HD Problem with WinXP Installation

[werty316]

Here is the situation, I have a system that was upgraded so the motherboard was changed and when I went to boot to WinXP setup/installation the HD was listed as "[unknown]" and not NTFS. It was originally formatted to "FAT32" but then was converted to "NTFS". Could converting it from "FAT32" to "NTFS" without formating the HD have caused this problem? Weird thing is I can view the files but WinXP setup shows the HD as an "[unknown]" partition.

Is there an app that can fix this so WinXP setup recongnizes the HD as "NTFS "and not "[Unknown]"? Formatting would be a last resort as there are files that are needed.

I have "Ultimate BootCD" and "Hiren's BootCD v8.4" but couldn't find an app that can fix this issue.

[Das Capitolin]

I am doing this from my aging technician memory late at night, but here goes:

Boot from Windows XP CD-ROM
Press "R" at prompt to enter recovery console
type chkdsk /r (will take several minutes to complete)
type chkdsk /p (will take a few minutes)
type fixboot c:
type exit, restart system.

Good luck.

[werty316]

Good thing someone knows how to use the repair console as I have no clue how to use it. I'll give it a try and hopefully it works thx Das ;)

[Kougar]

I'm not sure, but did you turn it into a dynamic disk? If so and the original OS is gone, then I think you are hosed. :( Hopefully I'm wrong though and Das figured it out...

[werty316]

Not sure what a dynamic disk but the data is still there. I can still get to the WinXP boot menu with "F8" and I booted into a virtual OS using BartPE and I can see all the files still. Not sure why WinXP setup is doing this.

[Das Capitolin]

Werty, I just double-checked, and my suggestion is in fact the Microsoft recommended repair proceedure for your issue:

Boot from Windows XP CD-ROM
Press "R" at prompt to enter recovery console
type chkdsk /r (will take several minutes to complete)
type chkdsk /p (will take a few minutes)
type fixboot c:
type exit, restart system.

Let me know if it works, as these are some pretty simple steps.

[werty316]

Sweet, I looked at M$ website and took a quick glance at the commands of the repair console.

I'll try what you recommended and let everyone know if it works so my finger is crossed.

[Kougar]

Well, then it's not likely ya were using a dynamic disk then... Google could explain those better than I could, I just know that they only work under the original OS. Found that out the hard way... :lol:

I'd definitely suggest what DAS said. If it goes according to plan, you could simply use your old XP install again with the new hardware, without even needing to do an install too.

[Xero (1)ne]

try a partition repair
i think its partition doctor or sumthan on hirens bootcd
it couldnt hurt

[werty316]

I tried all the partition apps on Hiren's BootCD without any success. I figured resizing the partition would refresh the partition table negative on trying that.

[werty316]

Bump

So the MFT is messed up so I have not choice but to format the HD so does anyone know of any good file recovery apps?

[Das Capitolin]

Bump

So the MFT is messed up so I have not choice but to format the HD so does anyone know of any good file recovery apps?

Why don't you try what I initally suggested? You might notice that there is a fixboot command in there, which fixes guess what: boot sector file table.

Hmmm?

[werty316]

Yeah I did try what you suggested and it worked somewhat.

WinXP setup doesn't shows the HD as "unknown" anymore so it worked but I ran an app on the Hiren's BootCD and it showed that the MFT has an error and some files aren't physically visable but they are still there. I am guessing converting from FAT32 to NTFS messed things up somehow.

So the owner of this computer wants to do a fresh format so I have to back all the files and recover the lost files.

Thx for the help Das as your advice did help.

[Das Capitolin]

So the owner of this computer wants to do a fresh format so I have to back all the files and recover the lost files.

Thx for the help Das as your advice did help.

I sure hope he's paying you! That should take some time to complete. Good luck!

[Xero (1)ne]

there are programs that let you recover files after a format, and i thought XP could automaticly repair mft with chdsk, it did for me when mine got damaged from my fsb being raised too high and the pci/agp freq. caused the hdd to mess up

stupid pci/agp freq. lock not being an option :(