My computer is ****ed.

[GottaHavePride]

Worked fine last night. This morning I turn it on and nothing. It boots to the screen asking me how I want to start Windows: safe mode, safe mode with networking, safe mode with command prompt, last known good configuration, and start windows normally.

All 5 options wind up booting back to the same screen. I rearranged boot priorities in the BIOS to force it to boot from my XP cd and went to the recovery utility - it found no valid windows installations on my computer.

I ran chkdsk /r and it found and repaired one error on my C drive. Then I ran bootconfig /scan again and it said "Error: Failed to successfully scan disk for Windows installations. This error may be due to a corrupt file system."

So: how ****ed is my computer, and what's the best way to fix it?

[shaun4411]

sounds like you have windows.

reformat and reinstall sounds about as easy and nightmare free as possible.

[olevetonahill]

I usually Just Point this at mine http://www.dreadgazebo.com/gunporn/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/smith_wesson_highway_3.jpg
Tell it to straighten up
If that don't work I call Flag :D

[yermom]

boot from a Linux live CD and see if you can read partitions there

if the BIOS is new enough you could also do it from a flash drive...

http://lifehacker.com/391067/fedora-9-puts-your-desktop-on-a-usb-drive

[GottaHavePride]

Hmmmm. I don't know if it will let me boot from USB or not. Worth a shot I guess.

I have two drives in the pc - would it be easier to just swap their locations and do a windows install on what is D: right now, then retrieve any files I need off C: and just reformat the damn thing? Currently my D: drive is just backup storage.

[mdklatt]

That's weird that you get the Windows boot menu, but yet the Windows partition can't be found? I guess that menu is on the boot sector. Have there been any signs that the hard drive is acting up? Usually you start having problems for awhile before it goes altogether. Have you recently experienced a power failure--recently as in the last time the computer was working? A power failure during a disk write can screw things up pretty bad.

[mdklatt]

would it be easier to just swap their locations and do a windows install on what is D: right now, then retrieve any files I need off C: and just reformat the damn thing?

Yes, assuming you don't need anything on D: of course.

[yermom]

Hmmmm. I don't know if it will let me boot from USB or not. Worth a shot I guess.

I have two drives in the pc - would it be easier to just swap their locations and do a windows install on what is D: right now, then retrieve any files I need off C: and just reformat the damn thing? Currently my D: drive is just backup storage.

you can also install on the same partition in another directory, like Windows2 or something and still see the same files, just don't reformat the drive during setup. assuming the partition/drive isn't hosed.

if you can't see it in setup, that would be bad...

[Turd_Ferguson]

Proper ****ed?

[Frozen Sooner]

Maybe it was ze Germans.

[GottaHavePride]

I'll wait and see if I can get the Linux usb boot to work so I can see my files. If the files on C are gone I'll just reformat and reinstall. I don't think there was anthing irreplaceable on C. All my Sweden pics are still on my camera.

No, I hadn't been having any hard drive problems before. I left for a week and a half, came back and it worked fine last night - iTunes and Quicktime downloaded a new version and updated last night, then this morning the computer was completely borked.

[StoopTroup]

I'm pretty sure it was the German's that hacked my avatar.

[mdklatt]

iTunes and Quicktime downloaded a new version and updated last night, then this morning the computer was completely borked

I certainly wouldn't assume that's just a coincidence. Maybe crawl around some Apple forums to see if somebody else had a similar problem. But even so, I think the only solution is going to be a reinstall.

[GottaHavePride]

Yeah, I think it was probably the iTunes / Quicktime crap, too. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find any info on other people having this specific problem.

[SoonerStormchaser]

GHP, you did what TUSooner suggested in his user title, didn't you?

[GottaHavePride]

OK, I successfully booted my computer off the flash drive. However, I can't get the Linux to recognize my wireless network adapter. And without a network, I can't add the software to get Linux to read my two NTFS drives. So I'm just going to pull the drive, pop it in my dad's computer, get my files off the computer, and then just reformat / reinstall.

Plus side, my computer had probably been needing a clean reinstall anyway.

[yermom]

wireless on a desktop?

eww

anyway, yeah. the wireless people need to opensource their crap. it's freaking lame that it doesn't work right with Linux like the old stuff does

[GottaHavePride]

Well, we've got a lot of computers in this house, and they're inconveniently located. Wireless is easier, if slower. Argh.

[Curly Bill]

I usually Just Point this at mine http://www.dreadgazebo.com/gunporn/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/smith_wesson_highway_3.jpg
Tell it to straighten up
If that don't work I call Flag :D

Josh Jarboe? Is that you? :D

[soonerboomer93]

Worked fine last night. This morning I turn it on and nothing. It boots to the screen asking me how I want to start Windows: safe mode, safe mode with networking, safe mode with command prompt, last known good configuration, and start windows normally.

All 5 options wind up booting back to the same screen. I rearranged boot priorities in the BIOS to force it to boot from my XP cd and went to the recovery utility - it found no valid windows installations on my computer.

I ran chkdsk /r and it found and repaired one error on my C drive. Then I ran bootconfig /scan again and it said "Error: Failed to successfully scan disk for Windows installations. This error may be due to a corrupt file system."

So: how ****ed is my computer, and what's the best way to fix it?

boot from the disk and then you might be able to do the recovery mode

[GottaHavePride]

I booted from the disk and got to recovery mode - it couldn't identify an installation of Windows to repair.
http://ohnolookoutitsaraygun.com/argh-Picard.jpg


Anyway, I plugged the drive in my dad's computer and copied the My Documents folder out. My hard drive is currently formatting for a clean install right now.

[aurorasooner]

I booted from the disk and got to recovery mode - it couldn't identify an installation of Windows to repair.
Anyway, I plugged the drive in my dad's computer and copied the My Documents folder out. My hard drive is currently formatting for a clean install right now.This has saved my butt several times. ATI,Paragon,Norton Ghost, all worth the money in these days of 'net nasties or if you like to experiment with new software/freeware.
http://www.acronis.co.kr/i/thumbnail/article/2004-06-21-barryrigs-trueimage.jpg

[stoops the eternal pimp]

ultimate boot cd works for me in these trying times

[GottaHavePride]

Hard drive was going bad. Just gave me an error message that the S.M.A.R.T. status is bad. My new 500Gb Western Digital hard drive is formatting as we speak.

While I was at it, I picked up a gigabit ethernet adapter.

Oh, and a USB wireless N adapter. Rock.

[GottaHavePride]

Up and running again. Hell yeah.

[proud gonzo]

woo!