zaknafein72

Hello. Before I get to the problem, here are my specs:

Emachines T6425

Windows xp sp2
Anthlon Xp 3500+
200g hard drive
1 gig ram
Antec earthwatts 430w psu
xfx 8600gt


I was recently using my computer during a small storm. My surge protector beeped, and the pc restarted; this has happened several times before. However, this time, on reset, the computer displayed this message:

The file windows\system32\ntfs.sys is missing or corrupted (it might not have been quite this wording, but it was that file.)

The computer then asked if I wanted to press r for recovery. I did, but the computer then just restarted; however, it froze within 2 minutes. Since this incident last night, the computer starts up without issue, displaying no message about missing system files. However, it either freezes or restarts within 5 minutes of startup. I am at a loss of what to do; I think I have the original recovery disk supplied to my computer if that is necessary.

If any other information is required, please ask.

Thanks so much in advance for any help!

ThorXP

Give this a try:

Completely by accident (in the 'man' page for some file system command), I discovered a command 'fixntfs'. I ran this from the command console on the unmounted problem drive**, and it took about 10 seconds to find and fix a problem with the windows drive. I reset, and took the LiveCD out. Windows did a chkdsk, then booted up normally... problem solved

* A linux operating system on a CD that doesn't need to use a hard drive - http://www.knopper.net/knoppix-mirrors/ , download the .iso for your language, then burn to CD and boot from it.

** The problem drive will have been automatically mounted by Knoppix on bootup, and will be on the desktop. It will have a name something like '/dev/hda1' - this is the name the command console will recognize. Open the command console, and enter 'umount /dev/hda1' (replace 'hda1' with whatever your drive got called). Then enter 'fixntfs /dev/hda1'. It should find and fix a problem. Shut down using the 'log off' bit of the knoppix 'start' button equivalent.

__________________


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zaknafein72

is "umount" the correct phrase to use, or is it "unmount" in the command console? Sorry, I've never worked with linux, so I'm new at this, but I'll give it a try. Thanks.

zaknafein72

I did what you asked, but the operation failed. The text said that the drive was corrupt and a chkdsk was required.

(Btw, the real command is ntfsfix; fixntfs does not exist. Also, a thread from another forum seemed to indicate that this command does not help all that much; chkdsk is much more appropriate, and that linux cds should not be used to operate on ntfs file systems. I don't know enough to evaluate whether that is true, but I decided to stop trying to use linux to repair the system.)

However, I did gain one useful thing from running the linux distro: the data on the drive seems to be intact. I could look through all of the files I had stored on the drive, and they seem to all be listed, with their correct file sizes. When I tried to play files such as music and view pictures, they were intact.

So, the question is: what do I do now? The computer still fails to run correctly-- although it does not display any error messages upon startup, it freezes or restarts within 5 minutes after the desktop appears and programs start to load. I would run chkdsk to see if it found anything, but I don't have a windows xp cd, since my computer was an oem that came with windows preinstalled (I know, bad idea. I'll never buy a computer again that comes without install disks.)

I always have the option of doing a system recovery and installing the os again on another partition, but I don't want to do that if it can be avoided. What would you guys suggest? Any ideas of what the problem could be, and what could solve it?

zaknafein72

Well, I booted my computer from the HD about 30 minutes ago. Seems to be working fine for some reason; I even ran chkdsk and there are no errors. I'll see if the problem pops up again, but things look pretty good. Thanks for the help though, guys!

zaknafein72

Hello all. Several weeks ago, I posted regarding a problem I had been having with frequent system lockups in the WinXP forum here:

http://www.techsupportforum.com/microsoft-support/windows-xp-support/246082-continuous-restarts-w-missing-system-file-please-help.html

(I would have reposted in that thread, but I think the problem is probably hardware related.)

