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Author Topic: Calling all computer geeks  (Read 1890 times)

Brad Johnson

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Calling all computer geeks
« on: February 12, 2009, 06:31:54 PM »
A co-worker's machine crashed this morning.  It's running XP Pro and keeps booting to the BSOD, giving an "unmountable_boot_volume" error.  Some digging on the Microsoft Knowledge Base indicates a corruption issue sometimes associated with new hardware software installation.  XP SP3 was autoinstalled overnight on his other machine so I presume it was trying to work it's magic on this machine as well.  Or maybe not.  Whatever the cause, it ain't workin'.

Per the MKB white paper I booted to the XP Pro CD and ran the "chkdsk /r" utility.  Three times it has hung at the same percent complete number (53% in this case, and I let it sit for several hours each time to make sure it wasn't just sloooooooow).  Now it has me wondering if the problem isn't a WinDoze glitch, but a faulty sector on the hard drive. 

The guy is going to order a new machine anyway, but this little problem is a new one for me and I wanted to get a handle on it for future reference.

Thanks in advance!
Brad
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lee n. field

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Re: Calling all computer geeks
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2009, 06:56:43 PM »
Quote
Three times it has hung at the same percent complete number (53% in this case, and I let it sit for several hours each time to make sure it wasn't just sloooooooow).

OK, so you already did chkdsk (which fixes "unmountable boot volume" 90% of the time).

Download the Ultimate Boot CD.  Boot it (once the iso is burned to CD, of course).  Run the appropriate hard disk diagnostic.
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Thor

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Re: Calling all computer geeks
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2009, 11:55:03 PM »
Brad, one of two things come to mind, a corrupt or faulty hard drive or a virus. What I would probably do, is .......

install the drive as a slave drive and run a virus scan. If no virus, copy any important documents to another drive, reformat and reinstall the OS.

If there's nothing of any importance, I'd grab Darik's Boot & Nuke, wipe the drive and start all over.
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Brad Johnson

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Re: Calling all computer geeks
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2009, 12:17:54 PM »
Now it's getting a bios error like their is a physical problem with the drive.  I think we're going to pick up an inexpensive replacement drive, some memory, and a video card.  For about $300 I can turn it into a rockin' internet station for the office or a very capable homework/e-mail machine for his kids.

Brad
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Thor

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Re: Calling all computer geeks
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2009, 01:24:08 PM »
Probably less than that, Brad
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Brad Johnson

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Re: Calling all computer geeks
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2009, 01:26:15 PM »
I'm including sales tax, too.  Actual cost for hardware, purchased locally, will run somewhere around $220-$260 depending on how big a hard drive and how much RAM we decide he actually needs.
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go_bang

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Re: Calling all computer geeks
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2009, 02:26:22 PM »
For $300 you can buy a whole new computer.

Something else you can do is download the latest version of Ubuntu Linux.  The installation CD for Ubuntu also functions as a live boot CD.  It boots the PC to a desktop and from there you can try to read the failing drive to get files off of it before you reformat or replace it.
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Brad Johnson

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Re: Calling all computer geeks
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2009, 02:41:52 PM »
Quote from: go_bang on February 13, 2009, 02:26:22 PM
For $300 you can buy a whole new computer.


-Not with XP Pro installed
-Not with the Office Pro suite he currently has or needs
-Not with enough memory

Brad
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It's all about the pancakes, people.
"And he thought cops wouldn't chase... a STOLEN DONUT TRUCK???? That would be like Willie Nelson ignoring a pickup full of weed."
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Vodka7

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Re: Calling all computer geeks
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2009, 03:44:02 PM »
I second the Ubuntu recommendation.  It helped me out so much when I was recovering files from my dead drive that I ended up switching over entirely.  I also try to keep a copy of Hiren's BootCD around.  It repaired a few errors on my friend's laptop that chkdsk couldn't, and his computer's more stable than it was before.  Program was called something like HDD Regenerator.

That aside though, the plan you've got is the best.  Sounds like a dead drive, so get everything off it while you can, wipe it, and trash it.
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Brad Johnson

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Re: Calling all computer geeks
« Reply #9 on: February 13, 2009, 04:01:46 PM »
Luckily that machine is used only for apps that are web-based, including his e-mail.  Tossing the drive is no big loss.

Brad
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"And he thought cops wouldn't chase... a STOLEN DONUT TRUCK???? That would be like Willie Nelson ignoring a pickup full of weed."
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Thor

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Re: Calling all computer geeks
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2009, 04:12:33 PM »
Brad, I've had a lot of luck with the vendors found on Pricewatch.com. That said, buying the OS can be expensive any more if you buy Windows. If it has an XP license, you CAN use that. You'll have to change the product key before you re-activate it.
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Brad Johnson

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Re: Calling all computer geeks
« Reply #11 on: February 13, 2009, 05:48:33 PM »
He already has XP Pro and a whole slew of productivity software.

This $300 will get him back up and running in fine style.  The machine was running XP Pro and on-board vidio on a P4 1.8GHz processor and half a gig of RAM.  A gig of RAM and a video card video card will have the machine running far faster and more stable than it was before, and doing so with the OP and apps he needs and is used to using.  The 160 GB drive is four times more storage.  Plus, it's hardware we already know is compatible and that we have drivers for.

We figure it will get him through another 24 months, which is when he intended to replace the machine anyway.  $150 per year for technology costs ain't bad.

Brad
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It's all about the pancakes, people.
"And he thought cops wouldn't chase... a STOLEN DONUT TRUCK???? That would be like Willie Nelson ignoring a pickup full of weed."
-HankB

go_bang

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Re: Calling all computer geeks
« Reply #12 on: February 14, 2009, 12:00:05 AM »
Quote
-Not with XP Pro installed
-Not with the Office Pro suite he currently has or needs

No big deal.  Just carry them over.

Quote
-Not with enough memory

A Dell Inspiron 530s has 2GB or RAM and starts at $279.
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