system down

[willowyang]

Can't boot my computer. It shows:

Invalid system disk
replace the disk, and then press any key

But I don't have any disk in any drive.

OS is Win98

 

[SavvyLady]

reboot & come back in on safe mode... go to help an select ASD ( automatic skip driver) see if you can follow thru on that.

Savvy

 

[willowyang]

I can't even get into safe mode. while I reboot pc, press the F8 key, can't get me into safe mode as before the problem happens.

 

[Max19]

Are you familiar with this error, SavvyLady? It comes up IMMEDIATELY on boot. You can't go into Safe Mode.

I would suggest booting from a Win98 boot disk and run the sys command.

A:>sys c:

Other people might have suggestions as well. This command worked for me on more than one occasion.

 

[SavvyLady]

Willowyang I was trying to think of something to help. Sorry that didn't work.


Savvy

 

[willowyang]

I can't access my C: drive through 98 boot disk.

A:>sys c:
Bad command or file name

 

[Max19]

That doesn't mean you can't access the hard drive. Your boot disk might not have the sys command on it. To check to see if you can access the C: drive, type: c:
If you get a C:> prompt, type: dir
If you get a list of files, you can access the C: drive.

Does your boot disk create a RAM Drive? A standard Windows 98 boot disk does. Try switching to the RAM Drive letter. It might be D: or E:. It should say right before you get the prompt. Switch to the RAM Drive letter and try the sys c: command.

 

[willowyang]

yes, I can get C: dirve as you taught. but only can check the file list by typing C:dir , still can't back to windows. and also I found a lot of unreadable code on my C drive file list. my c dirve might be crashed, isn't it?

 

[~Candy~]

Hi willowyang, can you explain a bit more what you mean by unreadable code? Are there a bunch of happy faces or exclamation marks when you do a directory? Does the dir listing come up in a single column or is there garbage all over the screen?

 

[willowyang]

unreadable code please see the attached image:

 

[willowyang]

I use Ontrack Data Advisor(TM) v5.00 check my computerm, the Diagnostic Summary as below:

System Memory Test Result: Passed

Drive 1(ST34323A)
SMART Status Check Result: Passed
90-Second Test Result: Passed
File Structure Test Result: Failed
Complete Surface Scan Result: Passed

The detail of File Structure Test Result:

Partition 1(No Label) Result:
Extended Partition table I/O
error
Partition 2(No Label) Result: Critical Error(s)
14 Critical Structure Error(s)
627 Non-Critical Structure Error(s)

Error Summary
DIR Structures 14
Invaild DIR Entry 126
Orphaned Data Blocks 501

Is there any way I can get my files back? I didn't make any back up, but the files are very important for me. please help.

 

[willowyang]

I use Ontrack Data Advisor(TM) v5.00 check my computer, the Diagnostic Summary as below:

System Memory Test Result: Passed

Drive 1(ST34323A)
SMART Status Check Result: Passed
90-Second Test Result: Passed
File Structure Test Result: Failed
Complete Surface Scan Result: Passed

The detail of File Structure Test Result:

Partition 1(No Label) Result:
Extended Partition table I/O
error
Partition 2(No Label) Result: Critical Error(s)
14 Critical Structure Error(s)
627 Non-Critical Structure Error(s)

Error Summary
DIR Structures 14
Invaild DIR Entry 126
Orphaned Data Blocks 501

Is there any way I can get my files back? I didn't make any back up, but the files are very important for me. please help.

 

[Linkmaster]

Hi willowyang,
Try this site and see if this helps!
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q128730

 

[~Candy~]

Well, I've only seen those smiley faces 3 times.......all 3 times the hard drive was dead.....how old is the drive, most have 3 year warranties.....as to getting the data off, there are some companies that may be able to do that, but usually charge quite a sum.....depends on how important the data is I guess. You can probably do a search on google for data recovery companies and get quite a few hits.....

 

[SavvyLady]

I believe OnTrack has that program.... & list a telephone # for support as well....let me see if I can find it.

yes...

Emergency Data Recovery
http://ontrack.com/datarecovery/
1-800-872-2599