NTFS Partition Problem

[John]

Hi all,

Let me explain what my problem is:

I have a laptop with a 60 gig hard disk (with one 60 gig primary boot
NTFS partition). I was trying to use PartitionMagic to resize the
drive to 30 gig, and then I was going to create another 30g partition
to store my applications on. Unfortunately I never got to the second
step. After PM completed the first step and rebooted my machine,
Windows XP showed its startup screen, flashed a quick error message
(couldn't make out what it was) and then would reboot again.

I tried all the options on the Boot menu including Last Known Good
Configuration, they all had the same effect (rebooting, back to menu).
So I booted the laptop to the Windows XP Recovery console and stupidly
typed 'fixboot' and 'fixmbr' which made things worse. It changed my
boot partition to a FAT partition instead of an NTFS partition. Now my
computer would not boot at all.

Looking at the drive in PartitionMagic shows it to have two
partitions:
1) FAT
Size MB: 15.7
Used MB: 6.7
Unused MB: 3.4
Status: Active

2) Unallocated
Size MB: 57215.9
Used MB: 0.0
Unused MB: 0.0
Status: None

Yes, yes I know it's my fault for not having a proper backup, but is
there anything I can do?

Any advice/help much appreciated.

Thanks
John

 

[Guest]

Now instead of getting the 30GB you endded up with a 20,if thats
acceptable,boot to xp cd,install xp,new copy,delete the prior partition,
create,install xp,it'll then reformat the primary leaving the other alone.
After,boot to xp cd,recovery,at cmd screen typeiskPart this will show
partitions,if acceptable,esc.,then type:FORMAT D: /FS:ntfs D: being
the unnalocated partition.

 

[Zvi Netiv]

Let me explain what my problem is:

I have a laptop with a 60 gig hard disk (with one 60 gig primary boot
NTFS partition). I was trying to use PartitionMagic to resize the
drive to 30 gig, and then I was going to create another 30g partition
to store my applications on. Unfortunately I never got to the second
step. After PM completed the first step and rebooted my machine,
Windows XP showed its startup screen, flashed a quick error message
(couldn't make out what it was) and then would reboot again.

I tried all the options on the Boot menu including Last Known Good
Configuration, they all had the same effect (rebooting, back to menu).
So I booted the laptop to the Windows XP Recovery console and stupidly
typed 'fixboot' and 'fixmbr' which made things worse. It changed my
boot partition to a FAT partition instead of an NTFS partition. Now my
computer would not boot at all.

Looking at the drive in PartitionMagic shows it to have two
partitions:
1) FAT
Size MB: 15.7
Used MB: 6.7
Unused MB: 3.4
Status: Active

The FAT of that temporary FAT partition overwrote part of the MFT of the
original NTFS partition.

2) Unallocated
Size MB: 57215.9
Used MB: 0.0
Unused MB: 0.0
Status: None

Yes, yes I know it's my fault for not having a proper backup, but is
there anything I can do?

Any advice/help much appreciated.

Try the following: Get RESQDISK from www.resq.co.il/resq.php and prepare a RESQ
work floppy as explained in the self extract welcome message.

Boot of the RESQ floppy and run RESQDISK /REBUILD /NTFS, reject all extended
partitions that RESQDISK finds in the scan, let it rewrite the MBR to disk and
reboot, still from the RESQ disk.

Check now for the NTFS boot sector (press F7 when in RESQDISK). If the boot
sector isn't NTFS and doesn't cover the entire drive capacity then you can
restore the original boot sector from its mirror at the end of the NTFS
partition (press ^P, then the End key and you should see it). The boot sector
backup should be restored to CHS 011.

When done, reboot to the repair console and you should be able to fix the damage
left with standard repair tools.

Regards, Zvi