BSOD then NTLDR missing

[FrPSh]

Hey guys,

My brother has a copy of XP Media Center Edition on his older system, and he started getting the BSOD with the Unmountable_Boot_Volume problem. This seems to be somewhat common, and what people recommend is putting in your XP cd, going to the install menu, and choosing R-Repair. Then when you're in the console, you type in chkdsk /p and then fixboot.

I tried all this, but whenever I did chkdsk it said something like "there are one or more unrecoverable issues with the drive". I did fixmbr, and this did nothing, I also did the fixboot thing, and this seemed to change something. Now when I do chkdsk /p, it shows the stats of the drive, but I still cannot get into windows.

NOW (after doing the fixboot thing), whenever I start up the comp, it goes through the motherboard fine, but then, right where it would show the Windows XP loading screen, it simply says something along the lines of "NTLDR Missing. Hit any key to restart." Before I did anything in the repair console, it would at least show the XP loading screen before giving a blue screen.
Now it's like the hard drive is erased or something - the computer doesn't see any operating system on the HD.
I also tried this hard drive in another computer to see if it was something else, but it still showed the same error. So it is definitely something to do with the hard drive.

Any idea what I did and if I can still recover this drive?

FrPSh

 

[badge]

My brother has a copy of XP Media Center Edition on his older system, and he started getting the BSOD with the Unmountable_Boot_Volume problem.

This means the hard drive has failed. You will need to replace it.

 

[soundguruman]

Hey guys,

My brother has a copy of XP Media Center Edition on his older system, and he started getting the BSOD with the Unmountable_Boot_Volume problem. This seems to be somewhat common, and what people recommend is putting in your XP cd, going to the install menu, and choosing R-Repair. Then when you're in the console, you type in chkdsk /p and then fixboot.

I tried all this, but whenever I did chkdsk it said something like "there are one or more unrecoverable issues with the drive". I did fixmbr, and this did nothing, I also did the fixboot thing, and this seemed to change something. Now when I do chkdsk /p, it shows the stats of the drive, but I still cannot get into windows.

NOW (after doing the fixboot thing), whenever I start up the comp, it goes through the motherboard fine, but then, right where it would show the Windows XP loading screen, it simply says something along the lines of "NTLDR Missing. Hit any key to restart." Before I did anything in the repair console, it would at least show the XP loading screen before giving a blue screen.
Now it's like the hard drive is erased or something - the computer doesn't see any operating system on the HD.
I also tried this hard drive in another computer to see if it was something else, but it still showed the same error. So it is definitely something to do with the hard drive.

Any idea what I did and if I can still recover this drive?

FrPSh

Put in the CD, start the computer, let the install start, don't go to the repair console, folow through for an install, select repair existing installation instead of reformatting the drive, when it gives you the option. It will reinstall without reformatting or erasing the files. It will reload the drivers and set the configuration over again. That usually fixes it, unless it's really screwed up
OR try to start the system in safe mode, if it starts go to system restore, set the date of the drive back to a time before the problem started.
OR go into the bios setup, see if there is an option to halt on: no errors. depends on the bios.

 

[badge]

I also tried this hard drive in another computer to see if it was something else, but it still showed the same error. So it is definitely something to do with the hard drive

.

The drive has failed. More specifically the drive's controller has failed. Using the XP installation CD to perform a repair installation as suggested is useless. Reaching Safe Mode is not possible because the drive is no longer operable. The suggestion to go into BIOS and set to halt on no errors is the default setting. You would have had to set manually before the problem to have the system halt when an error was detected. The chances of retrieving any of the information on the drive at this point is none. If the information is critical, you could by a new hard drive, the exact model, and hire someone or a company to replace the drive's controller and possibly get the information off the drive that way.

 

[soundguruman]

mmmmm...well, I have seen disk check screw up as many drives as it has fixed, and therefore, I would try to repair install as above, not using the repair console, at least one more time. There could still be a chance that it could be salvaged, and the files could be recovered.
If not I would install the drive as a second drive on a working XP computer, use the functional XP to pull personal files off the bad drive, before trashing it.
You still might be able to recover personal files, at least, and make a backup using that method. I would not be ready to give up yet without another try.

 

[FrPSh]

Well I think I did try the repair thing a couple of times already.

