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I ran Bootfix to fix a boot issue, now I'm getting Disk Read Error.

Started by Kaljinyu , Jun 07 2012 10:07 PM

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286 replies to this topic

#1 Kaljinyu

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Posted 07 June 2012 - 10:07 PM

Okay, so I couldn't boot. And on the recommendation of aids from some other forum not as... informed... as Bleeping Computer, I ran Bootfix. Now I'm getting this error when I start up...

A disk read error occurred

Press Ctrl + Alt + Del to restart

I think the MBR code got messed up somehow or something. Or the partition table got changed.

I have many partition tools, and can probably get others. I also have several bootable Linux flash drives I can access my computer from (that's how I was able to run Bootfix, but you probably already knew that.) Unfortunately, I have no backups of my hard drive as far as I know. But is there any way I can maybe... scan my drive for where the boot stuff is and then re-write the boot record or partition table or something based on that?

As far as make and model, I was running Windows XP Professional, SP3. Before I was unable to boot into it. I've attached a Speccy sheet if that's not enough information though. If you need any information specifically, I'll see if I can get it.

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SpeccySummary.PNG 39.26K 20 downloads

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#2 rotor123

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Posted 08 June 2012 - 12:10 PM

Hi, That error is usually a hardware error.

The first thing I would do is check the hardware. Run the hard drive test.

HP has a memory test and/or hard drive test in the Bios.
Dell F12 when the Dell logo is on the screen press F12 for boot device menu and choose diagnostics.

Other brands run the Seagate drive test.
http://www.seagate.com/support/downloads/seatools/
Page has a Seatools for Dos since windows does not run. That page has a downloadable link for a CDRom ISO that can be burned to run the test.

Before playing around with software it is important at this time to be sure the hard drive is not failing.

Good Luck
Roger

Edited by rotor123, 08 June 2012 - 12:10 PM.

My next Upgrade, USB 3 on my remaining desktop. The only External storage devices I currently Buy are USB3 devices

How Does a computer get Infected? http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/2520/how-did-i-get-infected/

My first Computer had a Whopping 16K of memory @ 0.89MHz. My first hard drive held 20 Megabytes and never filled up.
My Oldest Motherboard and Hard Drive are a 80286 @ 8Mhz and a Seagate 20 Megabyte MFM drive.

Forum Rules, The BC Welcome Guide

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#3 Kaljinyu

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Posted 08 June 2012 - 12:56 PM

I'm running HP. How do I get to the memory/hard drive test? Does it just happen automatically in the BIOS? I think my hard drive is healthy, I can browse it and everything when I've booted into Linux on a flash drive.

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#4 rotor123

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Posted 08 June 2012 - 02:08 PM

In fact as I think about it you should back up anything you don't want to lose at this point.

It depends on the model, There may be an option on the screen when you turn it on or you will need to go into the Bios, once again the screen when you turn it on will tell you which function to to press and then look for diagnostics.

Unfortunately HP is not very consistent with what Function key does what unlike Dell of Lenovo so I can't say which one you need. You could also just download the Seagate Seatools and run the short test and the long test. Do not fix anything if it finds a problem as that could lead to data loss due to it swapping in a replacement block.

If it does find something you need to back up everything of any importance and then try the fix.

Good Luck
Roger

P.S. What Model of HP?

Edited by rotor123, 08 June 2012 - 02:12 PM.

My next Upgrade, USB 3 on my remaining desktop. The only External storage devices I currently Buy are USB3 devices

How Does a computer get Infected? http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/2520/how-did-i-get-infected/

My first Computer had a Whopping 16K of memory @ 0.89MHz. My first hard drive held 20 Megabytes and never filled up.
My Oldest Motherboard and Hard Drive are a 80286 @ 8Mhz and a Seagate 20 Megabyte MFM drive.

Forum Rules, The BC Welcome Guide

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#5 Kaljinyu

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Posted 08 June 2012 - 08:54 PM

Not sure which model of HP, is there a way to find out?

Also, is there a version of Seatools that I can download and run on Linux, or do I have to burn it to a flash drive?

EDIT: Nope, only for DOS. But could I run it in Terminal or something, instead of burning it to a flash drive?

EDIT 2: Nope, it's an .ISO. Well, alright, I'll burn it...

Edited by Kaljinyu, 08 June 2012 - 10:52 PM.

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#6 rotor123

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Posted 09 June 2012 - 09:57 AM

Hi
Sorry about the delay replying But I'm away from a computer most evenings.

With a desktop HP it is right on the front, With a Laptop HP there is a label on the bottom that gives model & serial number as well as warranty length.

The laptop model number will be a format such as dv2470US or dv6xxxx or G6xxxxx

Hope that helps. I keep a couple of CDRW disks that I can reuse for things like the Seatools ISO on hand.

Good Luck with the test.

Roger

Edited by rotor123, 09 June 2012 - 09:57 AM.

My next Upgrade, USB 3 on my remaining desktop. The only External storage devices I currently Buy are USB3 devices

How Does a computer get Infected? http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/2520/how-did-i-get-infected/

My first Computer had a Whopping 16K of memory @ 0.89MHz. My first hard drive held 20 Megabytes and never filled up.
My Oldest Motherboard and Hard Drive are a 80286 @ 8Mhz and a Seagate 20 Megabyte MFM drive.

