Gaming PC Problem: 'Unmountable Boot Volume'

[Sinkhead]

The Problem
I turn on the laptop, I get past the bit with the Windows XP logo and the scrolling blue bar. Then I get a blue screen saying that a problem has been detected and Windows has shut down to prevent damage to my computer. The error is 'UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME'.

The fixes I have tried

• I thought that I would try to boot into Safe Mode. I get the same error.
• I tried to get into the recovery console so I could use /fixmbr or /chkdsk as suggested in this Microsoft Help & Support Article. I've tried forcing the laptop to boot from CD both by changing the boot sequence in the BIOS and doing it manually in the bootloader, all I get is a black screen with a blinking white underscore cursor in the top left for about a minute, then an error saying that Windows apologizes for the inconvenience, but it could not start successfully. It then asks me if I want to boot into Safe Mode, with the last known good configuration or start Windows normally.
• Taking the HDD out and connecting it to my PC to recover the data. This doesn't work because the laptop HDD is 24-pin IDE and all the connectors I have are 20-pin
  

Things I am going to try now

• Using a Linux Live CD to recover the data from the HDD, then re-install Windows

That is, unless anyone has any other ideas that don't involve me re-installing Windows?

Thanks a lot for your help!

 

[juggernaut911]

maybe your volume is corrupt? try to tinker with it in the linux boot cd in gparted. before you have to back it up and reinstall!

 

[zidane_genome]

your looking at a format and reinstall, if it can't mount the drive...

try getting a HD2USB device, and mount/unmount the NTFS volume (C drive) and try it then.

but in all honesty, your looking at a format...

 

[Sinkhead]

I've got an entirely new problem now

I burned a Damn Small Linux Live CD but I can't boot it, I get the same problem as when I try to use the Windows recovery disc...

Thanks for all your help so far guys, unfortunately I can't buy a HDD to USB converter because this needs to be done for tomorrow, but it's still appreciated

Does anyone think they can help me with this new problem? Thanks a lot in advance.

Ok, I rebooted it and now I can get into DSL but I can't find my files. All the folders in /mnt seem to be empty

 

[fischju]

Download (not legally) something call the "Active Boot Disk" from the bay. I have this, and have used it to recover hundreds of gigabytes from dead HDDs.

 

[KDH]

[...] Ok, I rebooted it and now I can get into DSL but I can't find my files. All the folders in /mnt seem to be empty

They're empty because you need to mount them first with the mount command. It'll look something like this:

CODEmount -t ntfs /dev/hda1 /mnt/hda1

Although, now that I think about it, DSL might not have NTFS support, considering it's designed to be lightweight. If it doesn't, you'll need something else.

Look here: http://www.livecdlist.com/?pick=Linux_x86&showonly=All

I'm sure you'll find something that does what you need.

 

[B-Blue]

Boot to the XP cd and when you see the Welcome to setup press the letter R. You will get a DOS prompt. Then type "chkdsk /p" without the quotes and hit Enter. When that is done type "fixboot" and hit Enter, hit "Y" and enter at the prompt, Then type "exit" and hit Enter. The system will now reboot into Windows.

If for some reason that don't work for you, you can boot to the recovery console like above and but instead type "chkdsk /r" then Enter. When done type "exit" and hit Enter. This will take longer, but the system should boot back into Windows.

Source