SO I think I know what I did to cause this problem (using a third party
defragger with a SATA HD without having a hotfix that I didn't know about
until I had the problem...see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941715/en)

but now every time I try to boot it just says "disk read error" and "press
ctrl-alt-del to reboot"

The weird thing is that I can mount the HD in an external enclosure and
browse all the files. I can get into the recovery console and it sees the
installation. I can run chkdsk. I can run a repair install. Nonw of this has
worked though, still "disk read error". As a last resort I tried fixboot and
fixmbr, but still nothing. I've run several diagnostic programs that detect
no problems with the hard drive. Is there any hope other than
reformat/reinstall?

Since you can read the data but not boot from it, I suggest you get
everything off that you want, buy a new hd and trash the old one, as this
could be a hardware related issue, I once had an older hd that failed in an
older pc, (wouldn't boot) but would boot in the newer pc, it failed after a
few months in the newer pc, refusing to boot.

"heath allyn" wrote:

> SO I think I know what I did to cause this problem (using a third party
> defragger with a SATA HD without having a hotfix that I didn't know about
> until I had the problem...see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941715/en)
>
> but now every time I try to boot it just says "disk read error" and "press
> ctrl-alt-del to reboot"
>
> The weird thing is that I can mount the HD in an external enclosure and
> browse all the files. I can get into the recovery console and it sees the
> installation. I can run chkdsk. I can run a repair install. Nonw of this has
> worked though, still "disk read error". As a last resort I tried fixboot and
> fixmbr, but still nothing. I've run several diagnostic programs that detect
> no problems with the hard drive. Is there any hope other than
> reformat/reinstall?

Re-enter recovery console,type:Listsvc Scroll thru the services & write
down anything related to that diskdefrag software,once thru,exit,type:
Disable Follow the directions to disable the service(s),once thru,type:
Fixboot Type:CHKDSK C: /R C: being the hd.Once thru,type:EXIT Let xp
start,if it wont,at pc start,tap F8 key,select safe mode,enter as
administrator.
Also,in recovery,typing:HELP Gets info,also read kb307654

"heath allyn" wrote:

> SO I think I know what I did to cause this problem (using a third party
> defragger with a SATA HD without having a hotfix that I didn't know about
> until I had the problem...see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941715/en)
>
> but now every time I try to boot it just says "disk read error" and "press
> ctrl-alt-del to reboot"
>
> The weird thing is that I can mount the HD in an external enclosure and
> browse all the files. I can get into the recovery console and it sees the
> installation. I can run chkdsk. I can run a repair install. Nonw of this has
> worked though, still "disk read error". As a last resort I tried fixboot and
> fixmbr, but still nothing. I've run several diagnostic programs that detect
> no problems with the hard drive. Is there any hope other than
> reformat/reinstall?