G
Guest
First, I'm not trying to post multiple copies of this query. I origianlly
posted this on the WIN Media Center OS by accident. I'm running XP Pro.
I got the cited message a week or so ago and came here and did a search.
The respondents to other similar queries seemed to indicate that my hard
drive had gone bad (after checking that there was not a disk in the drive,
etc.) I ran Seagate’s HDD diagnostics and it says that the drive is okay.
So this leads me to probably a software problem (e.g., my XP Pro). I also
ran a software download called GetDataBack which allows you to see if there
is readable data on the HDD by installing it as a slave in an operating
computer. I can see my data. Also, Device Manager says that the drive is
operating normally, but clicking on the “Properties†tab shows no capacity (0
GB used 0GB available).
Before purchasing the GDB software and getting data back (but not programs)
I'd like to try a few more tricks, since the next step after attempting to
get data off the drive is to reformat it and reinstall windows. I have a few
questions:
1. Of course my first question is whether any of you computer experts can
lead me down a road to a solution. I'm at the point of doing whatever might
work since my next steps will lose my data/programs anyway.
2 Is there any chance that performing a Windows utility might repair the
drive? I’ve already tried the “Repair†utility on the XP setup CD. It found
some bad sectors and said that it repaired them, but I continue to get the
cited error message with every boot try. Maybe I have a damaged MBR? Is
there some way to check that out, or would that give a different error
message?
3 Should I reinstall XP? At this point, the computer is not even getting to
the OS. I get the message right after the BIOS screen.
4 I have Norton SystemWorks and have kept my virus definitions up-to-date.
I did a virus check and no viruses were found. Is there a Norton utility
that will help?
5 Would you recommend a data recovery utility other than GDB? The software
costs $50 and seems a little squirly. Maybe it’s because I’m using the free
download that only checks data availability, but it freezes my machine after
finding the data (the HDD continues to churn away using all available system
memory).
Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks.
posted this on the WIN Media Center OS by accident. I'm running XP Pro.
I got the cited message a week or so ago and came here and did a search.
The respondents to other similar queries seemed to indicate that my hard
drive had gone bad (after checking that there was not a disk in the drive,
etc.) I ran Seagate’s HDD diagnostics and it says that the drive is okay.
So this leads me to probably a software problem (e.g., my XP Pro). I also
ran a software download called GetDataBack which allows you to see if there
is readable data on the HDD by installing it as a slave in an operating
computer. I can see my data. Also, Device Manager says that the drive is
operating normally, but clicking on the “Properties†tab shows no capacity (0
GB used 0GB available).
Before purchasing the GDB software and getting data back (but not programs)
I'd like to try a few more tricks, since the next step after attempting to
get data off the drive is to reformat it and reinstall windows. I have a few
questions:
1. Of course my first question is whether any of you computer experts can
lead me down a road to a solution. I'm at the point of doing whatever might
work since my next steps will lose my data/programs anyway.
2 Is there any chance that performing a Windows utility might repair the
drive? I’ve already tried the “Repair†utility on the XP setup CD. It found
some bad sectors and said that it repaired them, but I continue to get the
cited error message with every boot try. Maybe I have a damaged MBR? Is
there some way to check that out, or would that give a different error
message?
3 Should I reinstall XP? At this point, the computer is not even getting to
the OS. I get the message right after the BIOS screen.
4 I have Norton SystemWorks and have kept my virus definitions up-to-date.
I did a virus check and no viruses were found. Is there a Norton utility
that will help?
5 Would you recommend a data recovery utility other than GDB? The software
costs $50 and seems a little squirly. Maybe it’s because I’m using the free
download that only checks data availability, but it freezes my machine after
finding the data (the HDD continues to churn away using all available system
memory).
Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks.