vista will not boot, need to recover files

trazix

My Vista Os wont boot.

This has happened after vista froze on shutdown so ì

turned off the computer by holding in the power button (

i have done this many times with no problems).

On restarting the computer i got a message on screen that

there were some bad parts on the disk.

It then ran Chkdsk

At the end fo this process the last thing i sceen on

screen was

"Creating reparse point
183424 security descriptors processed
16931 data files prossed
CHKDSK is resetting usn information

2249 unindexed files processed"

I used the restore Cd that came with the computer and

used the fix disk utility on it it said that it had fixed

it and that it is booting sucessfully, but it is not ok.

Now when i start the computer after the Bios screen there

is nothing except a black screen with a flashing cursor

at the top.

The disk is not broken, i know this because i can access

some of the data in other user accounts by using a Knopix

Linux live Cd. how ever i cant access my content i am

the administrator account and it has a password.

i think the only solution is to reinstal vista but i need

to recover all my files.

Is there any software available that can run from a boot

cd that i can use to recover my data.

Saruman

You should still be able to access the files with knoppix.. unless vista does something new with NTFS...

ART6

Have you tried booting from the CD rather than the hard drive?
When the computer locked up, was the hard drive still running? If you turned the machine off when it was then it's possible to create a hard drive fault. Never use the on/off button if the drive light is flickering, as it might well be when the machine appears to be stalled.
The only other thing I can think of for you to try is to check if the recovery disk offers the option of a full restore or a quick restore -- some OEM disks do. The full restore would wipe all your files and restore the computer to it's original factory state, but the quick restore will only repair the OS without effecting your files.

Webmonkey

Try fixing the Master Boot Record/NTDLR - It could be curropted.

Boot from a Vista (Or even XP cd?) and try enter the Recovery Console mode.

If you have a administrator password on the windows installation you will have to enter it - course there is ways around this if you don't have it.

When you get to the command prompt try entering:

fixmbr

Then you might as well type bootcfg /rebuild incause your boot.ini file is curropt.

Worth giving a shot anyways.

trazix

I tryed

bootrec /fixboot

&

bootrec /fixmbr

the disk is now booting but just until progress bar has finished then it hangs there or goes into Chkdsk. It wont progress past that point .I have the option now to use Safe Mode but it is the same it wont go past the progress bar screen. I will now try bootcfg /rebuild

trazix

bootcfg /rebuild comes up as invalid syntax.

It says use the BCDEDIT commandline tool to modify Windows Vista boot options.

Webmonkey

Well bootcfg /rebuild worked on XP as far as I know but there is no point if it even attempts to load XP as that won't do much more as the boot configuration is valid.

I'm afraid you have a seriously currupt hard drive, lets hope that the files you want arn't currupted. You could load a live linux distro off CD and access the HDD to write them to disk or transfer them over network.

trazix

If the hard drive is corrupt ,can the corruption be fixed by reinstalling Vista or is the drive banjaxed (it's only 6 months old)

Also to Art6 the restore disk only has the option to do a full restore.

I have just downloaded the latest version of
knoppix and will check to see if it can see my files.

Webmonkey

You wouldn't know what it is - the hard drive could be banjaxed - they could go anytime tbh but usually don't. You could try reinstalling Vista but if files are currupt then other files could take their place and get over written (I'm guessing)

See what knoppix comes up with anyways.

trazix

No luck with the new version of Knoppix. My account is still not accessable from it. Another program NTFS Reader Dos disk. Can see my account but no content inside it.

I think i need to go down the route of data recovery to try and salvage some of my pictures, music etc.

Any ideas to recover data from a boot disk programe prefrably something free as i dont have a credit card to buy online.

trazix

I have found a data recovery utility in Knoppix called PhotoRec and it appears to be working.

ART6

trazix wrote: »

If the hard drive is corrupt ,can the corruption be fixed by reinstalling Vista or is the drive banjaxed (it's only 6 months old)

Also to Art6 the restore disk only has the option to do a full restore.

I have just downloaded the latest version of
knoppix and will check to see if it can see my files.

The "restore" disk (often called the "recovery" disk) generally only restores the system -- in other words the operating system. I wouldn't expect it to erase all files other that the OS ones. Generally, if you boot from the disk and select "restore" you will get a warning message up on the screen if it will result in loss of data. If you have a handbook for the computer it should tell you what the restore disk does.

Going by your description of your problem, I would guess that the fault is a corrupted OS or one of the files that load with it, rather than in any of your data files, since it never gets to them. If you can get access to another computer with the same OS, you could burn a bootable CD that only contains basic system files that allow the computer to boot, then you could start it in safe mode and find where the problem lies by letting it load one file or application at a time. When it stalls the last load is the problem.

This leads to the golden rule -- always backup your data regularly (I set all my machines to do it every night when I'm in my pit). It save a lot of heartache;)

EKRIUQ

Have you tried the System File Checker? The System File Checker present in Windows Vista has been modified from the Windows XP version, with some missing switches and some additional possible switches.

You run it from an elevated command prompt by clicking the Start orb, clicking All Programs on the Start Menu, clicking Accessories, and then right clicking Command Prompt and choosing Run as administrator. Assuming User Account Control is active, you will need to reply to a prompt for the administrator password or for a confirmation.

