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Question

Hardrve error win xp, Help ? Blue Screen

Oct 4, 2012 12:44PM PDT

Ok so i got a virus and my Microsoft security essentials needed a restart to remove it. being in a rush i tuned it off from the wall whilst the pc was booting back up and i got this afterwards. http://postimage.org/image/vwolmg36v/

So i burned a recovery disk as it said i needed to run CHKDSK /F but it won't allow me as it says wrong command in the recovery console so i did CHKDSK /R Instead. As seen in the link. http://postimage.org/image/kgrf325tt/

However no luck, also i have tried putting the hardrive in a friends dell pc and still i get the same message.

I need those files!
Thanks

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Did you check your BIOS settings?
Oct 4, 2012 12:58PM PDT
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Answer
Re: error
Oct 4, 2012 6:23PM PDT

So the second picture shows the disk is fine. The first picture shows that Windows is corrupted.

Time to get your XP install CD and do a repair install.

Kees

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Help
Oct 5, 2012 6:32PM PDT

How do i a get a xp install cd ?
And if i do this will i lose my files ?

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Re: Windows XP install CD
Oct 5, 2012 6:38PM PDT

If it didn't come with the PC when you bought it, there must be other recovery options, like booting from a recovery partition or recovery disks (which you might have had to make yourself). Only you know, we don't.

With some repairs nothing is lost, with others all is lost. That's why it's a good idea to make a copy of your files first, if you don't already have a backup copy. A common way is to burn a Ubuntu (12.4.1 is the current version) disk, boot from it and run it (don't install). More about that: www.ubuntu.com.

A possible alternative is to install Windows XP on a new hard disk, and getting your files off the old hard disk later.

Kees

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If you had provided ...
Oct 6, 2012 8:57AM PDT

the make and model of the PC we could have told you how you might have a recovery partition from which to return the computer to factory specs. Some of those recovery utilities also offer to save your data files but most simply overwrite them teaching the lesson about backing up what you can't afford to loose.

Try Bob's recommendation to check the BIOS settings for the hard drive (again, had you mentioned the make and model of the computer we would know more about the type of hard drive it came with) .

Kees also offered a common technique for using a Linux Live Cd to recover files. Since some are "lost" when having to use a different OS to interface with their files there are some handy instructions on the Internet. Here is a link to some decent instructions and at the bottom of the actual instructions is a ubuntu download link
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/use-ubuntu-live-cd-to-backup-files-from-your-dead-windows-computer/