Hard Disk Failure

  • Thread starter Thread starter DannyBoy
  • Start date Start date
D

DannyBoy

Hi there

I have a machine with XP Home on it and I use it alot. The problem is
that my hard disk seems to have become unreadable and therefore I cant
get it to boot. I dont want to format the drive at this point as there
is so much stuff on the hard disk that I want to try to keep. The hard
disk is partitioned into 2 drives. C: is NTFS and it has XP home and
all my apps and data etc... D: is FAT32 and has a recovery partiton on
it that enough data to restore to factory defaults.
I found an old hard disk and installed XP pro on it and then installed
partition magic on to it. I was hoping that it would automatically fix
the HD geometry problem but sadly it did not. I ran the Partition Info
tool on the drives and this is the result. I am woundering if anyone
can help me to fix the hard disk but without having to loose all the
data on the disk.


PowerQuest PartitionInfo 8.0 -- Windows NT/2000 Version
Date Generated: 02/25/07 13:23:59
Copyright (c)1994-2002, PowerQuest Corporation
Permission is granted for this utility to be freely copied so long
as it is not modified in any way. All other rights are reserved.

PowerQuest, makers of PartitionMagic(r), Drive Image(tm), and
DriveCopy(tm), can be reached at:
Voice: 801-437-8900
Fax: 801-226-8941
Web site: http://www.powerquest.com/support/
E-mail: (e-mail address removed)

General System Information:
Total Physical Memory (bytes): 1,005,043,712
Used Physical Memory: (bytes): 179,548,160
Maximum Page File Size: (bytes): 2,426,105,856
Current Page File Size: (bytes): 99,770,368



===========================================================================================================
Disk Geometry Information for Disk 1: 2434 Cylinders, 255 Heads,
63 Sectors/Track
System PartSect # Boot BCyl Head Sect FS ECyl Head
Sect StartSect NumSects
===========================================================================================================
0 0 80 0 1 1 07 1023 254
63 63 39,102,147
Info: End C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Actual values are:
0 0 80 0 1 1 07 2433 254 63 63
39102147

===========================================================================================================
Disk Geometry Information for Disk 2: 4368 Cylinders, 240 Heads,
63 Sectors/Track
System PartSect # Boot BCyl Head Sect FS ECyl Head
Sect StartSect NumSects
===========================================================================================================
PRESARIO_RP 0 0 00 0 1 1 0C 831 239
63 63 12,579,777
Info: Begin C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Info: End C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Actual values are:
0 0 00 0 1 1 0C 831 239 63 63
12579777
0 1 80 832 0 1 07 1023 239
63 12,579,840 299,980,800
Info: End C,H,S values were large drive placeholders.
Actual values are:
0 1 80 832 0 1 07 20671 239 63 12579840
299980800
Error #109: Partition ends after end of disk.
ucEndCylinder (20671) must be less than 4368.



===========================================================================================================
Partition Information for Disk 1: 19,092.9 Megabytes
Volume PartType Status Size MB PartSect #
StartSect TotalSects
===========================================================================================================
C: NTFS Pri,Boot 19,092.8 0 0
63 39,102,147


===========================================================================================================
Partition Information for Disk 2: 32,248.1 Megabytes
Volume PartType Status Size MB PartSect #
StartSect TotalSects
===========================================================================================================
*:PRESARIO_RP FAT32X Pri 6,142.5 0 0
63 12,579,777
NTFS Pri,Boot 146,475.0 0 1
12,579,840 299,980,800


===========================================================================================================
Boot Record for drive C: (Drive: 1, Starting sector: 63, Type: NTFS)
===========================================================================================================
1. Jump: EB 52 90
2. OEM Name: NTFS
3. Bytes per Sector: 512
4. Sectors per Cluster: 8
5. Reserved Sectors: 0
6. Number of FATs: 0
7. Root Dir Entries: 0
8. Total Sectors: 0
9. Media Descriptor: 0xF8
10. Sectors per FAT: 0
11. Sectors per Track: 63 (0x3F)
12. Number of Heads: 255 (0xFF)
13. Hidden Sectors: 63 (0x3F)
14. Total Sectors (>32MB): 0 (0x0)
15. Unused: 0x80008000
16. Total NTFS Sectors: 39102146
17. MFT Start Cluster: 786432
18. MFT Mirror Start Clust: 2443884
19. Clusters per FRS: 246
20. Clusters per Index Blk: 1
21. Serial Number: 0x9678DE3E78DE1CB5
22. Checksum: 0 (0x0)
23. Boot Signature: 0xAA55

