Vista Boot Issue, possible hard drive corruption

[sunshinehand]

Hi,

 

I have an Inspiron 1525 Dell laptop (never buy one, by the way, the exteriors don't last).

Here's my issue:

 

1. I try to start up the computer, but Vista doesn't load. It just shows a blank black screen indefinitely (or at least for 20 minutes) after the initial Dell/BIOS splash screen.

2. I figured it was an issue with Vista, so I put in the reinstallation CD and tried to run Startup Repair, but Startup Repair also ran indefinitely (or at least for over 4.5 hours)

 

I think it's a hard drive issue. Possibly the information on the hard drive needed for the next boot can't be read. Also, when I try and do a system restore or complete PC restore (using the Vista reinstallation CD), it tells me that I have no saved recovery points, which makes me think that the recovery points are on the hard drive and can't be read.

 

I usually look around for forum posts before I post on one myself, but the internet hasn't helped me here. Can someone help me?

Also, I would like to keep the files on the hard drive, if possible... It would be a huge pain to replace the files that were on it.

 

Thanks,

 

-Sonny

Edited February 24, 2012 by sunshinehand

[Armageddon]

Hi Have you tried booting with the installation disk but instead of running start up repair select the open a command prompt then running chkdsk

[sunshinehand]

Just did... It said, Windows has found no problems on the file system. It also ran it in read-only mode because "the F parameters were not defined"

 

"3086 KB totak disk space

4 KB in 9 indexes

0 KB in bad sectors

2485 KB in use by the system

2048 occupied by the log file

597 KB available on disk

 

512 bytes in each allocation unit

6173 total allocation units

1195 allocation units available on disk

Failed to transfer logged messages to the event log with status 50"

 

I tried the "chkdsk C: /f" command, and it started "deleting corrupt attribute record"s... Also said 45 reparse records were processed. It deleted some index entries... that seems more satisfying

"231031807 KB total disk space

376 KB in bad sectors

65536 KB occupie dby log file

177318032 KB available on disk

Failed to transfer logged messages to the event log with status 50"

 

It made some corrections this time. What do you think? To be honest, I'm not sure what I am doing.

Edited February 24, 2012 by sunshinehand

[sunshinehand]

I just ran startup repair again, and it said "cannot repair this computer automatically"

The report:

Problem Signature 01: ExternalMedia

Problem Signature 02: 6.0.6001.180000.0.0.0.0

Problem Signature 03: 0

Problem Signature 04: 65537

Problem Signature 05: unknown

Problem Signature 06: CorruptVolume

Problem Signature 07: 0

Problem Signature 08: 1

Problem Signature 09: Chkdsk

Problem Signature 10: 5

[sunshinehand]

Update, I'm running "chkdsk c: /f /r", and it's taking a while on step 4 replacing bad clusters, if anyone is interested... I'll post results when it's done.

[KenB]

if anyone is interested

We don't sit in front of our computers waiting for a reply - we do have other priorities.

We do, however, try to reply to all posts within 24 hours.

[sunshinehand]

No, I understand. Thanks for your guys' help so far.

[Plastic Nev]

We are interested, what is the result from the scan now please?

 

Nev.

[sunshinehand]

We are interested, what is the result from the scan now please?

 

Nev.

 

Thanks, haha, sorry for being impatient. It hasn't finished yet... it's been going this whole time. 101385/148336 files completed, and it's been replacing bad sectors the whole time. I think the problem came when the power failed in my house and the laptop shut off. I was doing some searching, and do you think running some form of bootrec would solve the problem if this fails?

 

Again, sorry for being impatient :)

[Plastic Nev]

OK, thanks, so long is it appears to be doing something, let it continue to run. Now I know you had a power failure during a search run, no wonder there is a lot of damage, it will take time to repair.

if at the end of the run, it still isn't right, there may only be the option of running a Windows repair using a full copy of Windows Vista, not any form of rescue disk, or even a full reinstall of Vista, though that will delete everything on the drive.

 

Nev.

[sunshinehand]

Ugh, I hope it doesn't come to that... I guess it's better than nothing, though. I can't afford a new laptop :/

It just finished replacing bad clusters and now it's on stage 5, verifying free space, and it's taking literally forever...

915,607 / 44,328,448 free clusters processed and counting, but it has long pauses. I will post again when it finishes.

[sunshinehand]

It didn't work... I'm going to try running a bootrec command. Do you think that will work?

If that doesn't work, how would I acquire a full copy of Vista?

[sunshinehand]

Update: I tried repairing bootrec, then tried replacing it. No luck :/ I'm out of ideas...

[Plastic Nev]

To try a full Vista repair you need a copy of the Vista system you have, Vista Home, Vista Professional ETC,

If you have a friend who already has one you can borrow, that will work, but otherwise you will have to buy one.

Let us know if either is possible and the repair can be described.

