WinXP cmd prompt boot disk

[snicolitsi]

Hi All,

I'm looking for a method to create a windows xp boot disk that will
boot to a command prompt and enable me to read an NTFS hdd.

Booting with any other method gives me a STOP:0x00000024 blue screen.
Using the 6 winxp startup floppies is no different from booting via the
winxp disk. You get to the step in setup where it asks you to "install
winxp" or "repair an existing installation". After that step it blue
screens.

Creating an ms-dos startup disk from the "format a:" menu gets me to a
command prompt, but i don't have chkdsk available and i can't even
switch to the c: drive.

Any advice ? Would greatly appreciate it as this seems to be a simple
ntfs problem where something has gone screwy with the config files on
the drive.

Cheers...

 

[Rock]

Hi All,

I'm looking for a method to create a windows xp boot disk that will
boot to a command prompt and enable me to read an NTFS hdd.

Booting with any other method gives me a STOP:0x00000024 blue screen.
Using the 6 winxp startup floppies is no different from booting via the
winxp disk. You get to the step in setup where it asks you to "install
winxp" or "repair an existing installation". After that step it blue
screens.

Creating an ms-dos startup disk from the "format a:" menu gets me to a
command prompt, but i don't have chkdsk available and i can't even
switch to the c: drive.

Any advice ? Would greatly appreciate it as this seems to be a simple
ntfs problem where something has gone screwy with the config files on
the drive.

Cheers...

Can you boot from the windows XP installation CD and get into the
recovery console? Take the first R for repair. Type in the password
assigned to the built in administrator account - or assume it's blank if
you didn't assign one - and hit enter. Then do a chkdsk /p.

If you can't get in that way you can slave it in another XP computer and
run chkdsk /r on it. If you can read the drive, first try to backup all
essential data before trying the chkdsk.

A third option is to try Bart's PE:
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

 

[snicolitsi]

Unfortunately i'm unable to get past the repair screen. That is where
it bluescreens.

Yeah, it's a laptop harddrive so slaving it to another computer is a
bit of a pain. My cousin has agreed to by an external 2.5" usb case so
we can plug his laptop hdd in it and access it from my desktop pc.
We'll backup and then run the chkdsk.

Are there laptop to IDE converters? That might be a cheaper option.

 

[Rock]

Unfortunately i'm unable to get past the repair screen. That is where
it bluescreens.

Yeah, it's a laptop harddrive so slaving it to another computer is a
bit of a pain. My cousin has agreed to by an external 2.5" usb case so
we can plug his laptop hdd in it and access it from my desktop pc.
We'll backup and then run the chkdsk.

Are there laptop to IDE converters? That might be a cheaper option.

Yes I think there are.

 

[Rodger_B]

If you only want to read the NTFS partitions, try NTFS Reader for Dos;

http://www.ntfs.com/

If you want to read and write, there is NTFSDOS Pro but it can only be
bought in a package and is very expensive;

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/ntfsdospro.shtml

 

[Rodger_B]

Here is a better link - look down the page for;

NTFSDOS v 3.02 - Read only

NTFSDOS Pro v 4.01 - Read/Write but trial version is Read only.

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/utilities.shtml

 

[Rodger_B]

The one you want is NTFSDOS Pro - dowload the files and run NTFSProR.exe to
install the program on your computer.
Then make a MS-Dos Boot disk and run BootDisk.exe from the NTFS Pro folder
to add the required files to the MS-Dos Boot Disk plus 2 other floppy disks.
You can now boot with Disk 1 to an A:\ prompt.
You then have to run NTFSPRO.EXE.
Another way is to make an Autoexec.bat file, using Notepad, and insert the
command line NTFSPRO.EXE, to run it automatically.
The program will call for Disk 2, when required, and then mount the NTFS
drives.
They can then be accessed from the A:\ prompt by entering the drive letter.

