restoring it is impossible.

(Source: http://www.howtogeek.com/200652/what-happens-if-you-delete-the-entire-windows-registry/)

So I don't think you'll have much luck trying to fix Windows. You can get a fresh Windows copy anywhere from Amazon to Best Buy.

Hope this helps

-jman005

A virus scan is always good to perform first.

If you have the installation disc. You could restart the computer with the installation disc and “repair the computer”. These actions will replace 2 files “bootmanager” and “winload”

Does error 0xc000000f state file \windows\system32\boot\winload.exe?

You could try to copy the registry from another working computer that is a similar build.

I (and many others recommend) you shouldn't use ComboFix unless you are trained and know what you are doing.

 

 

Anyways, it seems that you'll just have to get a fresh copy of Windows. It does seem that the registry may be corrupted or even deleted, and just listen to HowToGeek about it:

 

So yes, deleting stuff from the registry will absolutely positively kill Windows. And unless you have a backup, restoring it is impossible.

(Source: http://www.howtogeek.com/200652/what-happens-if-you-delete-the-entire-windows-registry/)

 

So I don't think you'll have much luck trying to fix Windows. You can get a fresh Windows copy anywhere from Amazon to Best Buy.

 

Hope this helps

Depending on ComboFix too much was my bad, yeah, and I mentioned the registry problem exactly because of that quote, but idk for sure if my registry was deleted, I just assume based on "No Rollback was Possible" and I didn't get the registry problem again on other repair attempts. It could just be because virus damage makes critical Windows folder invisible, lol.

Anyway, sucks I misplaced my Windows CD in all the chaos I have here, but if I had enough money for a new Windows I woulda' instead just got a HDD, to backup my data and reformat into Linux so I can avoid all future troubles. My disk space is almost full but I need everything I have stored on it, this is what makes that tricky, so I couldn't just reinstall Windows anyway, and I need a format because of the damage on top also.

Problem is that say even if I got a Windows on an external HDD, my partition is not visible, or the files in there won't be. I'd need to use some programs to recover deleted files, which Hiren's already has so I think this might work to restore Windows but I don't want to make any more damage while trying to navigate this.

A virus scan is always good to perform first.

 

If you have the installation disc. You could restart the computer with the installation disc and “repair the computer”. These actions will replace 2 files “bootmanager” and “winload”

Does error 0xc000000f state file \windows\system32\boot\winload.exe?

 

You could try to copy the registry from another working computer that is a similar build.

Doesn't say anything about winload.exe, just the error state. Also I have a Windows Repair Disk on here, which I am not sure but I think already has anything a full Windows DVD would do? The topic I linked to says a lot about fixing bootmanager and all that, but I hesitated to try it just to be sure.

Maybe I asked this question in the wrong forum, shoulda went to Malaware and such, but since Windows also doesn't boot I figured I'd post here first. But my REAL problem at the moment is this:

Should I do the repair first so that I can recover my files and Windows after, OR do I need to recover my files and virus clean first so that the repair can work? You mention the virus scan first, and I am inclined to agree, but what if the virus scan won't work too well exactly because most of the partition files are invisible? I am just looking for a more informed course of action here.

And yeah, I will try to get a registry from a similar build also, anyone know a good place to maybe find such things?

Maybe I should have posted here first, but this is a restate of what I went in more details here: http://forums.whatthetech.com/index.php?s=05b745e5ceac65014141e5bff628b3b1&showtopic=129394…It's just that since I can't log into Windows to begin with I wasn't sure where to post.

Virus and malicious code damage seems to have either deleted or hopefully made most of the files in my Windows partition invisible and unnoticed by any program I tried so far. Because of this Windows won't boot into any mode either. And I have at my disposal only tooks I could run from Hiren's Boot CD or Ultimate Boot CD, and maybe Linux but so far it doesn't see my two partitions at all, lol.

I want to know if I should try a Windows repair before doing a virus scan, or repair after I tried some cleaning, since idk how this whole "invisible files" would play into either case and might damage something more. Just in case anyone has any idea. Or which tools might be better for the job. Thanks.

Hello Nare,

Is this issue on the same computer as the one you received advice for here: http://forums.whatthetech.com/index.php?showtopic=128948

Regards. 

Hello Nare,

 

Is this issue on the same computer as the one you received advice for here: http://forums.whatthetech.com/index.php?showtopic=128948

 

Regards. 

Hello! And indeed it is, as that is what I meant the intro to the first post to be about. Still had to be on the patched up Windows (which still worked great after the help btw, thanks to you guys). Sorry if it wasn't explicitly clear on that.

Any ideas? Like, I am inclined to try out some Command Prompt repairs like they suggested on neosmart, but I just want to be sure on my actions as to not damage anything else possibly.

 

Hello Nare,

 

Is this issue on the same computer as the one you received advice for here: http://forums.whatthetech.com/index.php?showtopic=128948

 

Regards. 

Hello! And indeed it is, as that is what I meant the intro to the first post to be about. Still had to be on the patched up Windows (which still worked great after the help btw, thanks to you guys). Sorry if it wasn't explicitly clear on that.

Any ideas? Like, I am inclined to try out some Command Prompt repairs like they suggested on neosmart, but I just want to be sure on my actions as to not damage anything else possibly.

 

You were given ideas but that was awhile back,  November 2014. 

Hi Nare,

Sorry to hear that you are still experiencing difficulties with your computer.

I have reviewed all the information you have provided, but feel that the previous answers you have received provided a good route for you to stand a reasonable chance of bringing your computer back into a usable state.

It's your computer and of course your call on how you get it fixed, but I do feel that the steps outlined in the topic here  were  a suitable and proper set of recommendations taking into account all the circumstances you have outlined.

http://forums.whatthetech.com/index.php?showtopic=128948

Good luck with the computer and I hope you get it fixed soon.

Regards

paws