Error when Starting up

Hey everyone...so i just got my dads old laptop since he got a new one because he thinks he broke this one but i think i can fix it and keep it .

Whenever i boot it up i get the error

UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME

and also the blue screen of death.
I checked out google and such but most solutions require a Windows XP boot disc wich i dont have. I only have the Product recovery disc for Windows XP MCE 2005...would this work?

Thanks,


Valentin

 

Oh and i forgot to mention...i need some files off the Hard drive so i cant wipe it clean.

 

Here is hoping you have a floppy drive

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310994

 

Its a laptop so no floppy.

 

Some laptops have floppies. You did say it was old

Well, with some random googling:

http://tips.vlaurie.com/2008/01/recovery-console-cd-update/

Once you get in, run chkdsk /r.

 

Tried to read through the instruction in the file after i downloaded but it doesn't tell me exactly what to do...do i burn all the files on to a discs?

 

Uh, let me look.

 

The readme file tells all

Seems pretty straightforward?

 

Ok so i did all that and now CHKDSK is checking to Volume.
Hope this works!

 

Let us know

 

So at about 28% i get this message saying...

"The volume appears to contain one or more unrecoverable problems."

WHAT DO I DO NOW?!?!?!

 

Attempt to format the drive with a new OS and start over and if that fails...replace the drive.

 

How important are the files? You could try downloading a Linux Mint ISO file and burning it to CD as an image file using imgburn. Then boot from the CD and it will give you a LINUX desktop that will look a lot like Windows.

If the hard drive in the laptop is still readable you should be able to copy the files over to a USB flash drive.

******
You will still have to eventually format the HD in the laptop and reinstall Windows. Do you have a recovery partition or recovery discs?

As Adrynalyne says, a format and reinstall may not work if the HD is completely bad in which case the HD will have to be replaced.

 

I do have recover discs but do i need to format the hard drive first to make those work?

 

They will format the drive as part of the recovery process IF they detect no drive file system. I assume that as CHKDSK could not find a file system they probably won't be able to either.

Anyway, give the Linux LiveCD a go, as sach2 suggested. It may save the documents...

 

I have tried the Linux but when trying to access the HDD it was saying it has to many bad sectors. Also tried the recovery disc and it failed as well because of some error that gave no detail as to whats going on...At this point when i load up the laptop it says that i need to install windows again. What can i do now...should i reformat the HDD and then try the recovery disc again...or do i need a windows install disc...

Blahhhhhh!:confused

 

You have a bad hard drive. Not much you can do sans replacing it.

 

The HD is bad enough that you can't recover anything. So all you can do is try to do a full format during the installation process and if that fails replace the HD.

What brand and model of laptop? The HD diagnostic utility might be able to format if the recovery disc won't. But the HD will be unreliable at best.

 

I had tried the recover disc again and it got to 100% but then displayed a fail. I had gotten the Toshiba diagnostic tool and it stated that there was an error with the HDD...i forgot exactly what it had stated but im gonna try to format fully then put in the recovery disc. I know the laptop is not in warranty so i dont know if i want to spend alot on getting the hard drive replaced. How much would that cost?

 

I was actually just reading up on replacing a hard drive on a Toshiba Sattelite A100 and it doesnt seem very hard. If i were to buy this hard drive (http://ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=42252&vpn=ST9320423AS&manufacture=Seagate) would it work on my laptop and what would i have to do as far as BIOS and Recovery...would i be able to use the recover disc to install Windows XP?

 

The BIOS should need no changes as it will recognise the hard drive straight away.

You should be able to reinstall from the CD, but I am not sure how picky Toshiba are about hardware upgrades.

 

Ok so now that i know i can install from the recovery discs all i need to know is this hard drive compatible with my TOSHIBA SATTELIE A100?


http://ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=42252&vpn=ST9320423AS&manufacture=Seagate

 

It should be, but check the dimensions just to make sure.