HDD with windows 8.1 gone missing - can't boot up

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
A

apologies

Reputable
Jun 1, 2014
6
0
4,510
Hi guys, I'm massively stuck. I'm not masively computer techie, but I know my way around and for the first time I'm well and truely stumped.

First up -
It's a laptop with 2 HDDs, 1 is 111gb, the other 680gb
16gb ram
(MSi GX70)
windows 8.1 Professional

I bought this about a month ago off a friend. It came with 8.1 installed so it was plug in and play. however two weeks in I installed ROME:TOTAL WAR II and it went crazy. crashed and well, I don't even remember. I basically had to re-format.

So I reformatted, installed 8.1 to the 111gb HDD (had to convert the drive to GPT in the process, don't know if that helps) and it's been working absolutely great. I only had the two partitions, the 111gb and the 680gb.

Then today whilst I was doing work for a client (photo editing in photoshop) it crashed, said it had a problem and it forced a reboot.
This is where it all went to s***.

It's giving me the error code 0x000000e. So i tried to "refresh" so I could keep my files and it said that the "disk was locked. please unlock to continue". I've no idea what to do from here to went into DISKPART to check it and DISKPART is only showing two drives: the 680gb and the USB which contains the windows 8 ISO

The 111gb has completely disappeared. So I thought "right, no bother I'll install it on the 680gb drive, get my data and just go back to win7"
That's also impossible as the drive needs to be converted to GPT which I can't do without formatting.
I CANT format this drive as it has weeks of client work on it. If this drive is formatted I, essentially, get fired.

I also ran BCDBOOT which claims windows is NOT installed on any drives, which shows again that the drive has completely disappeared.

I'm seriously stuck here and have no idea what to do. Has anyone got any advice? Thanks.

P.S. If it helps, I've been turning it on and off trying to fix it about a hundred times. One of those times it came up with a different error code 0xc0000185.

Not sure if this helps.

Thanks a bunch in advance guys, sorry for the long post
 
Solution
SchizTech
To get to the stuff on the 750GB drive you can use an Ubuntu live CD (it can boot the Ubuntu desktop directly off the DVD without modifying the HDD when you select the option "try Ubuntu" as opposed to "install Ubuntu" when you get that choice.

Sort by date Sort by votes
A

apologies

Reputable
Jun 1, 2014
6
0
4,510
Thanks for the reply -

In the SATA information in BIOS it's got:

Serial ATA - Not Present
Serial ATA - Not Present
Serial ATA - MATSHITA DVD-R
Serial ATA - Hitchachi HTS727 (750gb)
(I'm assuming I got the the size of this HD mixed up as on My Computer it showed at 650gb.)

So the second HDD isn't appearing.

EDIT: When going to "REFRESH YOUR PC" it says that the drive is locked however, doesn't this mean that it's still being detected as if the HDD was busted then it would say "windows not intalled" or something similar?
Not sure - just a thought
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
SchizTech

SchizTech

Judicious
Jan 16, 2011
5,278
57
32,640


The size HDD/SSD are marketed as deosn't match what Windows shows (a drive marketed as 750 would show up as about 680 in Windows and 120 as 111).

It seems likely you've just experienced a failed hard drive (the 120 GB). If you want to keep what's stored on the 750 untouched you may need to replace the 120 and re-install.
 
Upvote 1 Downvote
A

apologies

Reputable
Jun 1, 2014
6
0
4,510
Unfortunately I think you're correct :(.

The guy I bought it off said he installed the 120gb HDD only a few weeks before I bought it. No idea if it was new or second hand, however.

Is there any other possible resolutions? After forking out a boat load of money on the laptop I'm really hoping I don't have to update the hardware already.
Or is there a way to install windows on the 750 without formatting the drive? Even though I'd have to convert it to GPT?

Posted this in an edit but I'll put it here as well:
When going to "REFRESH YOUR PC" it says that the drive is locked however, doesn't this mean that it's still being detected as if the HDD was busted then it would say "windows not intalled" or something similar?
Not sure - just a thought

- Or have I just got a case of major wishful thinking?

Thanks for your help so far, Schiz
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
SchizTech

SchizTech

Judicious
Jan 16, 2011
5,278
57
32,640
As far as the locking question, software isn't going to detect hardware that doesn't appear in the BIOS. If it's not there it doesn't exist as far as the PC is concerned. I'm not sure where the lock Windows is reporting comes from. If you have another drive to back up the contents of the 750GB drive you can save the contents there before you format it. Otherwise, I'd look for a good deal on a new HDD somehere.
 
Upvote 1 Downvote
SchizTech

SchizTech

Judicious
Jan 16, 2011
5,278
57
32,640
To get to the stuff on the 750GB drive you can use an Ubuntu live CD (it can boot the Ubuntu desktop directly off the DVD without modifying the HDD when you select the option "try Ubuntu" as opposed to "install Ubuntu" when you get that choice.

 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
A

apologies

Reputable
Jun 1, 2014
6
0
4,510



Honestly, that's perfect. Just as long as I can get my work off my computer I can just re-install into the 750gb until I can get a new HDD.
You're a life saver mate.
Haven't got any discs so I'll see if I can make Ubuntu boot from a usb. If not, then I guess I'll have a nice run to ASDA.

Thanks an absolute boat load mate - saved my arse!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom