Boot sector corrupted!

CivilServant

I think a similar problem was posted up a while ago but I can't seem to find it. My hard drive is now inaccessible after winxp went BSOD on me and then started dumping memory. In my haste I reset the machine and have regretted it ever since. Now the bios doesn't register the hard disk it says it's corrupted or something like that. Any have any idears on what to do? Preferable free and not costing me any benjamins or o connells (as the case may be:D )

spongebob

get a friend to stick a floppy in their floppy drive (if they have 95 98 me)
run dos command
type

sys a: (return)

floppy grinds a mo, has basic OS and now its bootable

locate a prog on their harddrive named fdisk.exe , c 40k in size

copy to floppy too

you boot off floppy and get a prompt

type

fdisk /mbr

remove floppy and reboot, should now have

fixed the master boot record on your hard drive

M

CivilServant

Thanks Muck that sounded like it would definitely work but unfortunately when I fdisk /mbr it says no hard disk found!:(

Setting the bios options to boot at c tells me "primary hard disk fail", I have an award bios if that helps.

spongebob

any funny noises from the beast?

it may be dead

CivilServant

No noises ... which is not good! It's need resussitation!

The last thing I did was to reset during a win2000 memory dump. Anyone else foolish enough to do this? What is the state of the hard drive after a memory dump?

spongebob

normally it creates a file of gobble, that it unles you were installing into the OS

a loose cable maybe, could have caused the dump?

open her up anc check

CivilServant

It could be that. I've had trouble starting up the machine before, plus there's not much of a case to it either so lots of dust floating about... I'll give it a go thanks!

elexes

get local priest inform him you want a raise the dead spell preformed ( they know how they just dont wana do it )

put hdd in his hands remind him it aint alter boy and wala if it starts to vibrate the tiniest bit its working

then go into the bios and try and detect it .

so is it detecting it in bios

donaloconnor

Sometimes shaking the hard drive puts the head on the right track again, honestly try that if nothing else works. Check if Jumpers are intact on the drive, check IDE controllers and cables. Try Putting your HDD on the secondary channel as primary and boot with floppy and check out if the drive is accessible.

If still problems come again :cool:

fatmander

'Sometimes shaking the hard drive puts the head on the right track again, honestly try that if nothing else works. '
- do not do this ever- no matter what
Donal where the hell did you get that from?

fatmander

If you want to try to gain access to a dead drive , freeze it for 20 mins in an airtight bag in your trusty fridge, and stick it back in.
-

sceptre

I've seen fatmander's suggestion a few times - apparantly it has worked for people. By "fridge" read "freezer" and be prepared to copy the data off quickly as the drive will probably never boot again.

Funnily enough, putting a drive in the microwave for a few minutes was suggested in the current PCW.

If it's not a loose cable and you've tried the early suggestions I'd say your drive is a dead duck.

donaloconnor

am well if you work in the computer industry u will find out that shaking the harddrive a few times can help. Thats if nothing else works first.

God...

:rolleyes:

Typedef

Originally posted by Muck


type

fdisk /mbr

Danger will Robinson. Don't to that to a NT/2K/XP machine. fdisk will restore the dos mbr, not the NT mbr, big difference.

The bootloader fdisk /mbr writes will 'not' be able to view the NT/2K/XP partition properly and won't be able to boot an OS on it.

So use the FIXMBR command from the NT/2K/XP recovery bootdisk.

eof baby.

fatmander

"well if you work in the computer industry ....."
Donal I don't mean to be getting on your case, but I do work in the computer industry and that's why I said it.
Who do you work for by the way?

retneil

try ripping off the memory dump created it will be located at c:\winnt (system root) file called memory.dmp take it and bring onto another sysrem.. get the resource kit and debug the memory dump file.. can be done... u will find out what caused the crash and should be able to fix.. alternatively u could give it to someone who could recover the system...