Re: finding fail-safe default for XP laptop


First and foremost, if you have important files that are not backed up and that you want to retrieve your first plan of action should be to undertake a file recovery operation instead of an operating system rescue operation. You should only attempt to repair the disk or file system or operating system *after* you have salvaged your important files! To salvage your files you will have to remove the disk from the laptop and then mount it to another computer. You could put the disk in a USB enclosure or use a 2.5" to 3.5" adapter and mount the disk in a desktop computer and then use the other computer to clone the disk and examine it to see if your files can be recovered.

We don't know exactly what is wrong with the laptop, all you can do (after salvaging your files) is try the recommended fixes and see what happens. *Anything* can happen when you try to fix these kinds of problems, if all goes well the computer may boot as if nothing ever happened and if it doesn't go so well everything on the disk might be lost... if it isn't already. Hardware glitches, software glitches or user errors can lead to complete data loss, it's the kind of thing that you have to be aware of and accept as you proceed with the attempted repairs.

Using the Recovery Console is usually quite safe, you won't be installing it on the drive, you will only be booting to it with the Windows XP CD. The Recovery Console looks like a DOS environment (but it isn't DOS). You enter your commands as you would in DOS and when you're done you exit and try to boot the computer and keep your fingers crossed and see if your attempts are successful. By and large using the Recovery Console doesn't cause any more problems than the already existing ones but as I said earlier, anything can happen!

Keep in mind that there is *always* a risk of data loss when you run chkdsk, this is true even if you have no perceived problems with the Windows installation. If the disk is a bit "iffy" the risk of data loss might be a bit greater. Usually, or most of the time, all goes fairly well and there is no data loss at all, but there is always a risk that things might not go so well. I always cringe a bit when I run chkdsk on a bad disk, I kind of close my eyes when I hit the <Enter> key and hope for the best! You're at the point where you have few other choices, if you want to try to fix things you have to make decisions and accept the consequences.

As I said earlier, you don't need to install the Recovery Console and you wouldn't want to even try to install it on a bad disk or while attempting to repair a broken Windows installation, you just want to run it from the Windows XP CD. To start the Console select the repair or recover option by pressing R, this is explained in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058

John

meggst wrote:
Hi John

Thanks for your replies. I have not been able to get back onto the computer until last night to try your suggestion. I feel I need to tell you though that I am definitely no computer expert by any means. I am just a VERY basic computer user trying to fix a laptop that doesnt seem to want to work along with anything I have tried so far. So . . .

I am currently at the screen where I have 3 options fozen with fear about what to do next!: . To set up Windows XP - to repair Windows XP - or to quit Setup.

My question is : what happens when I select recovery console? What does this do to the computer? Will this make the system lose important settings and data? Or will it, llke I am thinking, jand hoping, just check and tell me stuff?

Also, I checked out the link that you included in your last reply about recovery console - I basically get the drift but do not have the skills or the confidence to do what it suggests, and in some of the instructions I would have absolutely no idea of what I was doing or what it would achieve.

I have used this type of forum support before to revivve an old system doing all the various searching to find and create files, pathways, deleting and creating partitions etc., eventuating in a very old system working again. It was indeed a surprise, and it was a great sense of achievement that with the tech info. I managed to understand and get an old system working well; one that had-had many computer repair experts advise that it would never work again, and that I should throw it away. Two years later its stil going. But this time, its not a reinstall - its a restore - and I am worried! I have no idea what harm I may do to the existing files and system.

Any help would once again be definitely appreciated.




"John John - MVP" wrote:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058
Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console for advanced users

You don't need to install the Recovery Console, you can boot to it with your Windows XP CD. When you get to the Recovery Console run:

chkdsk /r


http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555302
Unmountable Boot Volume

John

meggst wrote:
Okay well to answer your first question - if this is when you load your windows disk and try to repair yes? Well I have tried that and no programs appeared to select a repair; only the 3 partitions. I have just attempted again and it cannot setup on partition 3(FAT32), or the other large partition because it says it is full or has incompatible programs. It suggests to delete partition and it will create a partition for windows. What would be the best option?

Also:-

I tried the reload default in bios settings; I am not sure if the computer accepted the continue to load defaults as it seemed to bounce straight back to cancel tab. Regardless of this I exited and saved changes. I tried to reboot after getting back to the startup options screen; safe mode, safe mode with command prompt, last known configuration, normal windows etc;, I selected last known configuration, but it didnt work. The blue error screen appeared.

The machine is a dell inspiron 640m.

thanks



"John John - MVP" wrote:

First off, did you try fixing this by using the Recovery Console (Chkdsk)? That would be usual first thing to try.

I don't know if returning the laptop to fail safe settings will fix this all I can tell you is to try it and find out. If all else failed its worth a try. If your computer worked well for a good while odds are that it won't fix anything, but you might have a lucky strike!

If you want more help with your BIOS options and settings you should give us the make and model number of your computer and maybe someone reading here will be familiar with your computer be able to offer more help. The BIOS options are more or less the same for all computers but unless we know more about your computer and the BIOS manufacturer we can only offer general guidance.

John

meggst wrote:
thanks. another question if you can help - so where it says load defaults I accept and contimue? Is it reasonably straight forward from there? Should this do the trick to get the laptop working again?
"John John - MVP" wrote:

Yes.

John

meggst wrote:
In attempting to sort out umountable_boot_volume error, the faqs suggest to reload fail-safe default settings. Would this be in the BIOS settings when hitting F12?
.

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