Master File Table Corruption

[rainmommy]

Hello,
My master file table is corrupt on my D:Recovery drive since March. CHKDSK from windows or startup disks couldn't repair. D: drive cannot be accessed through My Computer. Blue screens of various kinds are now popping up in the last 2 weeks. No new software or hardware have been installed, only updates for security and windows. Testdisk confirmed structure was OK on C: and D: but couldn't repair MFT corruption today. Should/could I reformat from the startup disks completely before a crash? Would that be worth the while if the hard drive is failing of which I have read MFT corruption is a good indicator. Should/could I reformat D: only, being that it is Recovery and continue to trouble shoot C: for the blue screens? When I right cick D: and click format, there is an option to return device to default settings. Would this be helpful? I want to act now before anything gets beyond help. C: is operating fine after the initial occasional freeze and blue screens. There is no data to be saved as this is used for internet only. Specs: Gateway GT5628 desktop, 3 1/2 years old, Windows Vista 32bit heavily used 24/7.

 

[apache_lives]

test your hardware thats always the FIRST thing

memtest
prime
furmark
seatools / wd dlg

 

[monkeysweat]

disconnect D: troubleshoot C: is how I would start. if you are still having blue screens, reformat and reinstall since you have no other info on that drive, if you still have blue screens, you may have a hardware problem and will need to know what screens you are getting.

I had a gateway when P/S was failing, got new p/s, all good !

best thing to do is to isolate 1 problem first.

as for the D: drive, when you have C: fixed,
if you have done Type "chkdsk d: /r" and press "Enter"

perhaps try getting a live CD of Ubuntu and see if you can access the D: drive, for some reason I have better luck with linux than windows with some difficult access issues, backup as much as you can as you will probably have to reformat D:

I couldn't tell you for sure what is wrong with D: but you can try a program such as Hard drive setinel, which can read your SMART data and maybe tell you what is happening,, if it is all good, perhaps you had some virus or something that trashed your MFT and from reformatting C: already, it should be gone --- maybe even from the blue screen & freezes it could have been in middle of writing something and caused the fatal error.