"Error Loading Operating System" - Windows XP

[BeanCounter]

Yesterday, I literally had the computer on and walked off with it sitting with the web browser up.
I came back some time later and the computer had turned off. I didn't recall turning it off, but didn't think much of it.

From there on: "Error loading operating software..."

The only action I could seemingly try is to reload the operating system, which I believe would wipe out all my files on the hard drive.

Any ideas?

 

[Quest]

if the file system is intact (NTFS, FAT, whathave you), I would consider pulling the HDD off from your PC, set it up as a USB drive onto another known clean working PC and transfer all the valuable files off that HDD before you put it back for re-imaging the OS.

Q.

 

[SZR48207]

Just to be sure... make sure you don't have any peripheral USB storage devices plugged into any of the USB ports.

Sometimes the BIOS thinks wrongly of external storage devices...

 

[SrDriver]

Find another computer and burn a cd using the following software. You can boot off of the CD and copy your important files to an external USB Hard Drive.

Link To Parted Magic

You can also burn a Ubuntu or other Linux CD and boot from it to copy your files to an external hard drive.

I would try and backup those before trying anything where you could loose them.

 

[tmorris1]

Originally Posted By: Reddy45
Just to be sure... make sure you don't have any peripheral USB storage devices plugged into any of the USB ports.

Sometimes the BIOS thinks wrongly of external storage devices...

My thoughts too. It sounds like you have an external HD or flash drive connected to the USB.

 

[BeanCounter]

Originally Posted By: tmorris1
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
Just to be sure... make sure you don't have any peripheral USB storage devices plugged into any of the USB ports.

Sometimes the BIOS thinks wrongly of external storage devices...

My thoughts too. It sounds like you have an external HD or flash drive connected to the USB.


No, I actually don't have an external HD or anything, although I now wish I did. I even tried starting with the USB unhooked.
All I really have on there is printer, mouse, keyboard, etc.

 

[Deltona_Dave]

You can try to repair the OS files, if you have an XP CD (not a bundled software restore disk).

Boot xp from the cd rom. Select Repair using the recovery console. It will take you to a black screen, similar to the old DOS. If you have a password for the system, you will have to type it in when prompted. Then run CHKDSK /R The system will try to repair any bad parts of the disk and corrupted files. It takes about an hour or so. Worth a try.

Dave

 

[BeanCounter]

Originally Posted By: Deltona_Dave
You can try to repair the OS files, if you have an XP CD (not a bundled software restore disk).

Boot xp from the cd rom. Select Repair using the recovery console. It will take you to a black screen, similar to the old DOS. If you have a password for the system, you will have to type it in when prompted. Then run CHKDSK /R The system will try to repair any bad parts of the disk and corrupted files. It takes about an hour or so. Worth a try.

Dave


I tried this, but when I went to Repair it said the disk was not formatted and couldn't be repaired. Basically just gave me the option to format, which would lose everything I believe.

 

[PandaBear]

Depends on what is the reason behind the failure.

If it is a corrupted file, copying it back would be good enough.

If it is just a minor file corruption (unlikely in NTFS since it is journaling), then you can reinstall windows.

If the HD is dying, back up ASAP and see what you can do.

I'd use another computer to run a free smart tool (Passmark Disk Checkup, for example) and see if there is any high amount of reallocated sectors or reallocation event. Also look around and see if you have any other hard drive you can dump it to, and run a recovery software to get as much files out as possible.

 

[BeanCounter]

Well, I got up with an IT fellow here at work and, unless I somehow get the computer to run, I'm going to bring in my HD and get an external HD to him on Monday.
I believe he will transfer over all salvageable files and then determine if the HD is fit to reload the OS.

Sound like a reasonable plan?

 

[SrDriver]

Hope that he can save your important files.

External USB Hard Drives are cheap. I backup everything both in Linux and Windows on our computers about one a week or so. If I have an important file back it up after I am finished with it.

It is not a question of if but when as many here can attest to!

 

[Deltona_Dave]

Originally Posted By: BeanCounter
Originally Posted By: Deltona_Dave
You can try to repair the OS files, if you have an XP CD (not a bundled software restore disk).

Boot xp from the cd rom. Select Repair using the recovery console. It will take you to a black screen, similar to the old DOS. If you have a password for the system, you will have to type it in when prompted. Then run CHKDSK /R The system will try to repair any bad parts of the disk and corrupted files. It takes about an hour or so. Worth a try.

Dave


I tried this, but when I went to Repair it said the disk was not formatted and couldn't be repaired. Basically just gave me the option to format, which would lose everything I believe.


That sounds like the HDD has bad physical sectors, or the controller card is going wonky. Best to have it hooked up to a usb adapter and copy everything to a different drive.



Also nods for the suggestion of an external drive or a second drive in the machine for backups. The external is more convenient/portable. A Western Digital external is what I use (1 TB).

 

[BeanCounter]

Well, I brought the HDD to the IT guy at work and it took him about 10 minutes to tell me the hard drive is fried. He said it wouldn't even respond to him when he tried to salvage files for me.
Just for kicks I brought it home and am trying to format and reinstall XP just to see if it responds to me.
In doing so, it showed it copied most of the files, but there were about 30 or so that it said would not copy over, so I had to pres ESC to skip over them.
At restart it gave me the blue screen saying and error had occured and windows had to be shut down.

Does this sound like the hard drive is done?
Is there any sense in trying to delete the partition and reinstall again or is it pretty clear the HDD is [censored] out?

Thanks guys.

 

[SrDriver]

Sounds like it may be time for a new computer. No need putting money in an old XP Box.

An external USB Hard Drive for backups would be a + too while your are shopping.

 

[BeanCounter]

Already got the external HD, in hoping some of the files could be salvaged on it. I'm guessing it is finished, but just waiting for final assurance that what I'm seeing on the screen means it isn't any good...haha

 

[BeanCounter]

Welp, I am on the computer now.

:sigh:

I figured this thing was dead. As a last ditch effort, I ran the O/S disk, deleted the partition on the HDD and reinstalled.
And it worked.

Why?

 

[flacoman]

Sector 0 croaked , error correction wrote it to a new physical spot on the disk.

 

[SrDriver]

Originally Posted By: flacoman
Sector 0 croaked , error correction wrote it to a new physical spot on the disk.


Sounds like the hard drive is going bad. This will only be a temporary fix before you have other problems.

I would highly consider replacing that XP box with a new one.

No need to spend a lot of time reloading everything then have it crash yet again!!

 

[BeanCounter]

You guys have been great.

So it does sound pretty obvious what is going on, right?
I got it running and assume I'll just run it til it fails again (as I have an external HD with auto backup hooked up to it now).
How long can I reasonable expect this to last?
I'm not precisely sure what Sector 0 is, but anything croaking doesn't sound good.

 

[BeanCounter]

EDIT: I read a little on Sector 0, so I understand a bit more now.