===========================================================================================================
Boot Record for drive *: (Drive: 2, Starting sector: 63, Type:
FAT32)
===========================================================================================================
1. Jump: E9 A7 00
2. OEM Name: MSWIN4.1
3. Bytes per Sector: 512
4. Sectors per Cluster: 8
5. Reserved Sectors: 32
6. Number of FAT's: 2
7. Reserved: 0x0000
8. Reserved: 0x0000
9. Media Descriptor: 0xF8
10. Sectors per FAT: 0
11. Sectors per Track: 63 (0x3F)
12. Number of Heads: 240 (0xF0)
13. Hidden Sectors: 63 (0x3F)
14. Big Total Sectors: 12579777 (0xBFF3C1)
15. Big Sectors per FAT: 12288
16. Extended Flags: 0x0000
17. FS Version: 0
18. First Cluster of Root: 2 (0x2)
19. FS Info Sector: 1
20. Backup Boot Sector: 6
21. Reserved: 000000000000000000000000
22. Drive ID: 0x80
23. Reserved for NT: 0x00
24. Extended Boot Sig: 0x29
25. Serial Number: 0x42CD48DD
26. Volume Name: PRESARIO_RP
27. File System Type: FAT32
28. Boot Signature: 0xAA55

===========================================================================================================
Boot Record for drive *: (Drive: 2, Starting sector: 12,579,840,
Type: NTFS)
===========================================================================================================
1. Jump: EB 52 90
2. OEM Name: NTFS
3. Bytes per Sector: 512
4. Sectors per Cluster: 8
5. Reserved Sectors: 0
6. Number of FATs: 0
7. Root Dir Entries: 0
8. Total Sectors: 0
9. Media Descriptor: 0xF8
10. Sectors per FAT: 0
11. Sectors per Track: 63 (0x3F)
12. Number of Heads: 240 (0xF0)
13. Hidden Sectors: 12579840 (0xBFF400)
14. Total Sectors (>32MB): 0 (0x0)
15. Unused: 0x80008000
16. Total NTFS Sectors: 299980799
17. MFT Start Cluster: 786432
18. MFT Mirror Start Clust: 18748799
19. Clusters per FRS: 246
20. Clusters per Index Blk: 1
21. Serial Number: 0x54AC025BAC0237CE
22. Checksum: 0 (0x0)
23. Boot Signature: 0xAA55
 
DannyBoy said:
Hi there

I have a machine with XP Home on it and I use it alot. The problem is
that my hard disk seems to have become unreadable and therefore I cant
get it to boot. I dont want to format the drive at this point as there
is so much stuff on the hard disk that I want to try to keep. The hard
disk is partitioned into 2 drives. C: is NTFS and it has XP home and
all my apps and data etc... D: is FAT32 and has a recovery partiton on
it that enough data to restore to factory defaults.
I found an old hard disk and installed XP pro on it and then installed
partition magic on to it. I was hoping that it would automatically fix
the HD geometry problem but sadly it did not. I ran the Partition Info
tool on the drives and this is the result. I am woundering if anyone
can help me to fix the hard disk but without having to loose all the
data on the disk.
Click to expand...


<snip>

Ok...don't fool around trying to "repair" the drive or you may end up
loosing your data...

First off...slave the drive to your present...working XP drive...
boot up and see if you can read the data....
and then back it up.

If you cannot read the data...then try some data recovery software
 
<snip>

Ok...don't fool around trying to "repair" the drive or you may end up
loosing your data...

First off...slave the drive to your present...working XP drive...
boot up and see if you can read the data....
and then back it up.

If you cannot read the data...then try some data recovery software- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

Thanks philo

I have slaved it and I cannot read the drive using any of the standard
ways. I have not tried any data recovery software yet is there any
products that you can recommend.

Thanks once again

Regards

DannyBoy
 
The first rule when trying to rescue a hard disk is not to use the faulty
hard disk. Anything you do may just prevent economic resolution. This
could be either by a change to a file or (if it's a mechanical fault) the
one additional use that kills it (the one extra straw that breaks the
camel's back argument).

You were right not to format it and to look to using another hard drive.
You say that it is an old hard disk. That begs the questions just how old,
what is its capacity, how fast does it spin, how much has it already been
use, does it have any bad sectors. It would be better to get a new hard
disk. They're not that expensive.

Looking at information from the PartitionMagic info tool, I'm wondering if
you were trying to "fit a quart into a pint pot". Getting a new hard disk
should also remedy this problem.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions
 
DannyBoy said:
Thanks philo

I have slaved it and I cannot read the drive using any of the standard
ways. I have not tried any data recovery software yet is there any
products that you can recommend.

