Windows Won't Boot, I need the files on the hard drive, what do I do?

Question

When I try to start the computer up, it runs fine. It gets to the Windows logo, loads a little, and the moment when it should be going to the login window, it restarts the entire process again. Also, it flashes a blue screen from time to time just before it reboots.

Now..., here's the problem. I've tried to repair it with the Windows disk, but it doesn't recognized an OS on the hard drive. Says it's Unkown. I fixed the bootsector and I'm hesitant to fix the MBR because of the warning it gives (IE May screw up the partitions). I ran CHKDSK and it won't complete. It seems to stop at 50% and I have to restart the computer.

We really don't want to lose the files on the hard drive, so I decided that I could save them by moving them to another hard drive, but when I try to see what files are the folders, it takes forever before finally telling me "an error occurred during directory enumeration."

Is there any way to save the files? And is there a way to fix the OS w/o reinstalling?

Answer 1

Could be any number of issues; virus, Trojan, spyware, hardware problems.



Will it boot in Safe Mode? http://www.google.com/search?q=boot%20to%20Safe%20mode&sourceid=groowe&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8



Will it boot from the CD?



Place HD in another computer as a salve; http://www.google.com/search?q=recover%20files%20as%20slave%20hd&sourceid=groowe&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8



10 things you can do when Windows XP won't boot; http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10877_11-6031733.html



http://www.google.com/search?q=windows%20won't%20load&sourceid=groowe&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8



It is always better to have backed-up your files before the OS goes South. Recover lost files; http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=recover+files&spell=1



Start your research here; http://www.google.com/search?q=windows%20keeps%20rebooting&sourceid=groowe&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8



Make it a great day!

Answer 2

This is tricky because it sounds like your hard drive has gone bad. They go from time to time and unfortunately when this happens, if you did not back up your files, all is lost. Have you tried starting the computer in "safe mode"? If not, while the computer is starting, hit F10 (I think...one of the F's) and select a safe mode start up. This might get you past the error. Otherwise, and I work on PC's everyday, your documents may be lost.



Some ideas: Remember that you may have some of these files in your emails that you sent in the past. If we are talking about alot of files (music, video) then this most likely is not the case. Also, last resort, you can try to stick this drive in another computer, however I think that the problem is the drive itself. But no hurt in trying. The last solution, though pricey, is to take it to a professional and see what they say. If they can do it, I would love to read the answer in your repost.



Good luck. Invest in an external hard drive in the future so your files are saved in more than one place.

Answer 3

I can't tell the best way to proceed based on your info.



If chkdsk stalls at 50%, it may be doing exactly what it is supposed to do. It may be finding good sectors then copying file fragments to sector by sector, trying to rebuild damaged files. The process could take hours, especially for a large hd.



"IE may screw up the partitions"? Internet Explorer, your browser gave this warning?



Anyway, here's my best guess.



1) When you run the Windows installation CD OR the Emergency Repair Disk, you should see the choice to REPAIR THE PREVIOUS INSTALLATION or create a fresh installation. First try to repair. If the hard disk is not failing, this could work. In any case, it won't make things worse than they already are.



2) Get a boot CD. Here's an example.

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:I0jEpbcXjCkJ:www.ultimatebootcd.com/feedback.html+hirens+boot+cd&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=5



3) Try to recover damaged data with Spinrite by Gibson Research.

http://www.grc.com/sr/spinrite.htm



4) Install the questionable hard disk in ANOTHER COMPUTER as a slave drive. If it works as a second drive, copy the valuable data.



5) Find a data recovery service. It is common to pay $1000 for someone to disassemble the drive in a clean room.



Good luck,

- CarlD



Good luck,

- CarlD

Answer 4

UH-OH!!

The dreaded "Blue-Screen Of DEATH!!"

You got a good bug, and some of the trojans, and worms are really, really good at hindering you from copying your precious files without actually sweeping and clearing, and most of all destroying the perpetrator. Good Luck with that.

You should probably start preparing for the 'Day Of Mourning' for your beloved saved files.

It would appear as though you can either spend the rest of your days searching forums and info sites in some hope that you will be able to partition your drives, or eliminate this bug, but it seems as though you will inevitably have to do the ..."TUM-TUM-TUUUMMMMM!!!!!"

"Complete Destructive System Recovery".

If you've been janking around as I'm sure you have trying to miraculously save your stuff, thereby making things even worse, and you have problems like you described, I can only say this.

ALWAYS BACKUP YOUR STUFF! And save everything to disk or by whatever means outside of your PC, because THIS can happen to you, and now you know it for certain.

I don't mean to be preachy or cruel in any way, because I learned the hard way too. Most of us have.

If you can locate the scum in your registry, you are a computer genius, and they need you in the government.

Even if you locate it, it already has tentacles squiggling all about into other areas of your HD, lying in wait to resurrect itself.

Get a good photographic visual of all of those things you're about to dump, and save them in your mind's buffer, and go for the complete system recovery. It's the only way to be sure.

It's always nice to have a clean house anyway, and after all, stuff is just stuff. You can't take it with you, so stress it off, and get on with it. Feel bad about it later.

Get those disks out, line them up, unplug everything, and recover your system before this thing causes the smoke to come out of the back of your PC.

The smoke needs to remain inside your computer. If it comes out, with it goes life. Leave the smoke in. It is your PCs lifeblood.

Make as many notes of URLs and faves as you can.

Or you can take it to the Geeks and pay them 85 bucks an hour to sweep and clear.

Up to you. Good Luck, and I feel ya', bro.



Nad

Answer 5

You could try bootdisk.com where you can get an ms-dos boot disk with support for NTFS file systems. Boot from thet and you should be able to copy files or run chkdsk to fix the problems on the faulty disk.



You should also read about the term "backup" and protect yourself from this type of event in the future

Answer 6

UPDATE: So you installed the 2nd drive.. Are you sure you got your master and slave jumpers on each drive correctly? IF you did you can try some data recovery software now that you have a working operating system on the new drive... Heres a beginners guide for data recovery.. DONT TRY REINSTALLING WINDOWS ON THAT OLD DRIVE YOU MAY WRITE OVER YOUR DATA....my email [e-mail] to get you help faster....

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1139

Answer 7

i have a similar problem with u. what it did was ,i took out my harddisk/drv and plug it into another computer as a slave drive this time then transfer my files to an external harddrv before reformatting it.