Stumped with windows xp boot problem

[Sparx]

Hi again guys,

 

My aunt's pc has now for some reason started getting stuck in the boot cycle and the reason is "unmountable boot." Now I know this means one of the boot files has become corrupt or just generally not functioning, however, all the ways I have seen to resolve this problem is with the windows cd and my aunt being the most unorganised person in the world doesnt know where they are and has lost them. Is there any way I can get her computer to the xp recovery console without her boot disc?

 

Sparx

[Tony D]

Many newer computers come with a hidden restore partition from which you can get Windows up and running again. What make/model is the computer?

[Sparx]

It's a very old computer, very very old. In fact its my old computer, all I know is that it is a Compaq. I know it does have the seperate partition which I could recover it from but the way in which this computer would recover it according to the options would wipe all of the files my aunt has on her computer and she has some very important documents on her computer which we are trying to save. Basically using that system restore function is the last resort.

 

Any other ideas? :os

[Tony D]

Just a hunch, but if that machine is indeed very very old then the hard drive is probably very very old. It might be failing. We know that you can't boot from it anymore. What's next? Let's hope the important documents are still intact.

 

I suggest pulling the hard drive and slaving it to another machine (or use an enclosure or IDE/USB adapter) and see if you can backup the files before doing anything else.

[Seth]

An "Unmountable Boot" means the hard drive is failing.

 

Slave the drive as Kelly suggested if you need to recover any data.

 

If you want to continue using the drive, then run full hard drive error checking while the drive is slaved, or download the Recover Console iso, burn it as an image, boot to it, then run a chkdsk /r

 

RC.iso Direct Download

 

 

Let us know if you need clarification.

Edited April 19, 2008 by maynardvdm

[Sparx]

Ok I do need the booting the .iso thing explained as i've never had to do that before :o)

[RandyL]

Hi Sparx;

Have you backed up and saved your data as Kelly and seth suggested?

 

Everytime you start up with a failing hard drive you drastically increase the risk of losing all the data. You need to save it as suggested before even thinking about doing anything else.

[Sparx]

I havent seen my aunt yet but i will back up the data by slaving it to my comp when I do