XP Home - autochk not found - MBR error?

Hey, I have a Sony Vaio laptop, which came with XP Home installed. I partitioned my hard drive and am running Red Hat Linux 9 on the second partition. However, at the same time I partitioned the drive, I installed a windows update, and now when I try to boot to the windows partition I get the message "program "autochk" not found - skipping AUTOCHECK "

My first thought was to try to boot into the recovery console and run fixmbr, as it seemed to me that it just couldn't find the right partition. However, I didn't have the recovery console installed from before, so I needed the CD to boot into it.

Here's where I ran into a problem. I didn't get an installation CD with my computer, so I borrowed an XP Professional CD from my friend, thinking I could just use it to boot into the recovery console, but alas, no. When I boot from the CD then hit "R" to boot to the recovery console, the only windows installation detected is on E:/WINDOWS, which is, of course, the CD-ROM drive. My perception of this is that I need to run fixmbr, but can't, because of the same problem that is causing me to need to run it.

I really, really don't want to start fresh from a clean install, mostly because I don't want to lose what I have on that partition, but also because I don't have a CD and would have to buy a new one. Needless to say, that's an expense I don't need (I'm a first year university student - too much money spent as it is)

Thanks alot,

-Andy

 

I didn't realize Home XP had a Recovery Console, and I admit, I don't know what fixmbr is (must be before my time)

When you get this autocheck error does it boot normally afterwards? Can you boot it to safe mode, if not?

Did you get any kind of system cd with this laptop? SFC might help.

A cut and paste- forgive me-I don't remember where I got it:

Start > Run > cmd sfc /scannow and have your XP install disc handy. sfc - system file checker, retrieves the correct version of the file from %Systemroot%\System32\Dllcache or the Windows installation source files, and then replaces the incorrect file.

If you want to see what was replaced, right click My Computer > manage, expand event viewer > system.

System File Checker (sfc)
Scans and verifies the versions of all protected system files after you restart your computer.

You can download boot floppies, but it sounds like it is booting okay? Just not finding one file?

Johanna

 

I can't boot into windows AT ALL.

I don't have CDs from the manufacturer, either.

What happens is, I get the XP loading screen dealy, and then on a blue screen, white text appears with the error message. Then the computer just restarts itself and it happens again. The same happens when I try to boot into safe mode, too.

 

Hi Fats,

It sounds as though you have hit the same problem as I did, except that my machine boots OK after watching that blue screen message for 2 to 3 minutes.
Did you do the partitioning using Partition Magic 8.0?

Good luck, and let me know if you find the answer please.

Roger

 

Yeah, I used Partition Magic 8 - the thing is, I get the blue screen with the error message for three seconds, then my computer reboots and it happens again.

 

That endless error boot loop is why I ALWAYS shut off the auto restart.

Johanna

 

Hello fats,

If you can't get access to the installation, then look at this thread
http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24692 especially Newt's post about NTRecover. It will give you a shot at recovering data from that partition.

As stated by Honkworm, need a second system.

Regards - Charles

 

Johanna - fixboot started with 2K so probably not 'before your time'.

Take a look at HOW TO: Install and Use the Recovery Console in Windows XP cause it will be lots easier now than some time when you need to use it.

fats - do take a look at that 'dead disk recovery' utility. Worst case you can still get your files copied. As to why it's not finding a HD XP install - hmmmmm. I would have thought that XP-pro would recognize a XP-home system.

However, if you run the recovery console from the CD, you should be able to do fixmbr by pointing to the partition where you have/had the OS loaded. If you try and it fails, then you for sure have a serious drive issue.

Other possibility would be to put the drive in another XP PC and see if it's accessible when booted from another OS load.

 

In 1989 my dad bought me a 486, and I used it like a glorified typewriter. He said when the computer bug bit me, it would bite hard. I laughed and I resisted for 12 years. In 2001 I got online with 98, by the end of the year I had ME. In Feb 2002 I got XP Pro, been there ever since. I'm actually quite new at all this! Never even played with 2K, and know nothing about it.

Johanna

 

I can't load the recovery partition on the E:/ drive because I don't know the admin password - so I guess I'm just going to have to start over somehow.

...

..

.