unmountable_boot_volume error message on setup

G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Is there any reason why XP gives an unmountable_boot_volume error message?
There is something in a MS file about 80 pin UDMA cables working and 40 pin
ones not working but as this is a reinstall of XP after a hard drive failure
(actually an upgrade from 98SE on this different 6 gig drive while I am
waiting for the Western Digital one to arrive) I suppose that is a wild
goose chase. Nothing in
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;314058 seems to
assist

I can install but on the first reboot I get all sorts of error messages
commenced by unmountable_boot_volume and followed by errors in some inf file
in the boot area which prevents the drive from booting. I think it
defaulted to booting off the hard drive on that first reboot whichseems to
be a mistake but I cant now get anywhere when I tell it to perform this
reboot off the CD-ROM beyond it gettin gto the XP screen with the three
balls slowly running across the screen followed by the error messages I
describe below telling me that it cant access the C drive OR the CD-ROM.

So It told me to try the recovery console from which I ran fixboot and
fixmbr and then chkdsk and then tried to install again (continue the
install, as I mentioned, off the CD).

Now it it telling me that it cant verify its C drive and (having booted off
the CD-ROM) says it can't get access to its CD-ROM which obviously isnt
true.

This is becoming baffling. It then sends the user on all sorts of obvious
wild goose chases such as copying the XP installation files to the hard disc
which I dont beleive would help (unless someone tells me differently and if
so, which files? I always used to copy 98 install files to a hard disc but
thought that XP was more complicated than this which is why I was surprised
to see Windows telling me to do this) The MS help page,
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;297185 also tells
me that the original 98SE install is still there which I also dont believe
as the drive wont boot adn all I get is an XP install screen followed after
about five seconds by the unmountable_boot_volume error message again
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Power off
Desktop:...Open the case and reseat the hard drive IDE ribbon cable at
both ends.
Laptop:... simply remove and reinsert the hard drive.
If that fails:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=297185
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=315403

Otherwise go to the website of the hard drive manufacturer and
download their hard drive diagnostics.

Do you have a hard drive overlay such as Max Blast?
Windows XP sometimes has issues with overlay software.
You may need to perform a Clean Installation without their overlay
software which is not needed anyway.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/


"My father's son" <myfathersson@nospam.rcn.com> wrote in message
news:40e57329$0$23329$61fed72c@news.rcn.com...
> Is there any reason why XP gives an unmountable_boot_volume error
message?
> There is something in a MS file about 80 pin UDMA cables working and
40 pin
> ones not working but as this is a reinstall of XP after a hard drive
failure
> (actually an upgrade from 98SE on this different 6 gig drive while I
am
> waiting for the Western Digital one to arrive) I suppose that is a
wild
> goose chase. Nothing in
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;314058 seems
to
> assist
>
> I can install but on the first reboot I get all sorts of error
messages
> commenced by unmountable_boot_volume and followed by errors in some
inf file
> in the boot area which prevents the drive from booting. I think it
> defaulted to booting off the hard drive on that first reboot
whichseems to
> be a mistake but I cant now get anywhere when I tell it to perform
this
> reboot off the CD-ROM beyond it gettin gto the XP screen with the
three
> balls slowly running across the screen followed by the error
messages I
> describe below telling me that it cant access the C drive OR the
CD-ROM.
>
> So It told me to try the recovery console from which I ran fixboot
and
> fixmbr and then chkdsk and then tried to install again (continue the
> install, as I mentioned, off the CD).
>
> Now it it telling me that it cant verify its C drive and (having
booted off
> the CD-ROM) says it can't get access to its CD-ROM which obviously
isnt
> true.
>
> This is becoming baffling. It then sends the user on all sorts of
obvious
> wild goose chases such as copying the XP installation files to the
hard disc
> which I dont beleive would help (unless someone tells me differently
and if
> so, which files? I always used to copy 98 install files to a hard
disc but
> thought that XP was more complicated than this which is why I was
surprised
> to see Windows telling me to do this) The MS help page,
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;297185 also
tells
> me that the original 98SE install is still there which I also dont
believe
> as the drive wont boot adn all I get is an XP install screen
followed after
> about five seconds by the unmountable_boot_volume error message
again