corrupted Master File Table- please help!

New system? Sounds like either your bios settings changed on the hard drive causing it to fail reading the correct boot record, or you've got data corruption issues. Google the Ultimate Boot CD, burn it and run memtest86, on top of that the disk happens to have hard drive utilities to do some checking and repairing.

Replace the HDD cable. If the drive is under warranty RMA it. What power supply have you got in your PC?

Have you tried using an old school win98 boot disk.... and in dos type fdisk/mbr that will clear the master boot record.

If you have all your software, I like to reinstall the OS. Then reinstall your programs. Get your computer like you want it, then make a ghost image of it just in case.

AgentQuag

agentquag has the right idea. and if that doesnt work theres a long convoluted process to repair it using a set of windows 2000 boot floppies search microsofts sight about your problem i guarantee your not the only person having the problem. It is recoverable unless the drive itself is damaged or misconfigured. there are 2 copies of the fat table by default so it should be recoverable.

In XP (I know you have Vista) you can go in to Recovery Mode which is a command line interface where you can type "fixmbr" and "fixboot". This might help you out if Vista has the same kind of option.

You're not the first with an MFT problem:
http://help.lockergnome.com/general/Hdd-Master-File-Tab...

Stop.

The original poster has a problem with the Master File Table (MFT). NOT the Master Boot Record (MBR). Those are two very different things.

Running fdisk /mbr, fixmbr, or fixboot will likely make the disk unbootable, and will not do anything to fix his actual problem, which is probably a hard disk that's going bad.

Stop trying to do anything with this disk until you are ready to attempt a data recovery. I recommend:

1. You take the disk out of this computer and install it as a second drive in another machine.
2. Run the manufacturer's diagnostics on the drive to determine if the drive is bad.
3. Once it confirms it is, download and run GetDataBack for NTFS. If that identifies your files, you'll be able to pay for the software and recover them on the 2nd machine.
4. Then RMA the bad drive.

The fact that the chkdsk failed to fix the corrupted MFT indicates a high probability of a failing drive.

Agreed, a corrupted MFT is a good sign that the drive is going bad.

Problem on external HD
Error source: Hard Disk Manager
Error code: 0x10018
My external HDD have 3 partitions and the first have this problem the other two work properly without any problem. I try several things but without any success to fix the problem on the first partition – on the end I decide not losing any more time and run the Active File Recovery 7.5.1 – all data recovered and transferred to another Disk – mission successful
Do not losing any time to fix this problem – rescue the data and format the Disk

mvisionmk@yahoo.com

hey. you're about 2 years too late, but in case you're wondering, the problem manifested itself shortly afterwards in the most unexpected place:

the f*cking CPU!

yup. about a week after posting for help here, the CPU- an AMD Athlon 64 X2 3200- completely died. the problem- and I've forgotten how I deduced this now- had something to do with the CPU receiving extra voltage (I had it overclocked by 200 Mhz); soon enough, the RAM controller went bad, thus making the RAM go wonky, causing problems with anything stored in the RAM for use: Windows, special files, video games, movies, internet browsers, etc..

so, the CPU died, and because I was busy with school, I let my computer sit for approximately 9 months collecting dust. sometime in early January, I ordered a new (Intel) CPU, CPU fan, power supply (I thought I could use the previous PSU, but the motherboard required a newer power connector), ASUS motherboard, G.Skill memory, and case. I had all of that installed and working by the time the new semester started, and I haven't had a single issue with my computer since then.

oh, and here's the real kicker: I'm using the same hard drives; and I haven't had a problem with them at all.  

...Um, not at all, my drive is in perfect condition physically and just has a corrupted MFT, and chkdsk says "Windows was unable to complete the disk check" so no.

I wanted to know if there is some way to recover the data?... I 'm having the same problem with one of my partitions.