Providing the repair is carried out as per instructions, documents and data should still be OK. All a repair does is to actually re-install the operating system without doing a reformat of the drive.

 

The disk you use to perform a repair, (Also is the same as an upgrade and sometimes called that) must be the same version or higher, such as service pack 2 pre installed on the disk.

Have a look at this tutorial, to see what you need to do.

 

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html

 

Nev.

[sunshinehand]

Okay, I think I might have that. It's labeled "OPERATING SYSTEM", and under that "ALREADY INSTALLED ON YOUR COMPUTER"

"Reinstallation DVD - Windows Vista Home Premium 32BIT SP1"

Does that sound like the right kind of DVD? I know its the right version and SP of Vista.

[Plastic Nev]

Sorry, I wasn't clear enough, I meant it must be a Microsoft issued and labelled as such, full operating system disk, usually a DVD with Vista, definitely not the disk you have at the moment.

If you were building a computer yourself by buying the parts, you would also have to buy the operating system DVD disk, it is that sort of disk I meant.

 

The disk you have, will completely reinstall your Vista operating system, and wipe the hard drive while doing so, therefore losing all your data, I am not sure if a repair can be carried out using that disk as things are a bit different to the old XP system. (and different again in W7)

 

, I didn't know some manufacturers still sent them. The more usual one these days is to create your own system reinstall disk from a partition on the hard drive when you first start up the computer.

 

Because I am not sure if a repair can be carried out using that disk you have, I will ask for someone else who may know.

 

Nev.

[RandyL]

Reinstallation DVD - Windows Vista Home Premium 32BIT SP1

 

Although this sounds like an installation dvd Vista needs more then one dvd for a complete install from disks. Do you have a set?

 

I think the good news here is that with the release of SP1 the Recovery Environment is pre-installed so you shouldn't need the disks. Tap F8 at startup to get to the advanced startup then select "Startup Repair."

 

Have a look at this article. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Make-system-repairs-from-the-Windows-Recovery-Environment-from-Windows-Vista-Inside-Out

 

I have that book by the way.

[sunshinehand]

I see what you mean. I am pretty sure I don't have that, but I'll dig around. I managed to recover most of the files on the hard drive using command prompt and a usb drive, so I'm okay with wiping the drive if necessary now.

The disc I have does have a startup repair function and a reinstall Vista function, but neither of those functions have worked for me, so I'll look for that full operating system disk

[sunshinehand]

Although this sounds like an installation dvd Vista needs more then one dvd for a complete install from disks. Do you have a set?

 

I think the good news here is that with the release of SP1 the Recovery Environment is pre-installed so you shouldn't need the disks. Tap F8 at startup to get to the advanced startup then select "Startup Repair."

 

Have a look at this article. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Make-system-repairs-from-the-Windows-Recovery-Environment-from-Windows-Vista-Inside-Out

 

I have that book by the way.

 

 

Thanks for the reply,

I would try that, but my computer can't even get to the point where I can press F8. It only shows the initial BIOS screen, with the F2 and F12 options. After that, it just shows a black screen and I can't do anything much except make it beep if I press a key too much.

Also, no, it didn't come in a set :/

[RandyL]

The startup repair is exactly what you will find available on the Recovery Environment even if you do have it on the disks.

 

I see that you already did that and it took hours to complete. This is just not right. The repair should have taken minutes not hours. To me this indicates a failing drive. You could try a full reinstall but if the drive is bad you probably won't have much luck.

[KenB]

To me this indicates a failing drive.

I tend to agree with Randy.

Before you do anything else with this drive I would connect it up to another system and run chkdsk on it at the very least.

[sunshinehand]

I tend to agree with Randy.

Before you do anything else with this drive I would connect it up to another system and run chkdsk on it at the very least.

 

I agree with you guys... nothing I've been trying has been working.

Just curious, why would chkdsk on another system be different? I don't have the proper cable/equipment for that right now, but I can probably get it in a week or so.

[RandyL]

Another option is to do a drive test. In some cases there is a drive test that can be run from the BIOS.

 

Personally I prefer to do it from a bootable CD. If you can determine what brand of drive you have, seagate, western digital, etc. the manufacturers often have a drive test program you can download and create a ISO or image CD. Set the boot order in the BIOS to CD first then start the computer with the disk in.

 

Also although not common sometimes the computer manufacturer will have a drive test program for CD. I don't see this for your Dell without being able to boot.

 

It appears your Dell has a seagate drive but Dell often lists the wrong specs. But if it is a Seagate then Seatools is an option. Read all the instructions and run the full test not the short one. This test will take hours to run.

 

SeaTools for Windows

 

pdf manual for SeaTools

 

Instuctions from Segate on how to make an ISO CD

[KenB]

why would chkdsk on another system be different?

If your drive is "breaking up" check disk may not run properly as it is running from within the drive itself.

An external system will be a true check.