Good luck,

 

[snicolitsi]

Cheers. I actually tried NTFSDOS (not pro) last night and it detected
the NTFS partition and mounted it. Problem is that i still can't run
chkdsk on the drive. I might try your way and see how i go. I don't
like my chances though because the underlying version of MS-DOS is
still the same and for some reason, chkdsk doesn't like that version of
DOS.

I'll let you know how i go.

 

[Rodger_B]

I'm sorry if I misunderstood you. NTFSDOS Pro will not allow you to run
chkdsk unless you bought the full read/write version.
Perhaps if you made a new thread about chkdsk you might get a better
response.
Some of the MS-MVPs should be able to help.

 

[Rodger_B]

A few more details might help - eg Windows version - and what you are trying
to achieve - eg run chkdsk
Type of computer - Desktop or laptop?
Anything else that might be relevant.




--
Rodger_B.......... from a land down under - Sydney, Australia.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I'm looking for a method to create a windows xp boot disk that will
boot to a command prompt and enable me to read an NTFS hdd.

You should be able to boot the CD and take the immediate R option. See
topic in Help and support - search on "Recovery Console Commands"
(include the quotes) for the commands available there

 

[snicolitsi]

Unfortunately, it is after i choose the R option (or any other option
for that matter) when the blue screen occurs. So any method thus far
bar booting to a command prompt hasn't worked.

 

[snicolitsi]

Windows Version: WindowsXP
Type of Computer: Laptop
Data: want to save as much as possible therefore a disk format is not
an option
Achieve: To run chkdsk on the hdd and hopefully clear up the error
causing the bluescreen.

I might start a new thread with chkdsk in the heading.

Thanks for all your help.

 

[Rodger_B]

Thanks - I still think a new thread is called for - they get buried here
very quickly! <s>
I have heard of people having problems with running chkdsk but I don't know
the answer.
I also have Windows XP and I can run chkdsk in Windows but I have not tried
it from a boot disk.
It could be a problem with the MS-Dos version in Windows XP.
Lastly, NTFSDOS Pro includes a program NTFSCHK (on Disk 3) but I'm not sure
what it does.
I can't run it - I get an error message " Insufficient extended memory".

Good luck, Rodger_B

 

[Rodger_B]

PS - I have found that I can run CHKDSK from "Safe Mode with Command
Prompt" - on my computer I press F8 on startup to get a menu. It's the
nearest thing to DOS that I can find and may be all you need.

 

[Rodger_B]

Here is another way to run CHKDSK - Open a command prompt and type it in
with either the /f or /r parameters hit enter and it will run on reboot.

I also found how to run NTFSCHK from the NTFSDOS Pro boot disks.
Do not use an Autoexec.bat file to run NTFSDOS because when it loads it uses
all the available extended memory.
Instead run it from the A:\ prompt using Disk 1.
Now, if you want to run NTFSCHK, then boot with Disk 1.
Then remove it and insert Disk 3 and enter NTFSCHK at the A:\ prompt.

 

[Rodger_B]

PS - NTFSDOS Pro is a waste of time unless you buy the full read/write
version because it will read okay but you can't fix anything.
Stick with CHKDSK.

 

[Rock]

Unfortunately, it is after i choose the R option (or any other option
for that matter) when the blue screen occurs. So any method thus far
bar booting to a command prompt hasn't worked.

As I posted previously another option is to use the Bart's PE.

 

[Rodger_B]

Hi Rock - I thought that our friend may not have a Bart's PE Builder CD. As
I do, I thought that I would try it for him.

CHKDSK will run but with the /f or /r parameter it will only run on restart
which it can't do using PE Builder.

 

[Rodger_B]

I tried adding chkdsk.exe to my MS-Dos boot disk.
Error message - "This program cannot be run in DOS mode."

There seems to be only 3 ways to run CHKDSK;

1. From a DOS window, in Windows - with /f or /r parameters - will only run
on restart.
2. Use "Error Checking" - My Computer>right click
drive>Properties>Tools>Error checking - still CHKDSK.
3. Advanced Startup Options menu (F8 on Startup) - "Safe Mode with Command
Prompt."