Windows XP XP Pro On Dell Inspiron Laptop Not Loading - Error Message Showing

[Jay Adam]

Hi,

My brother has got a Dell Inspiron Laptop that has got Windows XP Professional installed on it (existing XP not recently installed or anything).

The laptop has been working fine up until today.....

When he starts the laptop, rather than XP loading up as normal and the desktop showing, a blue screen appears and shows the following message:


A problem has been detected and windows has been shutdown to prevent harm to your computer.

UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME

If this is the first you've seen this stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps:

Check to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed. If this is a new installation, ask your hardware or software manufacturer for any windows updates you might need.

If problems continue, disable or remove any newly installed hardware or software. Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing. If you need Safe Mode to remove or disable components, restart your computer, press F8 to select Advanced Startup Options, and then select Safe Mode.

Technical information:

*** STOP: 0x000000ED ( 0X82AF8B80, 0xC0000006, 0x00000000, 0x00000000 )



*My brother hasn't installed any new hardware or software recently. I think he only downloaded Internet Explorer updates last week, and the laptop was working fine.


Any suggestions please on what we could try to resolve this preferably without losing any files etc?


Thank you!

 

[Silverhazesurfer]

Unmountable Boot Volume
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555302

http://www.ozzu.com/mswindows-forum/windows-problem-unmountable-boot-volume-t19892.html

http://www.williammaloney.com/Misc/UnmountableBootVolume.htm


Google is awesome.

 

[kasam]

try formatting it again

 

[clydeartwork]

1. If you say that you did not install anything on the laptop, then try to boot it in safe mode by rebooting your laptop and pressing F8 until you see a window that gives an option to boot in safe mode. If you manage to boot, then download and install any antimalwarebyte software (you can get it from this link below
http://download.cnet.com/3001-8022_4-10804572.html?spi=a157ea698995c0f3cf7b7d98716f6a07

Install it and run a full scan, then reboot after scanning and update your antivirus and run a full scan with your antivirus software

2. If you do not manage to boot in safe mode (if you get the same problem), follow the link below and download Error Rescue Disk from Microsoft Site or any other site and burn it to a disk. Then boot with the disk, it has so many administrative tools that will help you to fix your sick harddrive. But i would advice you to use "EXPLORER" in the menu and get into your Hard drive and copy all the information that you will need to any removable media, then you can restart the laptop and probably re-format it with your preferable operating system

NOTE: When you are downloading the ERD make sure you download the one for your current operating system.

This should take you out of your misery

 

[clydeartwork]

Hey i forgot to give you the link where you can download ERD, here is the link

http://www.windows7download.com/free-win7-erd/