I thought that the problem had been resolved. However, it is still present. I can turn on my computer, and it usually boots and loads my desktop and programs. I can open and use programs and my data is all there. However, the computer freezes. When this happens is extremely variable; sometimes within one minute, sometimes not for a whole day. After a freeze, when I shut down the computer, it often refuses to boot at all; the fans whirr and the light goes on, but the monitor does not recognize the output. However, a day later, the computer boots successfully.

I have no idea what the problem is, but I think it is probably hardware related. The hard disk passed a chkdsk, so it is probably not the drive. Temperatures (according to speedfan) also seem right where they should be. If anyone has any utility programs I could install to try to diagnose a problem, I can sometimes access the desktop, so this is a possibility. I am at a loss-- why are my problems so varied? If anyone has any ideas, please post!

InfernalSolo

Your monitor not showing input could be one of two causes. Either your computer really isn't booting, or it boots but your video card (or onboard chipset) is not functioning properly. I notice that in your previous thread you stated that the problem started when you received a power surge during a storm (even though you had a surge protector, they sometimes do not protect against a surge caused by a lightning strike). It could have damaged your power supply. Try using a different power supply in your system and see if it fixes the problem.

A damaged power supply cannot supply enough power to the entire system, thus your video card may not be receiving enough power on some occasions.

zaknafein72

Hmm...this is a possibility. However, my computer still boots some of the time, and even runs for hours with no problems. Could a damaged PSU sometimes fail to boot the computer but sometimes run the same computer for hours?

Pharaohz

I agree with the power supply replacement. It could even be that a fan on the powersupply may even be going out and at times just stops and lets the PS get to hot and it will shut the computer off when that happens. And being the first in line to take a hit from the lightning could, as said, could of damaged it enough to make it not work right. If you take the PS into somewhere to get checked like a computer store, let them know what kinda hardware you are using in your computer. It may also be, if you have upgraded say a video card, you are in need of a bigger PS. Good luck

zaknafein72

Thanks for the advice guys. You are probably right...it's probably the PSU. It's sort of annoying, because I got this psu when I upgraded my video card on my oem machine (it's an antec earthwatts 430w, enough to run my 8600gt). My system has been running stable on it for over 6 months, but now with the power surge...you're probably right. Although PSU problems seem to be the current consensus, does anyone else have other suggestions?

zaknafein72

Oh, and since I can often access my desktop and use programs, I was wondering: is there any software diagnostic tool that I could download, use and run to try to figure out if my PSU is working correctly? If so, that would be a godsend.

InfernalSolo

There are not very many other things that I can think of that would make the computer boot (or at least have its fans running) but the monitor receives no signal. I suppose that, being plugged into the wall as well, the monitor could have been damaged as is failing at times. However, I have seen power supplies damaged much easier than monitors as they are more fragile components.

Pharaohz

Easy enough to check the monitor, next time the crash happens and you try to restart it, just watch the leds on the front and listen for the hard drive. All through loading windows both will indicate windows is loading. If no flashing light or sound, then its not really loading, just spinning fans...

dai

don't start new threads on the same problem ask a mod to move it
threads merged
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...corsair%2b550w
if plan on upgrading further
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...corsair%2b650w

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zaknafein72

Sorry about that, dai. I will remember that for the future.
Btw, thanks for the further advice guys.

zaknafein72

Hey, I booted up my system today, and found these voltages from the PSU (as reported by speedfan)

+2.5V: 0.00V
Vcore: 0.00V
+3.3V: 0.00V
+5V: 0.00V
+12V: 7.44V


+3.3V: 3.27V
+1.5V: 0.00V
+1.8V: 0.00V

These seem very wrong. Am I wrong, or is my PSU seriously damaged like you guys had guessed? I don't think the 12V rail is supposed to act like that.

dai

if they were correct it would not do anything check what the bios lists them as

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zaknafein72

I tried to find it in the bios but I couldn't figure out where the voltages were. I guess I will try again. Yeah, I guess now that I think about it, there is no way a computer would run if those were the true voltages.

zaknafein72

Btw, my bios is Phoenix Award v6.00. I'm not sure if there is a way to show hidden info or something.