There's no such thing as a stupid question, but they're the easiest to answer.
JoinTour
Login
 
Tag Cloud
audio avg avg 8 bios boot browser bsod computer cpu crash css dell desktop driver dvd email error excel explorer firefox firefox 3 freeze game graphics hard drive hardware help please hijackthis hjt install internet internet explorer itunes javascript lan laptop malware missing monitor msn network networking openoffice outlook outlook 2003 outlook express php popups problem problems router seo slow sound sp3 spyware startup trojan usb video virtumonde virus vista vundo windows windows vista windows xp winxp wireless word
DOS/PDA/Other
Search
Search in:
 
Advanced Search
Tech Support Guy Forums > Operating Systems > DOS/PDA/Other >
Trying to salvage my files thru DOS


HELLO AND WELCOME! Before you can post your question, you'll have to register -- it's completely free! Click here to join today! We highly recommend that you print a copy of our Guide for New Members. Enjoy!

 
Thread Tools
Martel's Avatar
Computer Specs
Junior Member with 18 posts.
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Experience: Intermediate
13-Mar-2008, 05:09 PM #1
Trying to salvage my files thru DOS
My laptop quit booting and I have been trying to rescue my files.

It will not go to WINXP anymore

I can get to DOS and it has zero bytes free.

I want to rescue my docs and pics.


Also I would like to create some room for WIN to boot.

but cannot delete any files

it just tells me invalid directory
cwwozniak's Avatar
Distinguished Member with 7,144 posts.
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: McHenry, IL - USA
Experience: Enough to be dangerous
13-Mar-2008, 05:58 PM #2
Quote:
Originally Posted by Martel View Post
It will not go to WINXP anymore

I can get to DOS and it has zero bytes free.
How are you getting to a DOS command prompt?

I was under the impression that there is no underlying MS-DOS on a Windows XP installation. With Windows XP running, you can get to a command screen that looks like the MS-DOS interface.

Do you know if the Hard Drive is FAT32 or NTFS formatted?

If you are concerned about loosing anything on the drive, you might be safer pulling the drive and putting it in a suitable external USB enclosure. You could then plug it into a PC running data recovery software.
__________________
Chuck W.
Martel's Avatar
Computer Specs
Junior Member with 18 posts.
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Experience: Intermediate
13-Mar-2008, 09:27 PM #3
The way I got into DOS (or what I thought was DOS):
I install my recovery disk, when it displays the recoverey screen ( and says this will overwrite all files do you want to continue? ) I choose cancel and it puts me to C:\


Like you mentioned above I must be in the common screen that looks like MS-DOS
It understands dir and dir/p and cls and cd directoryname and cd.. and cd\ and ver

The other way is I downloaded the Ultimate Boot CD from http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html and it has lots of tools that I don't have a clue how to use
It has the following choices...

Mainboard Tools
Hard Disk Tools
File Syatem Tools
Other Tools
User-Defined Tools
DOS/Linux Boot Disks
*Boot First Hard Drive
*Boot Second Hard Drive


About the NTFS FAT32:
I have no idea which it is.
I tried to Google it and it was way over my head.
I looked here http://homepages.tesco.net/J.deBoyne...stem-type.html


And on rescue:
I tried attaching the drive to an external USB enclosure and my desktop can see it under My Computer but when I click explore it goes sluggish. And never reads.
Martel's Avatar
Computer Specs
Junior Member with 18 posts.
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Experience: Intermediate
13-Mar-2008, 09:42 PM #4
Newsflash!

using the Ultimate boot CD I found that it is NTFS
looks like two sectors
Pri 1
Noyb's Avatar
Computer Specs
Distinguished Member with 8,075 posts.
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kokomo
Experience: More Input Please
15-Mar-2008, 09:31 PM #5
Did you see two partitions ??? ... explore the big one.
The smaller (usually D) is probably an HP recovery Partition (Fat32) .. about 6 gig worth
Martel's Avatar
Computer Specs
Junior Member with 18 posts.
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Experience: Intermediate
15-Mar-2008, 10:03 PM #6
I don't know how to get to the other side.

