inaccessible boot disk failure

  • Thread starter Thread starter Vern de Guerre
  • Start date Start date
V

Vern de Guerre

Hi anybody!

I have a friend who was given an older computer, a compaq deskpro
4000, running Win2k.
when the monitor blew, another friend connected another monitor for
her.

since then, win2k fails with the blue screen and 'inaccessible boot
disk' message.
there are no viruses on the system according to Norton 2002 emergency
cd.

the file system is NTFS.

FDISK shows 1 fixed disk with a 2g partition.

I wanted to use Norton Disk Doctor to diagnose the C: drive, but
couldn't get to it with a DOS boot disk - naturally, I find out.

I have been assuming the boot sector may be corrupted and simply needs
to be replaced, and that NDD could do that.

but now I don't know how to get a floppy (or CD) boot disk that will
allow access to NTFS.

any suggestions how to get this lady's system back for her?
Her daughter is disabled and spends much of her time surfing etc.

thanks in advance,

Vern (e-mail address removed)
 
Vern

This is a good tool called SYSTEM WORKS 2003 I think it's by Norton, you can
boot up on that and perform a chkdsk. Hope this works for you.
Thanks
Keith
 
-----Original Message-----
Vern

This is a good tool called SYSTEM WORKS 2003 I think it's by Norton, you can
boot up on that and perform a chkdsk. Hope this works for you.
Thanks
Keith




.
Click to expand...
Also you might try www.bootdisk.com, they may have a way
to get into NTFS. You can also do a Google Search on "CD
boot disk 'Windows 2000'," and see lots of step by step
instructions how to make a bootable CD.

I had a problem with my W2K and the NTLOADER and 90% of C
drive had been blown away--(and it was on FAT32)--never
could get it replaced--the system files were trashed and
spread all over partition 1 and 2. Finally, had to use my
GHOST image, to put a backup C: onto the system. Then all
is well--at least for the time being.

But I am going to be absolutely certain that before I
switch to NTFS, I will have someway to BOOT into it, other
than using W2K's recovery console.

Another thing you might consider is to leave the system
files and the boot files (although they aren't supposed to
be on the same disk) in a small FAT32 partition, with the
rest of the drive being NTFS.
I think that might work? NTFS can see FAT but FAT can't
see NTFS. However if the system is booting from FAT, I'm
not certain, but that might allow you access to the NTFS
section of the drive and still leave you with a FAT32
partition to get into if there is a problem.

I'm not sure if the Norton Sys 2003 supports W2K. I know
that the previous versions did not. So maybe it's now
improved to do that. But "bootdisk.com" is free.

Bob
 
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