HELP! Chkdsk /r deleted files.

[Guest Display_Name]

I had a machine running XP Pro SP2 that started complaining about a corrupt

HAL.DLL error. I used MS's KB#314477 and used the XP CD to run a recovery.

The recovery ran fine. I booted from CD, selected Repair existing install,

got to the console, typed bootcfg /rebuild and then did a chkdsk /r. It

successfully got past the HAL.DLL error and was able to boot to Windows.

 

The problem is that not all my data is there. There is SOME of my data, but

not all. It's like the PC was reset to sometime close to the original

install, but with SOME of my data.

 

HELP!!! It seems like to reset the MBR to sometime in the past. How can I at

least get my data that is missing? If would have been warned this was a

possible outcome, I would have tried something else. I NEED my data.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Guest Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Re: HELP! Chkdsk /r deleted files.

 

 

"Display_Name" <DisplayName@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:6463B875-1F05-4B74-A829-6805FB7F5786@microsoft.com...

>I had a machine running XP Pro SP2 that started complaining about a corrupt

> HAL.DLL error. I used MS's KB#314477 and used the XP CD to run a recovery.

> The recovery ran fine. I booted from CD, selected Repair existing install,

> got to the console, typed bootcfg /rebuild and then did a chkdsk /r. It

> successfully got past the HAL.DLL error and was able to boot to Windows.

>

> The problem is that not all my data is there. There is SOME of my data,

> but

> not all. It's like the PC was reset to sometime close to the original

> install, but with SOME of my data.

>

> HELP!!! It seems like to reset the MBR to sometime in the past. How can I

> at

> least get my data that is missing? If would have been warned this was a

> possible outcome, I would have tried something else. I NEED my data.

>

> Thanks in advance.

 

It appears that some of your data files or folders were damaged. Chkdsk

subsequently converted what was partly readable into files which you will

find in dedicated chkdsk folders hanging off C:\. Unfortunately these files

are no longer in a format that you can use. You now need to restore these

files from your backup medium. If you did not back them up then there is

nothing much you can do other than avoid similar incidents in future by

backing up all important files regularly (e.g. weekly) to an independent

medium. A 2.5" disk in an external USB case is a low-cost but highly

effective backup medium. While the loss will be painful, keep in mind that

the whole disk might have crashed, causing a total loss of everything you

had.

[Guest db.·.. >]

Re: HELP! Chkdsk /r deleted files.

 

one of the things chkdsk

does is to synchronize the

master file table to the

file system.

 

that is why chkdsk should

be run regularly.

 

the reason you lost some

files/data is because they

were created after the file

system became corrupted.

 

http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx?dg=microsoft.public.office.misc&lang=en&cr=US

 

--

 

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

DatabaseBen, Retired Professional

- Systems Analyst

- Database Developer

- Accountancy

- Veteran of the Armed Forces

 

"Display_Name" <DisplayName@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:6463B875-1F05-4B74-A829-6805FB7F5786@microsoft.com...

>I had a machine running XP Pro SP2 that started complaining about a corrupt

> HAL.DLL error. I used MS's KB#314477 and used the XP CD to run a recovery.

> The recovery ran fine. I booted from CD, selected Repair existing install,

> got to the console, typed bootcfg /rebuild and then did a chkdsk /r. It

> successfully got past the HAL.DLL error and was able to boot to Windows.

>

> The problem is that not all my data is there. There is SOME of my data, but

> not all. It's like the PC was reset to sometime close to the original

> install, but with SOME of my data.

>

> HELP!!! It seems like to reset the MBR to sometime in the past. How can I at

> least get my data that is missing? If would have been warned this was a

> possible outcome, I would have tried something else. I NEED my data.

>

> Thanks in advance.

[Guest Twayne]

Re: HELP! Chkdsk /r deleted files.

 

> one of the things chkdsk

> does is to synchronize the

> master file table to the

> file system.

>

> that is why chkdsk should

> be run regularly.

>

> the reason you lost some

> files/data is because they

> were created after the file

> system became corrupted.

>

> http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx?dg=microsoft.public.office.misc&lang=en&cr=US

 

That is very likely the case IMO. Taken far enough in time, and with

the proper damage, chkdsk can sometimes even result in unrecoverable

boot failure. It is always best to consider one's housekeeping methods

before using chkdsk on a system drive and especially with an unfamiliar

owner/PC. Usually I make a dry run if I'm not sure of the state, and

see what the errors look like. Then I try to decide whether to use it

or not. At the same time, it's even MORE important to be creating the

previously mentioned backup files. Always back up all the files that

are critical to you, minimum.

Now is the time for the OP to consider and implement a backup

strategy, even if it's only copying critical files to CD/DVD. It's just

too easy to backup these days to not do so. Too bad so few people

realize it until it's too late. The education either isn't there, or

they always figure it won't happen to them.

 

Cheers,

 

Twayne

 

>

>

> "Display_Name" <DisplayName@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in

> message news:6463B875-1F05-4B74-A829-6805FB7F5786@microsoft.com...

>> I had a machine running XP Pro SP2 that started complaining about a

>> corrupt HAL.DLL error. I used MS's KB#314477 and used the XP CD to

>> run a recovery. The recovery ran fine. I booted from CD, selected

>> Repair existing install, got to the console, typed bootcfg /rebuild

>> and then did a chkdsk /r. It successfully got past the HAL.DLL error

>> and was able to boot to Windows. The problem is that not all my data

>> is there. There is SOME of my

>> data, but not all. It's like the PC was reset to sometime close to

>> the original install, but with SOME of my data.

>>

>> HELP!!! It seems like to reset the MBR to sometime in the past. How

>> can I at least get my data that is missing? If would have been

>> warned this was a possible outcome, I would have tried something

>> else. I NEED my data. Thanks in advance.