XP can't boot to safe mode and C: drive turns empty

[zhixin_han]

Hi,

After powered down from a frozen Windows. Windows XP can't even boot to
safe mode and keeps rebooting. I used the repair console and found that
all the files and folders on the C: drive are gone (listed as empty).

I have tried using CHKDSK and FIXBOOT.

Would you help and tell me what I should do next to restore the
files/folder and Windows?

Thanks a lot.


Zhixin

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

Sounds like the drive or the file table is damaged. First thing I would
recommend is that you remove the drive from the machine and insert it in
another, then make an image of it to preserve anything that might be there.

Next, run a drive diagnostic tool on it to see if the drive is damaged.

If so, use forensic tools (easily found undelete freeware) to try and
recover what data you can.

If not, then try to recover the drive using something like testdisk from
cgsecurity.org or mbrwork from terabyteunlimited.com.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[zhixin_han]

Hi Rick:

Got your point and thanks a lot. Please see my reply in
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general.

Regards,

Zhixin