Re-formatting while saving current C drive data?

[Liz]

Hey all, I need some MAJOR help. A few days ago my system (Windows XP
Home) crapped out on me...think its due to a corrupted operating system.
Anyway, I have my Recovery CD from Compaq and when my system recognizes it,
I can select from the following options.

1. Emergency Diskette (Save diskette for future use if Windows will not
start.)
2. User Backup (User backup will backup the contents of your C: drive.)
3. No User Image found (Please perform a user backup before attempting a
user restore.)
4. Factory Restore (Returns your computer to its original factory
condition.)
5. Exit

I CANNOT lose my stuff on my C drive! Normally I'd select factory restore
and everything would be just peachy but I need my stuff on my C drive (well,
actually everything in My Documents and some of my Program Files), so I'm
clueless as to what I should do. I tried selecting option 2 but when the
green screen with the grey SystemSave window comes up, I get an error
message that says: "Error #1534 Cluster cross-linked or not allocated". I
click enter, then another error message comes up saying: "Error #501
Cross-linked files were found". Then it just shuts down and a blue window
appears telling me to remove the recovery CD and to shut off my machine.

ANY help would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

 

[PA20Pilot]

Hi Liz,

Try taking the drive out of your computer and hooking it up as a slave
in a different box just long enough to try to copy your info off it.

If you're able to save your info elsewhere it'll take a lot of pressure
off in attempting different resolves of your real problems.


---==X={}=X==---


Jim Self
AVIATION ANIMATION, the internet's largest depository.
http://avanimation.avsupport.com

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Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)
Technical Counselor