Thanks once again

Regards

DannyBoy
Click to expand...

If you have correctly connected your faulty hard drive to a working computer
and it cannot be read the hard drive is, effectively, dead and there's not
much chance of any utility being able to recover data. Not all is lost if
you are willing to pay (lots?) for a data recovery specialist. This is
similar to a forensic exersise.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions
 
If you have correctly connected your faulty hard drive to a working computer
and it cannot be read the hard drive is, effectively, dead and there's not
much chance of any utility being able to recover data. Not all is lost if
you are willing to pay (lots?) for a data recovery specialist. This is
similar to a forensic exersise.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions
Click to expand...

Yes...that's correct.
Have a look in disk management and see if the drive shows up there...
If so, there might be a chance of recovering the data...
If it does not show up in disk management...the drive would need to go to a
lab...
which of course is very expensive and there is still no guarantee
 
If you have correctly connected your faulty hard drive to a working computer
and it cannot be read the hard drive is, effectively, dead and there's not
much chance of any utility being able to recover data. Not all is lost if
you are willing to pay (lots?) for a data recovery specialist. This is
similar to a forensic exersise.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

Thanks Bill

I am just waiting may be in vain but I think that a few years ago
something similar happened to one of my HDs and I managed to recover
some of the data before formatting and re-installing. I have another
computer that has 2 * 130 GB hard disks so I can copy across any data
that I can recover now that I have a bootable HD with XP and 2 * RJ45
and a switch.
I am going to try to find out about data recovery software and attempt
to use it before I admit defeat.
Though thanks for your time & advice Bill.
Regards
Dan
 
Hi,

If you can still see the drive in Disk Management as unallocated or unknown,
etc, you might try the TestDisk and or Photorec app to recover or
write/repair the MBR, if your up for the challenge..?
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Download

First though, get the Partinfo app and see if it can see the slaved drives
MBR or what's left of it, post it, your call..
http://terabyteunlimited.com/utilities.html

Also have heard good results using this the apps here, if your up to it..?
http://www.partitionsupport.com/

Have you tried running the HDD's diagnostic tool to check for errors on the
affected HDD..?
Hope it can help..
Cheers
j;-j
 
philo said:
Yes...that's correct.
Have a look in disk management and see if the drive shows up there...
If so, there might be a chance of recovering the data...
If it does not show up in disk management...the drive would need to go to
a
lab...
which of course is very expensive and there is still no guarantee
Click to expand...

Check to see if the HD is recognised in CMOS before looking at disk
management. IF CMOS doesn't recognise the HD it is dead and Disk management
wont show up anything.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions
 
DannyBoy said:
Hi there

I have a machine with XP Home on it and I use it alot. The problem is
that my hard disk seems to have become unreadable and therefore I cant
get it to boot. I dont want to format the drive at this point as there
is so much stuff on the hard disk that I want to try to keep. The hard
disk is partitioned into 2 drives. C: is NTFS and it has XP home and
all my apps and data etc... D: is FAT32 and has a recovery partiton on
it that enough data to restore to factory defaults.
I found an old hard disk and installed XP pro on it and then installed
partition magic on to it. I was hoping that it would automatically fix
the HD geometry problem but sadly it did not. I ran the Partition Info
tool on the drives and this is the result. I am woundering if anyone
can help me to fix the hard disk but without having to loose all the
data on the disk.
Click to expand...


Don't know if this will help or not, but the partinfo shows the CHS geometry
to add up to slighty less than 32GB. But the drive itself is 160GB, correct?

Does the BIOS see the full capacity? Is the BIOS compatible with drives over 32GB?
Was there a drive manager installed?

A shorted out 32GB limitation jumper on the drive perhaps?

The boot sector looks sane, and the partition tables look ok except for the
fact that the partition appears to extend past the end of the disk. The
apparent problem. You might have better luck slaving it to another
system. As others have noted, don't do anything that writes to the drive.
 
Don't know if this will help or not, but the partinfo shows the CHS geometry
to add up to slighty less than 32GB. But the drive itself is 160GB, correct?

Does the BIOS see the full capacity? Is the BIOS compatible with drives over 32GB?
Was there a drive manager installed?

A shorted out 32GB limitation jumper on the drive perhaps?

The boot sector looks sane, and the partition tables look ok except for the
fact that the partition appears to extend past the end of the disk. The
apparent problem. You might have better luck slaving it to another
system. As others have noted, don't do anything that writes to the drive.













- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

ok will check the cmos and will check the bios!!!
Thanks once again for your help
Regards
Dan
 
ok will check the cmos and will check the bios!!!
Thanks once again for your help
Regards
Dan- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

Hi I have checked the drive (physically for the 32 GB jumper and it is
not set to that.. Only jumper is now set to slave where originally it
was set to cable select.)
When I go into setup it reports the disk to be 33822MB but the actual
disk size is 160 GB. Also using Computer Management the disk shows
31.50 GB Healthy put no file system i.e. it does not display NTFS /
FAT32 / FAT
Is there some way of getting the disk file table to correct it self
etc...
Please any heelp would be very gratefully excepted
Thanks once again to all
Regards
DannyBoy
 
­================================

Hi I have checked the drive (physically for the 32 GB jumper and it is
not set to that.. Only jumper is now set to slave where originally it
was set to cable select.)
When I go into setup it reports the disk to be 33822MB but the actual
disk size is 160 GB. Also using Computer Management the disk shows
31.50 GB Healthy put no file system i.e. it does not display NTFS /
FAT32 / FAT
Click to expand...

I'm guessing.. the BIOS or the 32GB limitation is shorted on the circuit
board.

Is there some way of getting the disk file table to correct it self
etc...
Click to expand...

It doesn't appear to be a logcial structure problem on the disk itself.
I'd try slaving it to another machine that is compatible with 48-bit lba
and see if it's recognised properly. That would rule out some variables.
 
Hi Bill

I don't quite understand exactly what you have said but the machine
that I have slaved the drive to is the same machine that the drive
(when working) was attached to. This machine now has a different drive
installed as the master and this the master drive has an installed and
working copy of XP Pro on it. Are you saying that I should slave the
drive to another machine with a that can see larger hard disks? Sorry
but I am just trying to understand!

Thanks once again to all

Regards

DannyBoy
 
DannyBoy said:
Hi Bill

I don't quite understand exactly what you have said but the machine
that I have slaved the drive to is the same machine that the drive
(when working) was attached to. This machine now has a different drive
installed as the master and this the master drive has an installed and
working copy of XP Pro on it. Are you saying that I should slave the
drive to another machine with a that can see larger hard disks? Sorry
but I am just trying to understand!

Thanks once again to all

Regards

DannyBoy
Click to expand...


Here's an easy way out. Put the old hard drive into an external USB or
Firewire enclosure and run it from there, jumpered as a single or a
Master drive, per drive manufacturer's specs and instructions of the
external box.
 
GHalleck said:
Here's an easy way out. Put the old hard drive into an external USB or
Firewire enclosure and run it from there, jumpered as a single or a
Master drive, per drive manufacturer's specs and instructions of the
external box.
Click to expand...

That's assuming that the OP just happens to have one of course.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions
 
It's worth a try. I realize that it worked before, but for some reason the drive
isn't being seen properly by the BIOS.

BTW. Make sure you're running at least XP SP1. The original XP did
not support drives over 132GB.
 
You say the original HDD jumper was set to (CS) and now it is set to (S)
Slave, did you setup the replacement drive as a Master or forget and set
it's jumper to Cable Select, perhaps..?

Does the HDD's OEM diagnostic tool see the full size of the HDD, and did you
ever confirm that the HDD was being seen in the BIOS..?

What is the OEM of the HDD..?

Do you see anything in Disk Management that relates to the 160GB HDD,
anything..?

Have you replaced any data cables lately..?

As far as getting windows to auto repair the HDD I think you will need to
repair or write a new MBR or try the drive in another machine ideally
win98se, or better yet, just leave it in the existing computer and try a MBR
repair as a slave or set the HDD as a CS master again and use a boot disk
app to repair the MBR that way..

You may just be better served by taking it to a repair shop that you trust
or send the HDD to a professional data recovery outfit, if your willing to
spend the money, especially if your just not up to the challenge of doing it
yourself with free third party software..

Good luck to you..
Cheers
j;-j

ok will check the cmos and will check the bios!!!
Thanks once again for your help
Regards
Dan- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

Hi I have checked the drive (physically for the 32 GB jumper and it is
not set to that.. Only jumper is now set to slave where originally it
was set to cable select.)
When I go into setup it reports the disk to be 33822MB but the actual
disk size is 160 GB. Also using Computer Management the disk shows
31.50 GB Healthy put no file system i.e. it does not display NTFS /
FAT32 / FAT
Is there some way of getting the disk file table to correct it self
etc...
Please any heelp would be very gratefully excepted
Thanks once again to all
Regards
DannyBoy
 
Bill said:
That's assuming that the OP just happens to have one of course.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions
Click to expand...

They're fairly cheap these days and every user should have one. Why
not? Quite useful and a no-brainer for those who cannot figure out
how to jumper hard drives as Master or Slave.
 
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