Unmountable_Boot_Volume

[dawnoffatex]

My laptop currently doesn't start properly, and defaults to the blue screen of death for about 1 second. I managed to pick up that the error is unmountable_boot_volume. From what I gather, it means a portion of the data on the drive is corrupted, and essentially it's windows saving itself. It will not start in safe mode, or any other configuration.

My question is, what should I do now? Does the drive have to be wiped, or can it be possible to save it? Can I pull the HD and transfer its contents onto another HD? aka how screwed am I.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[raincityboy]

You can put the Windows install disc in, and try to do a repair.

 

[dawnoffatex]

Are we talking like 2 files corrupted, or whole directories you think? What are the odds it will repair as well? I googled it and read that much, I just don't have my install disc handy. :\

 

[raincityboy]

Another option would be to remove the drive, and hook it up through an external enclosure.
example
From there you could either pull off the files you need, or image the drive.

 

[dawnoffatex]

and what I do with that is hook the laptop drive up to it, USB - - > desktop and then browse the drive as if it was an external hard drive? If so , that's awesome and a great alternative if I can't get it worked. Thanks!

 

[mrbill14]

I've had this happen on several occasions here at work... Most of the times it's a simple error that Windows can't get past. (Replaced several HDD's before I figured it out.)

Boot up with your favorite Disk utility (mine is Partition Magic 8), run a scan on the HDD for errors. Hopefully it will find one and fix it.

"Your mileage may vary..." Good luck!

 

[dawnoffatex]

ok, so I followed the instructions @ http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=297185

I tried the scan disk option, and the fixboot option - and neither helped.

What else can I do? How can I boot with a disk utility, i've never done something like that. The computer is inoperable atm.

Will I still be able to access the HD with an external enclosure?

 

[mrbill14]

When I say, "you have to boot up with a disk utility", I mean, boot up with a bootable diskette. Of coure, you have to make sure your BIOS is set to boot from floppy first (then CD-ROM, then HDD) <--- that's my boot order.

Once you boot from the floppy (Partition Magic guides you through making bootable floppies), Partition Magic will start and you can scan for errors.

If you don't have a favorite disk utility, PM me... I might be able to help you out.

You will need a working PC to make the bootable floppies.

 

[raincityboy]

Originally posted by: dawnoffatex
ok, so I followed the instructions @ http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=297185

I tried the scan disk option, and the fixboot option - and neither helped.

What else can I do? How can I boot with a disk utility, i've never done something like that. The computer is inoperable atm.

Will I still be able to access the HD with an external enclosure?

Your link says to do a repair with your win XP disc...
Yes, you should be able to access it through an external enclosure.

 

[dawnoffatex]

rain, I know. Thats what I had done. I found my winXP disc here. Despite that, the microsoft fix did not work.

Mr bill, pm sent and ty.

 

[mrbill14]

PM sent back.

Need to e-mail you some diskette images.

 

[mrbill14]

Sent you some diskette images (PM81.exe and PM82.exe).

Please rename as Google GMail doesn't allow .exe to be sent/attached.

Boot up using floppy, run Partition Magic, run "check disk for errors" (or whatever). That should clear the "dirty flag" that has been set on that HDD.

That clears the problem you stated in 99% of the cases I've run across.

If not, there are some other (bigger) problems with that HDD. Something that an easy fix won't cure.

 

[dawnoffatex]

Ok, multiple problems.

1 - The laptop doesn't have a floppy drive. I attempted to write the files to CD and boot from the CD, however it acted as if I had just booted from HD (read: same error)

2 - Both .exe's seem to contain the same exact files despite the different size. I extracted them both to floppys, then attempted to write the data to a CD, but it just overwrites

3- I can't alter the files in any way because they are "in use" on my computer even after restart : \

 

[mrbill14]

Hmmm.... being without a floppy would be bad news.

You can't "just" put these files on a CD. Because the names are the same (on the diskettes) it doesn't work that way.

Unforunately, I don't have a bootable CD version of Partition Magic.

These bootable diskettes are unique in the way they boot up. If I remember correctly, PM uses DR-DOS (instead of MS-DOS).

I don't understand the "can't alter the files" part... What are you trying to alter? The files I sent you??? Don't know why those would be in use when you are looking at them on a floppy...

Or is it the EXE's that are locked? If that's the case, you can use Winimage to break them apart (to look at them). You can always go into Safe Mode and delete them off your system (you'd still be able to re-download them from you GMail account).

Partition Magic just what I've used before... I'm sure any commerical disk utility would do what you need to do (scan for errors).

 

[dawnoffatex]

could I just an external floppy drive and then follow the normal directions? (I may not be able to, because of USB not being loaded so figured i'd ask)

 

[mrbill14]

If the laptop is new enough, the USB will supported by the BIOS and will be able to boot from the external USB floppy. It would have to be fairly new (<6 months to a 1year).

I have Hiren's Boot CD that has Partition Magic on it. It's about 62MB though. I'd have to RAR (zip) it up, split it into several <10MB chunks (as that's the maximum size for GMail attachments).

You could re-assemble everything on your side, burn the iso to CD, then boot from that.

 

[mrbill14]

You've got mail...

 

[dawnoffatex]

the bootable cd fles you sent worked like a charm. Laptop fixed after I worked my away around all the options. You're the man, I appreciate the help tons : )

 

[mrbill14]

Good to hear!

Yeah... I've seen a few of these HD's come up with "Unmountable Boot Volume" and discovered that it (basically) is an error (or flag) on the HD that needs to be cleared (with some kind of disk utility). Windows CHKDSK won't clear that error.

Once you check the HD for errors and cleares that flag, the HD boots again. I think Partition Magic flags it as error 94 (if I remember correctly).

So... all your data and everything is intact (and bootable)???

Again, good to hear!

 

[dawnoffatex]

yes sir, no problems whatsoever. As far as I can tell, no important data was lost, no startup issues or anything. Thanks a million, that was over my head and your patience kicks ass

 

[slidern]

Hey!

I have this problem aswell. It all started after I installed Windows Vista Beta 2 clean, I tried it for a couple of days and then I wanted to remove it, I poped my Windows XP cd in and then I got this error, "Unmountable_Boot_Volume", I tried alot and searched the net, I tried everything I could read about it, but nothing worked. So I removed my both HDD and put in a new one, the same error comes up, I then put in my earlier HDD that was slave, I got the same error. Is there anything wrong with my ASUS P4S800 motherboard, or can it be the IDE-cable or what, I am going crazy. Is there anyway to use some software to check if the motherboard is ok?

Thanks in advance
/S

 

[vsandesh]

Dear Sir,
I have encountered same problem. Cud I get some help please? Thanks in advance.

 

[praynow36]

Mr. Bill and Dawnoffatex....

I also have same problems. I PM Mr. Bill for zip files as well. It would be terrific if you could help me too.

Thanks,

Rob

 

[mrbill14]

You've got mail (actually a PM)

I need an e-mail address...

 

[estyzesty]

hi i also have the same problem...

could i get zip files as well to make disks?