I did something really stupid. Well a couple of stupid things. I was resizing my XP partition with Partition Commander when I decided that I chose the wrong size for the new partition. So I attempted to cancel the process. I was greeted with a window warning me that if I stop I will corrupt the files. I freaked and hit the abort option thinking I would go back to the resizing, that was my first mistake. Next thing I know the partition is no longer labeled NTFS it is now labeled Other. It was about that time that I was sure I made the wrong choice. So I reboot, my GRUB loader for linux comes up and I have the option to boot either Linux or Windows. So I boot to Windows, the Windows XP screen comes up with the little moving bar. After that I get an error that the Autochk program cannot be found and my system reboots. Desperate to fix this I put in my XP disk and go to the recovery console. Recovery console tells me that my Windows partition is on E:and that is not correct it was supposed to be on C: So thinking that I know more than I actually do I decide to use the Fixmbr command, mistake #2. Now GRUB is removed from the MBR and I cannot even boot to Linux, just the no Autochk program error after the XP screen. My biggest concern is recovering my Windows installation, I can work on getting to Linux later. I don't want to lose all my programs, bookmarks, etc. Is there anyway to fix this or do I need to bite the bullet and do a fresh install? Thanks in advance for any help I may recieve.
Cannot boot to WinXP
- Status
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
When I tried to install Windows on that partition I recieve this message "Setup cannot recognize that partition you selected. Setup cannot install Windows XP on this partition. However, you can go back to the previous screen, delete the partition, and then select the resulting unpartitioned space. Setup will then create a new partition on which you can install Windows XP."
Hi RyanGRA,
I never had a partition damaged in this way but can tell you something about this in theory. If the file system is damaged so it doesn't function nor can be recognized, reinstalling over will not work since Windows can install only to properly formated partition (wheather clean or reinstall). If you reformat you loose everything on the partition. The only thing i can think of is to attempt with some of data recovery tools that you will install on another partition if you are concerned about data. Maybe I am wrong but I think nothing else you can do to recover installation if NTFS is damaged not to be recognized.
The idea to install anoter windows and try convert fs:ntfs at cmd for damaged partition seems like desperate idea.
I never had a partition damaged in this way but can tell you something about this in theory. If the file system is damaged so it doesn't function nor can be recognized, reinstalling over will not work since Windows can install only to properly formated partition (wheather clean or reinstall). If you reformat you loose everything on the partition. The only thing i can think of is to attempt with some of data recovery tools that you will install on another partition if you are concerned about data. Maybe I am wrong but I think nothing else you can do to recover installation if NTFS is damaged not to be recognized.
The idea to install anoter windows and try convert fs:ntfs at cmd for damaged partition seems like desperate idea.
Joined
·
8,123 Posts
RyanGRA, the issue you're facing occured because Windows XP Setup cannot always install to a dynamic disk. Windows XP Setup can install only to a partition on a basic disk or to a volume on a dynamic disk that is a system or boot partition or that was previously "retained" by means of the Diskpart utility.
This limitation occurs because a master boot record (MBR) partition table entry must be present before a dynamic simple volume or a member of a mirror can be used during setup. Dynamic volumes that are created by Windows XP do not place volume information about dynamic volumes into the MBR partition table. In a Windows XP-based computer, dynamic disks store their partition or volume information in a database at the end of each dynamic disk.
So, before you delete everything, I have to ask you: do you have a second hdd on this pc? Or, alternatively, can you slave this hdd to a normally operating pc? If yes, then you have the following options so you do not loose your data:
a. Install Windows XP to a Partition That Resides on a Basic Disk or on a Retained Dynamic Volume
If another disk is installed on the system, a disk that is basic or that is a dynamic volume that has been retained, you can use this disk to install Windows XP. When disks are converted to dynamic while you are running Windows XP, the only MBR information that is retained is information about current system and boot partitions.
b. Use the Diskpart Command RETAIN to Create MBR Partition Information
If you have access to a Windows XP graphical user interface (GUI) that is already on the system, you may be able to use the Diskpart retain command to create the MBR partition table information. The retain command prepares a dynamic simple volume to be used as a boot or system volume by writing the flag that states that the partition is retained in the dynamic disk database and then putting an entry in the MBR partition table for that partition. On an x86-based computer, the retain command creates an MBR partition entry on the dynamic simple volume with focus. To create an MBR partition, the dynamic simple volume must start at a cylinder aligned offset and be an integral number of cylinders in size.
This limitation occurs because a master boot record (MBR) partition table entry must be present before a dynamic simple volume or a member of a mirror can be used during setup. Dynamic volumes that are created by Windows XP do not place volume information about dynamic volumes into the MBR partition table. In a Windows XP-based computer, dynamic disks store their partition or volume information in a database at the end of each dynamic disk.
So, before you delete everything, I have to ask you: do you have a second hdd on this pc? Or, alternatively, can you slave this hdd to a normally operating pc? If yes, then you have the following options so you do not loose your data:
a. Install Windows XP to a Partition That Resides on a Basic Disk or on a Retained Dynamic Volume
If another disk is installed on the system, a disk that is basic or that is a dynamic volume that has been retained, you can use this disk to install Windows XP. When disks are converted to dynamic while you are running Windows XP, the only MBR information that is retained is information about current system and boot partitions.
b. Use the Diskpart Command RETAIN to Create MBR Partition Information
If you have access to a Windows XP graphical user interface (GUI) that is already on the system, you may be able to use the Diskpart retain command to create the MBR partition table information. The retain command prepares a dynamic simple volume to be used as a boot or system volume by writing the flag that states that the partition is retained in the dynamic disk database and then putting an entry in the MBR partition table for that partition. On an x86-based computer, the retain command creates an MBR partition entry on the dynamic simple volume with focus. To create an MBR partition, the dynamic simple volume must start at a cylinder aligned offset and be an integral number of cylinders in size.
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
- Status
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!