Inaccessible_Boot_Device

[Gordon Biggar]

I just updated my system with Microsoft's latest Automatic Update. On
rebooting, I ran into the above error message. Further, it says to "check
for viruses." (How one does that when one can't boot the machine is a
mystery...) I run anti-virus software, and I have not encountered any
viruses in months. It also says to run CHKDSK /F to check for disk
corruption. (I think that the corruption is in Microsoft's Update.)

I tried to start up in SAFE mode , and in the Last Known Good Configuration,
but I end up back at the error message screen.

Help!

Gordon Biggar
Houston,Texas

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I just updated my system with Microsoft's latest Automatic Update. On
rebooting, I ran into the above error message. Further, it says to "check
for viruses." (How one does that when one can't boot the machine is a
mystery...) I run anti-virus software, and I have not encountered any
viruses in months. It also says to run CHKDSK /F to check for disk
corruption. (I think that the corruption is in Microsoft's Update.)

I tried to start up in SAFE mode , and in the Last Known Good
Configuration, but I end up back at the error message screen.

Help!

Gordon Biggar
Houston,Texas

It sounds like your registry has been damaged by something. Unless you have
a recent backup of your registry files, a "Repair Installation" is probably
your only chance to recover your Windows installation. To start the process
you need to do this:
1. Instruct your BIOS to use the CD drive as its primary boot device.
2. Boot the machine with your Win2000 CD.
3. Select "Repair" when prompted.
4. Install Windows over the top of the existing installation.

 

[Gordon Biggar]

I selected the emergency repair process "R" option (instead of recovery
console - C).

"Setup has determined that drive C is corrupted and cannot be repaired.
Setup cannot continue."

Does this imply that I have lost everything? bad hard drive?

I have a D drive installed that I believe is bootable. Perhaps I could
switch drives, and attempt to copy folders/files to an external hard drive.

GB




(e-mail address removed)> wrote in message

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

It may well be that either your disk or your file system has a major
problem. If this was my own machine then I would do this:

1. Download and run the diagnostic program that the disk manufacturer has on
his site. This test is non-destructive.
2. Connect the disk as a slave disk to some other Win2000/XP machine and
copy all files that are not already backed up.
3. Boot the machine with the Win2000 CD into the Recovery Console, then run
chkdsk. This test could be destructive.

The event demonstrates that it is absolutely essential to back up all
important files regularly, e.g. weekly, to an independent storage medium. A
2.5" disk in an external USB case costs little and has a large amount of
backup capacity. Much better than to wait until the horse has bolted (or
perhaps stumbled and dropped dead . . .).

 

[Sid Elbow]

I just updated my system with Microsoft's latest Automatic Update. On
rebooting, I ran into the above error message. Further, it says to
"check for viruses." (How one does that when one can't boot the machine
is a mystery...) I run anti-virus software, and I have not encountered
any viruses in months. It also says to run CHKDSK /F to check for disk
corruption. (I think that the corruption is in Microsoft's Update.)

I tried to start up in SAFE mode , and in the Last Known Good
Configuration, but I end up back at the error message screen.

Help!

What you do is you restore the backup you made just before doing the
update (and just in case something went wrong).

Yes, I realise I'm probably being a little tongue-in-cheek (and
apologise) but this really is a fact of life. It is *so* trivial to make
a backup using a USB-HD and Ghost or similar software.

And for many of us it isn't necessary to get involved in complex,
regular, incremental backup routines. Just make a full backup when
appropriate such as before running Windows Update or installing a new
application. Or simply when enough time has passed that restoring a
backup would turn the clock back a bit far. It helps if you keep data
such as emails etc somewhere other than the boot partition.

Incidentally, many (most?) AV programs have an option the make an
emergency floppy to allow you to scan if you can't boot. You do need to
keep it up to date though.

 

[Gordon Biggar]

Before your reply came in, I decided to re-run the repair procedure. This
time I chose C for recovery console. I was confronted with a mind-boggling
(to me) list of options. Since the original error had to do with an
"inaccessible boot device," I selected Fixboot. Darned if the computer
didn't boot successfully when I rebooted. (Beginners luck...)

I don't want to turn the computer off before backing up all of my files.
Maybe I was just lucky? or, maybe there are more surprises to come.

I do a total disk backup to an external CD about every three months (takes
about six hours); I back up common data files every couple of weeks. Is
there a written procedure posted somewhere that explains what I would have
to do to restore files to a failed disk (e.g., boot to a floppy, format the
entire disk, install Windows 2000, etc.?).

Will keep you posted. Thanks for your very responsive assistance.

GGB

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Strange. The "fixboot" command will restore the Windows boot environment.
The "Inaccessible boot device" message occurs much later, well after the
initial boot process has completed. It is often generated when the HAL
(Hardware Abstraction Layer) had detected a problem, e.g. when an existing
Windows installation is ported to a different PC.

Re-installing Windows is simple: Boot the machine with your Win2000 CD,
allow the disk to be partitioned and formatted, then follow the clues.

When backing up your files, remember to back up your EMail files too. And
don't forget that untested backup files are close to worthless.

 

[Gordon Biggar]

I have a laptop that uses a Vista platform. Am I able to take files (NTFS)
backed up from my desktop (Windows 2000) and restore them to the laptop, or
don't Windows 2000 and Vista speak to each other?

Gordon

 

[Sid Elbow]

I have a laptop that uses a Vista platform. Am I able to take files
(NTFS) backed up from my desktop (Windows 2000) and restore them to the
laptop, or don't Windows 2000 and Vista speak to each other?

You'll probably get a more definitive answer from one of the MVP's but
my feeling is that it depends what you mean by "files". If you mean a
complete windows installation image or a windows application then, no it
wouldn't generally be possible.

If you mean data files (pictures, word-files, text-files etc) - that
were backup up as individual files as opposed to an image - then yes,
there should be no problem. In fact, under those circumstances it
shouldn't matter whether the original files were on an NTFS or FAT
partition since it's only the data that moves not the underlying format.

Actually, it might even be possible to take an image of a complete data
partition from a Win2K machine and restore it to a Vista machine (as a
new partition). The Vista machine would need to have enough free,
unpartitioned space to create the new partition though.

I see Pegasus also mentioned the USB-HD drive route to backups. I would
strongly urge you to investigate this route. Backing up to CD's is a
lengthy, fiddly process where you have to stay around to change discs.
It's even longer if you want to verify the backup (as you should if it's
critical). This means that, being human, you probably tend not to do it
nearly as often as you should. It's so much easier with the USB-HD that
it's no trouble to do a backup anytime ... to be on the safe side.

I personally prefer to use a 3.5" drive rather than the laptop-size
since my gut-feel says the larger drives are perhaps more reliable and
my wallet says they are definitely less expensive - especially the
larger drives. And size isn't an issue for me - it doesn't need to be
that portable. But it's a matter of personal preference and usage.

 

[DaffyD®]

I use Acronis True Image Home to save an image of my hard drive to an
external every week or so. Is this an effective method for backing up the
hard drive should it go south?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

This is an effective method. However, to be really sure that it works you
should test it, e.g. by asking your friendly computer dealer for the a of a
hard disk to be used for a trial restoration.