Unmountable Boot Volume

Hello,

I am receiving the error message ¨unmountable boot volume¨ after windows attmepts to load. I have tried to start from the last normal configuration, and safe mode, as well, but it has the same results. I have searched previous posts from users, and have read a little about the error. Is it possible to repair the file without losing the hd data? I don´t have any disks for my laptop, except a recovery cd that I made when I had another start up problem about a month or two ago(http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=70350)

Can I just run chkdsk/r or fixboot/r and it will be repaired?(like it says on the microsoft site link) Will I lose data this way?

Any help is appreciated. Thank you.

 

Running chkdsk will not affect your data. However, it won't necessarily clear the error. Give it a try.

 

I couldn´t even run chkdsk. I received an error saying that ¨autochk.exe¨ could not be located in either the startup directory or the cd drive. Then it prompts me to type the full path of the location of autochk.exe. (which i dont know, but i assume it was windows/system32/autocheck.exe)

I even decided to reinstall windows xp, because i have the majority of my important files backed up, but when I tried to reinstall, I recieved the error that ¨setup cannot find the ¨End User Licensing Agreement(EULA)¨, so it wouldnt install?

Can I repair the autochk.exe?
Any idea why the EULA isnt found?

 

Type that when it prompts me for the location of autochk?
I did that and it said autochk.exe cannot be found in the specified location.

 

Arie‘s not online, I‘ll answer for him.

There are two separate commands:

1. Type CD C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 (note the space after cd) and press Enter.
2. Type CHKDSK /F (note the space after chkdsk) and press Enter.

 

Tried it again. I still get "the path or file specified is not valid" message after I type the command from #1.

 

I suspect your abortive attempt to install Windows has removed either or both the Windows and System32 folders.

Try typing cd\windows and press Enter.

If it worked now type dir sys*.* (note the space) and press Enter.

Does system32 show in the listing? If not, it doesn’t exist.

 

If you want to save your data before going any further you could put the problem hard drive in another XP or NTFS capable machine and see if you can see the partition on that drive. If you can see it, you may be able to copy the data off to another hard drive or storage medium of your choice.

Just be careful that you only copy; don't edit, move, or delete any of the data. Unless of course part of the troubleshooting advice is to modify something on it.

 

I typed it, and I´m still receiving ¨the path or file specified is not valid¨.

If the folders were removed, how can I go about fixing it? Wouldn´t the files be on the recovery cd that I made?

The problem started when I tried to update Adobe Reader, my computer froze, and even after letting it sit for a few minutes, I restarted the computer, after that, the problem occured.

 

First, thank you for all the help so far.
I´ve googled the problem and also searched this form as well as others. It seems like every solution is to run chkdsk, but of course I can´t run it.

The article states that this could be a bios problem, and to access the fail-safe default settings. Should I do that? and how do I access it? Sorry, for all the questions, I just don´t want to do more damage than I already have done. And what would I do after I access the fail-safe default settings?

Also, do you think there could be a problem withy the recovery disk that I´m using,seeing that I keep getting ¨access denied¨ or ¨path/file is not valid messages?

 

Hello Arie,

I believe its just a recovery cd. It´s one that I made, and I used this link/ as a guide. It was suggested by another memeber of this site when one of my other files was corrupted.

This is my only cd. I am currently in Spain, and have been here for months working, and will not be able to access my default discs until I return to the USA at the end of may. So, I don´t have many options, lol.

Btw, I have a Compaq Presario V2000. If I can obtain a copy of another Presario´s disc, could I use that to repair? And if so, would it have to be the same model number? I´m just trying to see what my options are.

Like I said in previous posts, at this point, I just want to access Windows, and I´m not too worried about files(most are backed up), and hopefully I could recover some of them...maybe.
Thanks.