I just now tried just going through the installation of XP from the CD, and it gets to a certain percent (maybe finishes - I missed it) and then the computer just shuts off and restarts. So the drive seems to be failing when you try to install an OS on it also. It definitely looks like it's dead.

I'll plug it into another system with XP and see if it can read anything. Although I probably destroyed any hope of that when I tried reinstalling the Operating System.

 

[soundguruman]

If you did a repair install instead of a fresh install, the personal files are still on the disk, and using a functioning XP system, you can install the bad drive as a second drive on another computer, access the bad drive, and many times recover the personal files. I have done this myself, and succeeded in recovering personal files from a damaged drive. I can't guarantee it will always work but it's worth a try.
If you reformatted the drive instead of a repair install, then you likely lost the personal files, unfortunately.
Again this is the old lesson learned...that we should always make a backup of our personal files, because a crash could happen to anyone at any time.

 

[badge]

If you did a repair install instead of a fresh install, the personal files are still on the disk, and using a functioning XP system, you can install the bad drive as a second drive on another computer, access the bad drive, and many times recover the personal files. I have done this myself, and succeeded in recovering personal files from a damaged drive. I can't guarantee it will always work but it's worth a try.

Even a seasoned nOOb would realize by now, it ain't gonna happen. The drive has failed. When plugged in as a second drive, it will fail. No files are coming off a doorstop. Take a break.

If you reformatted the drive instead of a repair install, then you likely lost the personal files, unfortunately.
Again this is the old lesson learned...that we should always make a backup of our personal files, because a crash could happen to anyone at any time

LMAO. OP did not format the hard drive and cause the loss of the files. The drive failed lame brain. :lol:

 

[badge]

@ soundguruman in the future please refrain from butting in when I am helping someone on the forum. You do nothing more than confuse the situation and spread FUD. You certainly aren't helping anyone in this thread you tried to hijack with your drivvle. Thanks in advance.

 

[soundguruman]

I'm so sorry, but since I answered his post first, long before you did, I was not aware you owned Tom's hardware; my obvious intrusion on your exclusive territory. We should all get off Tom's and let you answer all the posts yourself, after all the only person qualified here is your highness.

 

[badge]

I'm so sorry, but since I answered his post first, long before you did, I was not aware you owned Tom's hardware

I answered OP's question with the correct solution. Then you butted in with your incoherent drivvle which confused, not help. Check it. For a nOOb, you are especially naive.

my obvious intrusion on your exclusive territory.

Your input into this thread and to OP has been and remains useless. A far as the Windows XP forum, your mouth has done nothing but write checks your ass can't cash.

We should all get off Tom's and let you answer all the posts yourself, after all the only person qualified here is your highness.

I don't know if I should condemn you for your stupidity or marvel at your ability to form words.

 

[soundguruman]

In the last several months there have been many computers brought here which other professionals declared crashed and un-fixable, we fixed every one of them, and recovered every un-recoverable file.

In my last 35 years of working on electrical electronics, I have heard much doom and gloom, and have taken much verbal abuse from egotistical assholes. There's a couple things I have learned in all this...never assume that what anybody tells you is un-fixable-- is really un-fixable, never give up on something when there is one more chance to hope, never assume that there is only one way to get results. Keeping that in mind, it quite often works successfully.

Now it may turn out that files are not recoverable, that drives are un-fixable, but I will maintain the satisfaction of giving it the full effort. When somebody tells me that something is impossible, that's when I get to work on it.

Giving up before the last chance is tried assures failure. Determination and perseverance make the impossible possible.

 

[badge]

In the last several months there have been many computers brought here which other professionals declared crashed and un-fixable, we fixed every one of them, and recovered every un-recoverable file.

In my last 35 years of working on electrical electronics, I have heard much doom and gloom, and have taken much verbal abuse from egotistical assholes. There's a couple things I have learned in all this...never assume that what anybody tells you is un-fixable-- is really un-fixable, never give up on something when there is one more chance to hope, never assume that there is only one way to get results. Keeping that in mind, it quite often works successfully.

Now it may turn out that files are not recoverable, that drives are un-fixable, but I will maintain the satisfaction of giving it the full effort. When somebody tells me that something is impossible, that's when I get to work on it.

Giving up before the last chance is tried assures failure. Determination and perseverance make the impossible possible.

I pictured you living in your parent's basement. Your experience with electrical electronics has laid the foundation for the idea your mother may take you back if you shut up carrying on about your bad self and behave.