Is windows missing a file, or hard drive faliure?

[defused]

The other day my little brother turn off my computer, but im pretty sure he didnt know what he was doing. Thus, now when ever I boot up I get a error stating, "Error loading operating system". So I made that hard drive a slave in another one of my computers and I tried to view the files and it keeps on prompting me to format the drive. Can I put the windows xp cd and try to repair windows?

Cliffs
1. When ever I boot up, I get a error stating, "Error loading operating system".
2. If I put the windows xp cd, can I salvage my hard drive
3. Put hard drive in another computer and it promts me to format it?

 

[Some1ne]

Can I put the windows xp cd and try to repair windows?

Yes, assuming that the drive itself is not physically damaged, you can either access a recovery console and try to fix things manually, perform a "rescue installation" (installs over your current Windows install and tries to fix things, wipes out some settings but keeps others), or perform a new Windows install without formatting the drive (installs Windows fresh, wiping out all settings, but keeping most/all data).

 

[defused]

When I go to recovery console, how do I perform a "rescue installation"?

Also I tried to put the windows cd in and it recognizes the partition but it says the partition is too full, or damaged. Windows must format this partition. Last time I checked I think I had a gigatbyte or two left of free space.

 

[wpshooter]

Defused:

Did you try to see if you could start the old computer & drive in safe mode ?

 

[wpshooter]

Defused:

PS - I noticed also, that you said that the drive has one or two GB unused. Unless, that is a very old & small drive, that is a very little open space on a drive (which can cause problems). In my opinion, you should not run a drive at over 50% capacity and not over 75% at the outside.

 

[crimson117]

What is the OS on your old computer? If it's not Win2K or XP, then it can't read NTFS-formatted hard drives.

 

[defused]

wpshooter - Computer wont go to safe mode, because when it posts, its gives a error stating , "error loading o/s.
Also the drive is about 160gb, i'll kinda fell back on my usually scheduel of backing up my data

crimson117-Both computers are running windows xp

There is tons files from that hard drive that I really need, if all else fails, how much would it cost to take it to a professional place to transfter my files over?

 

[John P]

Does the Win XP CD "see" the Windows installation on the hard drive, i.e. - give you the option to repair your windows installation?

If not, you are most likely hosed. Try to run a hard drive diagnostics on it to see if the drive is good or bad.

If you can't reinstall windows then throw it in again as slave and use File Scavenger 3.0 or similar software to recover any files you may need off the hard drive.

If the hard drive diagnostics show it good and you don't need any more files off the drive then go ahead and reformat the drive and reload windows from scratch.

Good luck.

 

[defused]

Originally posted by: John P.
Does the Win XP CD "see" the Windows installation on the hard drive, i.e. - give you the option to repair your windows installation?

When I put the XP CD in, is see another partition of space but its states that the partiton is full or damamged and it needs to be reformatted.

 

[John P]

When I put the XP CD in, is see another partition of space but its states that the partiton is full or damamged and it needs to be reformatted.

I have had that problem before also and I have no idea how to recover from it except to do as I stated above. Don't reformat without recovering any files you may need from it. File Scavenger 3.0 can be dowloaded for free and will show you any files that can be recovered - you have to pay for it to actually recover the files.

While you have it set to slave run a hard drive diagnostics on the drive, it should tell you if the drive is bad or not.

Computers can be fun. Good luck.

 

[defused]

Ok I took a last attempt, and ran the recovery console, and it worked!! It boot up for a minute but then it would it would randomly restart. Then I put the windows xp cd in and used the repair console. Tried to go to the recovery console again, but it asked my for an administrator password? I can figure it out I typed in admin, but no luck, is there so universal password for these kinds of things?

 

[Some1ne]

Did you try a blank password? That's always worked for me on Windows installs when I needed to log in as the admin.

 

[defused]

It was weird I was using the recovery console, so I was in dos, but I'll give it a try.