Possible bad HDD, cant boot from USB to repair

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idamaster

idamaster

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Apr 24, 2014
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Hello all,

Ive been working on an old machine of mine for a few hours, trying to find a way to repair the HDD or Windows Vista itself. I cannot seem to boot from a USB drive. I've tried using multiple tools and an ISO file of vista to fix the issue, but that causes the system to freeze at the BIOS splash... Even after trying many combinations of boot settings and tools.

I tried a HDD from another machine and it worked, but you can obviously tell its not meant for that system from the lack of speed and hardware/software compatibility issues. (That drive came from an AMD Phenom 9100e computer.)

I do not have any Vista Windows CDs and I cannot get into windows itself to recover a CD key or anything of that nature. My Windows 8.1 disk doesnt work.

The error message I get when I try to boot is:
Windows failed to load because the system registry file is missing or corrupt
File: Windows\system32\config\system
Status: 0xc00000e9

Any suggestions on what I can do with this? I wouldnt mind buying another drive and installing windows on it, but I dont want to get into buying an OS and spending $200+ on a system that I plan on giving away. Am I able to try and repair the disk by connecting the HDD to a working computer and using a tool on it?

Im all ears... Or am I just wasting time/effort?

If the drive/OS is toast, am I able to reinstall windows on the working HDD I used from the other PC? The specs of this PC are much better, so I'd rather have this one working over the other.


GA-EX58-UD4P
http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=2986#ov

I7- 920
WD Black Caviar - wd1001fals
Radeon 4890
Vista 32bit (I believe)

Thanks!
 
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Tenslaster2980

Tenslaster2980

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Feb 16, 2014
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First of all: Ew, Vista. Nothing against you, I just hate it.
But in all seriousness, the drive is probably toast. Especially if a different drive worked.
 
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idamaster

idamaster

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Apr 24, 2014
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It's been collecting dust for years. I thought I'd fix the HDD and give it to one of my family members. I agree about the drive being bad, I dont know how to go about repairing it without buying a new OS key.



Yes, I just do not know how to go about repairing it . I have 3-4 other working systems. The HDD is probably done for, but Im not sure what to do about the OS on it.

My Windows 8.1 disk works, but it gives me no option to repair, only install. I dont want to have my CD Key flagged.
 
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idamaster

idamaster

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Apr 24, 2014
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Been there, done that. I do not have a recovery partition on the drive (No repair option) and I do not have a Windows recovery Disk for the computer, either. Ive tried booting from a USB drive with Windows and different tools without luck
 
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SkyNetRising

SkyNetRising

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Jan 4, 2016
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Boot from any windows installation disk. Doesn't matter if it's vista,win7,win8,win10.
You need only command prompt feature from it.

Edit: If you can't boot from any installation media, then your only option is putting that HDD into another computer and performing registry recovery operations from there.
And that way you can launch HDtune and check drive SMART parameters also.
 
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3ogdy

3ogdy

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Jul 13, 2009
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Vista is the best looking operating system from Microsoft to this very date. I hope your reaction is identical to real shitty operating systems such as Windows 8. Oh and as far as performance is concerned, get your head out of 2007. An up-to-date Vista runs just as well as Windows 7, which is considered by many to be (mind the tense) the best operating system Microsoft has made, all in all.

idamaster, Can you run chkdsk (followed by space and the drive letter your problematic drive has been assigned in Windows) on the drive with the issues while using it as a secondary drive , after you boot into Windows from the slower HDD your machine worked with? It would be : Start->run->cmd-> type in chkdsk f: /f If your secondary HDD partitions have other letters assigned to them, replace f: with whatever letters those partitions have.
I'd run HDD Regenerator if you could boot from a disk / USB drive. Make sure your BIOS settings are correct. I don't see why your computer wouldn't boot from a media device , regardless if your HDD is brand new or toast.
You could also download a Windows image and burn it on a USB, then try booting from it.
You may use some cd-key recovery tools while the drive is connected as a secondary unit.
Go here.
Look for exactly this: "UpdateStar Product Key Finder v9.0.3.168"
That program allows you to select a specific directory where to look to find Windows product keys - that way you could specify the Windows folder from the partition your now-secondary HDD had Windows on. It should find your keys.
Also, you may want to search for HD Tune and run that to scan your secondary HDD for bad sectors right from within Windows.
HDD Regenerator is capable fo fixing some repairable errors so I'd try that one first, but beware it takes a few hours to complete.

As long as your main computer booted with the HDD from the other system, you should be able to install Windows on it and use it as a main HDD in your current PC.
 
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idamaster

idamaster

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Apr 24, 2014
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Ran Chkdsk from the other hard drive. It claimed to have repaired everything.. twice, but thats not the case. I can get my Windows 8 CD to load into the option list where decide if you want to continue to windows, troubleshoot, or turn off the PC. Then, I am unable to click or highlight any of those three options. Thats as far as I can get on the disk. Going to have to keep trying with other approaches.


Update: I may have spoken too soon. Luckily I had five other mice to try, one of the generic USB mice worked on the windows repair option screen. Restoring as we speak. Hopefully this works and I can just replace the drive.
 
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idamaster

idamaster

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Apr 24, 2014
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Unfortunately, troubleshooting via Windows 8.1 disk was not successful. Any version of repair option it had didnt accept any of the Vista IOS copies or repair drives I tried. I cant even get the serial from the disk from another computer using both Produkey and Magic Jelly Bean KF. Wanted to do a clean install, but that also didnt work out. After running a few tests, the HDD is on its way out I thought id be able to salvage the serial number and just install Windows on a new HDD.

Even when I manually direct the key finders to the registry, it seems that I/the programs cant gain access. Any thoughts on salvaging the product key for Windows?.. Or should I consider this done and throw in the towel?
 
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3ogdy

3ogdy

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You sound like you've got the "Attached HDD from defective PC to another one as secondary drive and I'm lacking the permissions to access the data on the HDD". If that's the case, you will have to right click on each of the partitions of the secondary drive and go to Properties->Security (tab)->Advanced (lower right side of the window)->Owner (tab)->If the owner if TrustedInstaller, change that to your username - preferably if you're the admin of the PC. Make sure you also check "Replace owner on subcontainers"

Replace all directory permissions if Windows asks you about it. After that, click Apply / OK wherever applicable and retry to gain access to your files located on the secondary HDD.
 
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