Kinda like that show Land of the Lost

I HAVE these drives showing up under disk tools

Volume in drive Q is MS-RAMDRIVE
Volume in drive T is UBCD410
Volume in drive A is NwDsk342fds
Volume in drive U is Navigator Open Source Project
Noyb's Avatar
Computer Specs
Distinguished Member with 8,075 posts.
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kokomo
Experience: More Input Please
17-Mar-2008, 08:40 AM #7
Quote:
Originally Posted by Martel View Post
....but when I click Explore it goes sluggish. And never reads.
I’m not familiar with using the Ultimate Boot CD .. and your wording “Explore” is confusing me.

Every time I’ve hooked up a HD from another computer that was still functional,
but wouldn’t boot for whatever reason .... Using a USB external enclosure, or USB Adapter ...
I’ve been able to OPEN it in “My Computer” … And Browse it to Find and Extract the data files.

Just a long shot (and a bump) .. But have you tried this simple way ??
Martel's Avatar
Computer Specs
Junior Member with 18 posts.
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Experience: Intermediate
17-Mar-2008, 07:27 PM #8
By Explore I mean Browse


Quote:
Every time I’ve hooked up a HD from another computer that was still functional,
but wouldn’t boot for whatever reason .... Using a USB external enclosure, or USB Adapter ...
I’ve been able to OPEN it in “My Computer” … And Browse it to Find and Extract the data files.
Me too I have always been able to hook full sized hard drives into a USB enclosure and read them.

This is my first experience with 40gig a 2.5" drive

Quote:
Just a long shot (and a bump) .. But have you tried this simple way ??
Yes, I tried that and it causes my desktop machine with XP to go sluggish.
Noyb's Avatar
Computer Specs
Distinguished Member with 8,075 posts.
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kokomo
Experience: More Input Please
17-Mar-2008, 07:34 PM #9
I wonder what would happen if you run this ... http://www.runtime.org/
The free trial will let you know if it can read the drive ... But you have to buy it to get the files.
There's other freebies ... but I've seen this one work when the freebies wouldn't.
Martel's Avatar
Computer Specs
Junior Member with 18 posts.
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Experience: Intermediate
17-Mar-2008, 08:04 PM #10
I will try it now

Thanks

I will let you know if it can.
Martel's Avatar
Computer Specs
Junior Member with 18 posts.
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Experience: Intermediate
17-Mar-2008, 08:37 PM #11
Quote:
I wonder what would happen if you run this ... http://www.runtime.org/
I connected it and let it run, it saw the drive and started looking, after about ten minutes I went back to check on it.

It was showing 8 hours and 50 minutes till completion

I believe it is able to analyze the files by going very slowly.

Also,
I took the 2.5: drive connected to a USB and tried to copy it to my desktop.
I get the message "error performing inpage operation"

Last edited by Martel : 17-Mar-2008 08:53 PM.
Noyb's Avatar
Computer Specs
Distinguished Member with 8,075 posts.
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kokomo
Experience: More Input Please
19-Mar-2008, 09:57 AM #12
Quote:
Originally Posted by Martel View Post
I took the 2.5: drive connected to a USB and tried to copy it to my desktop. I get the message "error performing inpage operation"
I sure would NOT try to COPY the Drive ... But just fetch what you need.
Martel's Avatar
Computer Specs
Junior Member with 18 posts.
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Experience: Intermediate
19-Mar-2008, 10:36 AM #13
Quote:
I sure would NOT try to COPY the Drive ... But just fetch what you need.
Yes, good idea, I was unable to view the files and in a desperate last ditch type of effort I tried to drag and drop it.

I feel stranded in the wild against the elements, where common sense gives way to sheer panic driven dementia.

I stare hard in the sky (XP desktop) searching the horizions acutely aware of the tiniest sound.
My heart races and I am flooded with joy and new found hope when I see "Reply to Thread"
But my rescue plane flys by unable to see me screaming jumping wildly with flailing arms.
Noyb's Avatar
Computer Specs
Distinguished Member with 8,075 posts.
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kokomo
Experience: More Input Please
19-Mar-2008, 11:00 AM #14
By any chance .. Do you have Acronis True Image, to go with your External HDs ??
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing...cts/trueimage/
Martel's Avatar
Computer Specs
Junior Member with 18 posts.
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Experience: Intermediate
19-Mar-2008, 08:20 PM #15
No, I had never heard of it till now.
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

You Are Using:
Server ID
Advertisements do not imply our endorsement of that product or service.
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:16 AM.
Copyright © 1996 - 2008 TechGuy, Inc. All rights reserved.
Powered by vBulletin, Copyright © 2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.1.0
Powered by Cermak Technologies, Inc.