There are procedures you can use to find whether there is an invalid system file found by the SFC tool and replacing it, as explained in this Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;929833
Some Windows Vista functions may not work, or Windows Vista may stop responding

The new syntax for SFC can be found by running the command "sfc /?" from an elevated command prompt. Output will be like this:


Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6000]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>sfc /?

Microsoft (R) Windows (R) Resource Checker Version 6.0
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Scans the integrity of all protected system files and replaces incorrect versions with
correct Microsoft versions.

SFC [/SCANNOW] [/VERIFYONLY] [/SCANFILE=<file>] [/VERIFYFILE=<file>]
[/OFFWINDIR=<offline windows directory> /OFFBOOTDIR=<offline boot directory>]

/SCANNOW Scans integrity of all protected system files and repairs files with
problems when possible.
/VERIFYONLY Scans integrity of all protected system files. No repair operation is
performed.
/SCANFILE Scans integrity of the referenced file, repairs file if problems are
identified. Specify full path <file>
/VERIFYFILE Verifies the integrity of the file with full path <file>. No repair
operation is performed.
/OFFBOOTDIR For offline repair specify the location of the offline boot directory
/OFFWINDIR For offline repair specify the location of the offline windows directory

e.g.

sfc /SCANNOW
sfc /VERIFYFILE=c:\windows\system32\kernel32.dll
sfc /SCANFILE=d:\windows\system32\kernel32.dll /OFFBOOTDIR=d:\ /OFFWINDIR=d:\windows
sfc /VERIFYONLY

This may let you in to do a system restore, I had a similar problem a couple of weeks ago

tolosenc

Put in the restore CD, go to command prompt and type the folllowing:

diskpart
list disk

Then it'll print up a list of the disks available, numbered starting at 0. Select the one you want (eg 0) like this:

select disk 0
list partition

Then choose the partiton that has Vista on it (eg 1)

select partition 1
active
exit
exit

Then try to reboot

trazix

OLB i have tryed your idea and still not loading past the microsoft progress bar logo screen.

Bongo Bongo I cant get into a command promt in vista as it's Fuxd:eek: but in the command prompt in the rescue cd i get this reply when i try your idea " Windows Protection could not perform the requested operation"

Using the command prompt to look at the directories on the disk the directory where all my files are stored is not there.

I use the PhotoRec utility on the Knoppix cd to recover my mp3 last night but it recovered 30,000 mp3 files, the files were just small and bits of the orrigional files. There is no way i could piece them all back together

My hard drive has another partition on it with a recovery folder on it and files in it they are not .exe files i dont know how to use these files

Aran Galactico

Vista must be the most pathetic piece of software ever built.

muggyog

The website you got PhotoRec (www.cgsecurity.org), has another utility TestDisk, have you tried that?

Also try putting hard drive into another Vista box as a slave and try the suggestions again.

ART6

trazix wrote: »

My hard drive has another partition on it with a recovery folder on it and files in it they are not .exe files i dont know how to use these files

They should be cabinet (.CAB) files. They are compressed and you can't open them without the right application. Even if you could the result would be pages of incomprehensible Microsoft file names. It is that partition that I would have expected system recovery to access, and going by what you have said so far, then other than taking the course of putting the hard drive into another computer as suggested in the replies, I would think the recovery disk is your only hope. I am sure it won't wipe all your data files, certainly not without warning you first and giving you the option to cancel the operation. It would be helpful to be told what screen messages you get when you do boot from the CD.

I am inclined to agree to an extent with the earlier poster who commented on Vista -- it does seem to have some real problems and bugs all of its own.

kaimera

Aran Galactico wrote: »

Vista must be the most pathetic piece of software ever built.

And that helps the OP how exactly?

Or did you just want to whinge about vista even tho you prolly havent used it.

Webmonkey

If you hard drive has another parition with recovery folder then there is a good chance you might have a option in the boot menu for recovery.

A reinstallation of vista may fix the problem alright if it is currupted OS System files but if the FAT/NTFS filing systems are currupt then you could have more of a problem. Think there are utilities out there anyways for fixing file systems.

Capt'n Midnight

muggyog wrote: »

The website you got PhotoRec (www.cgsecurity.org), has another utility TestDisk, have you tried that?

Also try putting hard drive into another Vista box as a slave and try the suggestions again.

test disk is only of use if the partition table is trashed, if the windows says the HDD is about the right size then don't use as it as it would more harm than good.

putting in as a slave is the best bet
you can then run hdtune on the drive to see if has bad sectors (which are not good and not fixable)

If the harddrive is making any unusual noises then it's most likely on the way out

Capt'n Midnight

Aran Galactico wrote: »

Vista must be the most pathetic piece of software ever built.

Dos 4
Windows 3.0
Windows NT4 server before service pack 3
Windows ME
Arcserve
BackupExec got bonus points for not allowing you to downgrade to version with a more stable user interface

Please have a read of the charter, people who are more helpful get more leeway

trazix

Sorry for the delay in replying but it is hard when you dont have access to a computer.

I could not find a fix but Reinstalling Vista has sorted the problem.

And the recovery of my files worked out very well for me. They were all in an obscure hidden directory ( C:\found.000\dir00018.chk ) , and i was able to use the Knoppix Live cd to transfare them onto a external hard drive.

Thanks to everybody who took time to help.

Good Luck.

Webmonkey

Glad to hear you sorted the problem

Overheal

now that you are back up and running though you should run some diagnostic tools on the Hard Disk.