EMERGENCY. Computer Help Needed! - TranceAddict Forums

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-- EMERGENCY. Computer Help Needed!

Posted by Jer on May-05-2006 03:19:

EMERGENCY. Computer Help Needed!

Wow.. I feel so fucking helpless right now.

Here's the situation - I restarted my Notebook earlier this evening (for no reason other than to just restart it), and I left to get a drink. I came back up ten minutes later and saw my Notebook *still* rebooting. I thought this was REALLY odd.

It turns out that whenever it comes to my Windows startup (XP, just for information) it reboots. I can't even get it to start in Safe Mode, Safe Mode w/ Command Prompt, Last Known Good.. Anything.

I have my XP CD with me (thank Christ) and loaded it up. I was HOPING I could re-install XP on my D: Partition, get on there, get the stuff out and just start from scratch, but XP will not even allow that as apparently C: is unreadable. Fucking whatever.

So. I'm thinking there's a problem with either my MFT or my MBT. I've already reset my MBT (God help me) and it didn't do anything.

I have found close to fuck all on Google for this situation -

Is there anyone out there who might have any advice at all? I'm ready to die at the thought of losing nearly eight years of important documents, photos, etc.

FAO Those that warn me that I should back up often - I do. *THAT* Hard drive went tits up a week ago. I'm convinced I pissed off a Voodoo Priestess or something.

PLEASE HELP!!

~j

Posted by VERTiG0 on May-05-2006 03:20:

Hoooooboy just hope your MFT isn't fucked.

I really don't know what to do except flatten and reinstall.

Are you using Maxtor harddrives, by any chance? If so, use Seagate. Hell, if you're using ANYTHING BUT Seagate, use Seagate

Posted by magikb on May-05-2006 03:21:

do you have any external HD's on that the laptop could be trying to boot from instead?

That has happend to me in the past.

Posted by smuncky on May-05-2006 03:32:

u said u cant install xp on anohter partition...can u delete that partition and create a new one, if there is nothing important on it.

Posted by Jer on May-05-2006 03:33:

quote:
Originally posted by VERTiG0
Hoooooboy just hope your MFT isn't fucked.

See, I just felt a WAVE of Nausea. Thanks Cale.

I just Ran CHKDSK through recovery console - the Data is There. Just no Indexing to where all my shit is at!

quote:
do you have any external HD's on that the laptop could be trying to boot from instead?

That's a negatory, my good lady.

Posted by me@t k@tie on May-05-2006 03:36:

did you get XP onto your D: partition?

Posted by r5a on May-05-2006 03:37:

Use a Linux Live CD to try and read the HD? (for backing up)

Posted by Jer on May-05-2006 04:06:

quote:
Originally posted by me@t k@tie
did you get XP onto your D: partition?

Nope

Posted by nusty on May-05-2006 04:33:

as a last resort drivesavers in California can get the info all back for about $200 or so. I've had to use them once a very years back. They honor confidential material and have a reasonable turnaround time.

Posted by LKD on May-05-2006 04:40:

my desktop has had this issue for over a year now. it reboots halfway while booting up...so usually on the 3rd beep it ends up at the "start in safe mode blah blah....start windows normally"

it works fine...

its a bug in windows and i DID see a solution for it on the windows site....havent gotten down to doin it cos im just so lazy but yea just check it out....too lazy to get the link for u too...

if it reboots constantly, just check ur hardware...somethings not sitting right or just needs to be pulled out and put back in....thats what i tried when i had ur exact issue and it worked....hopefully thats the only problem

Posted by VERTiG0 on May-05-2006 04:44:

On a sidenote, is your laptop a Toshiba?

Posted by Jer on May-05-2006 04:46:

GOD BLESS CHKDSK /R

It worked. My MFT went loopy.

I am back in Business as if nothing had happened, and am buying a new Removable HD tomorrow.

I feel like the luckiest asshole on the planet!

Posted by VERTiG0 on May-05-2006 04:49:

quote:
Originally posted by Jer.
and am buying a new Removable HD tomorrow.

http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/28/...-up-hard-drive/

Posted by alefort on May-05-2006 14:57:

quote:
Originally posted by Jer.
GOD BLESS CHKDSK /R

It worked. My MFT went loopy.

I am back in Business as if nothing had happened, and am buying a new Removable HD tomorrow.

I feel like the luckiest asshole on the planet!

Yeah, in cases like this I've found that the easiest solution is:

1. Insert XP CD
2. Boot into the Recovery Console
3. Run CHKDSK /R
4. Run FIXBOOT (Enter YES to all prompts)
5. Restart

I've had to do this for loads of sales reps PCs, including quite a few VPs @ 3M....they were all shocked that it was restored withing 10 minutes.

ps: FIXBOOT simply rewrites the MBR.

Posted by AwakenedAddict on May-05-2006 15:04:

FYI, another solution to this problem could have been:

1. Remove laptop HD
2. Slave laptop HD to desktop HD
3. Transfer laptop HD data to desktop HD
4. Reformat laptop HD
5. Reinstall windows on laptop HD
6. Copy data back to laptop HD
7. Reinsert laptop HD
8. Hopefully everything works well

I did this when my primary HD crashed a couple years back.. Saved a ton of data that would have otherwise been lost.