Tech Support Forum - View Single Post - After Windows Re-Install

Danny21UK · 12-18-2007, 03:53 AM

Hi there,

This is first time I am using this site, but I have read the instructions and hope some nice person can help…

Last week for absolutely no reason at all, I powered-up my 5 year-old laptop and was greeted with “Disk Read Error. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to restart”.

After trying that many times and searching the web for answers, I decided to try a Windows recovery from the Recovery Console.

And it worked.

Except that every single thing that was on my hard drive is gone. Files, Programs, Media – all gone.

I know what you’re thinking: “He formatted his harddrive”. But I didn’t!
When I was given the option in the Recovery Console to Format or just install without formatting, I chose the former but almost as soon as it started, I cancelled it. Then I reloaded the console and then chose to Install without formatting.

A full-format was never done. Could a short, cancelled format (less than 10%) wipe the whole drive?!

Maybe you can shed some light on this issue.

I’d appreciate it. Details of the system are below:

OPERATING SYSTEM (OS):

WIN XP on a COMPAQ PRESARIO 2100

- Were there recent crashes that could have caused this problem? NO

- Did you install new software recently? If this is the case: Which software? (Brand, version, build) NO

- Did you do any of the following:
- Run a scan with an updated anti-virus program? NO, I don’t have an antivirus program
- Run a scan with an updated anti-Trojan program? NO, don’t have one of those either!
- Run anti-spyware scans with at least two freshly updated anti-spyware programs? (If so, which ones?) NO, don’t have one of those either!

12-18-2007, 03:53 AM	#1 (permalink)
Danny21UK Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 2 OS: WIN XP SP1	After Windows Re-Install - Whole Harddrive Dissappeared! Hi there, This is first time I am using this site, but I have read the instructions and hope some nice person can help… Last week for absolutely no reason at all, I powered-up my 5 year-old laptop and was greeted with “Disk Read Error. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to restart”. After trying that many times and searching the web for answers, I decided to try a Windows recovery from the Recovery Console. And it worked. Except that every single thing that was on my hard drive is gone. Files, Programs, Media – all gone. I know what you’re thinking: “He formatted his harddrive”. But I didn’t! When I was given the option in the Recovery Console to Format or just install without formatting, I chose the former but almost as soon as it started, I cancelled it. Then I reloaded the console and then chose to Install without formatting. A full-format was never done. Could a short, cancelled format (less than 10%) wipe the whole drive?! Maybe you can shed some light on this issue. I’d appreciate it. Details of the system are below: OPERATING SYSTEM (OS): WIN XP on a COMPAQ PRESARIO 2100 - Were there recent crashes that could have caused this problem? NO - Did you install new software recently? If this is the case: Which software? (Brand, version, build) NO - Did you do any of the following: - Run a scan with an updated anti-virus program? NO, I don’t have an antivirus program - Run a scan with an updated anti-Trojan program? NO, don’t have one of those either! - Run anti-spyware scans with at least two freshly updated anti-spyware programs? (If so, which ones?) NO, don’t have one of those either!