Forum Rules, The BC Welcome Guide

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#7 Kaljinyu

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Posted 10 June 2012 - 12:53 PM

I kinda forgot to ask, how do I burn SeaTools to my flash drive? It's already formatted and everything.

Also, the model number would be on the front of a desktop? You mean, like, on the front of the tower case? Because mine is a sideways tower case, the one you put the monitor on top of. And nothing on it says HP but the engraved logo, and all that says is "HP".

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#8 rotor123

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Posted 11 June 2012 - 09:47 AM

I do not know if you can put it on a flash drive. Never tried.

They give directions to burn it to a Blank CD disk. Or a alternate download for use with a floppy disk.

Is it a business model? The label may be on the back or the bottom in that case.

My next Upgrade, USB 3 on my remaining desktop. The only External storage devices I currently Buy are USB3 devices

How Does a computer get Infected? http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/2520/how-did-i-get-infected/

My first Computer had a Whopping 16K of memory @ 0.89MHz. My first hard drive held 20 Megabytes and never filled up.
My Oldest Motherboard and Hard Drive are a 80286 @ 8Mhz and a Seagate 20 Megabyte MFM drive.

Forum Rules, The BC Welcome Guide

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#9 Kaljinyu

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Posted 11 June 2012 - 10:58 AM

Well, it's an .ISO, I'm betting, or at least hoping, that you can. But I can't read the blank disk instructions because I'm temporarily running Linux. Lemme see if I can find a build that has Adobe though.

And the model number, it'd be on a sticker or something, right?

EDIT: We're using SeaTools just to find out if my hard drive is healthy, right? What do we do if it is healthy?

EDIT 2: Also, it should be noted that I didn't get this error until after I mistakenly ran Bootfix.

EDIT 3: Also, in SeaTools, which scan do I do to test the health of the drive? All of them?

EDIT 4: Also, do we need the model number so we can find some boot repair software for it or something?

Edited by Kaljinyu, 11 June 2012 - 04:50 PM.

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#10 rotor123

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Posted 12 June 2012 - 10:11 AM

Hello.

Well, it's an .ISO, I'm betting, or at least hoping, that you can. But I can't read the blank disk instructions because I'm temporarily running Linux. Lemme see if I can find a build that has Adobe though.

And the model number, it'd be on a sticker or something, right?

EDIT: We're using SeaTools just to find out if my hard drive is healthy, right? What do we do if it is healthy?

EDIT 2: Also, it should be noted that I didn't get this error until after I mistakenly ran Bootfix.

EDIT 3: Also, in SeaTools, which scan do I do to test the health of the drive? All of them?

EDIT 4: Also, do we need the model number so we can find some boot repair software for it or something?

1. I just prefer the drive makers software for diagnostics. If the drive is health we run chkdsk /p to check for other types of errors.

2. It is a preference of mine not to work on the software until I'm sure the hardware is healthy. To do otherwise can cause more problems rather than fix them.

3. In Seatools you would run the short test followed by the long test.

4. Lets forget that for now and move on to getting you running

Lets give up on the Seagate for now as this should work just as well.
Can you boot off of the XP install disk. It can actually be a XP home or XP pro for this function since we aren't going to do a repair install.

I hope by now you have backed up any important files? There is always a possibility of data loss once the drive has been tested and fixed if needed.
Those instructions will follow once I see the results of the chkdsk command.
You can leave it in the recovery console if you want once this step is done as we will be using it again.

Then when it gets to the first part where it asks if you want to run the Recovery (repair) console, Press R for repair. The first one not the second one. The first one will bring up a command line interface. The second one will reload windows as a repair function. We definitely want the first since at this point the second could cause problems.

It should ask you which windows to log into as well as the administrator password, usually enter will work for that.
You may see something like
MiniNT
I386
Windows

If more than one windows make a note of the drive letter for them.

Now on the command line type
chkdsk /r
Hit enter
Note the space between the chkdsdk and the /r

report back the results.
if it fixed anything just to be sure run it again. and that to the report. It may take several times before there are no more errors. I've seen where three times were needed.
This will fix any inconsistencies

If you have problems please let me know.

Roger

Edited by rotor123, 12 June 2012 - 10:21 AM.

My next Upgrade, USB 3 on my remaining desktop. The only External storage devices I currently Buy are USB3 devices

How Does a computer get Infected? http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/2520/how-did-i-get-infected/

My first Computer had a Whopping 16K of memory @ 0.89MHz. My first hard drive held 20 Megabytes and never filled up.
My Oldest Motherboard and Hard Drive are a 80286 @ 8Mhz and a Seagate 20 Megabyte MFM drive.

Forum Rules, The BC Welcome Guide

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#11 Kaljinyu

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Posted 12 June 2012 - 01:28 PM

Oooooooooohhh... probably should've explained earlier, I don't have my Windows XP CD, or any Windows XP CD. I'd buy one if they sold them anywhere anymore.

But once I've proven the drive is healthy, would CHKDSK still work if I hooked the drive up to another Windows XP computer? Because I'm able to do that. I could hook it up to my other functioning computer, and scan the disk there.

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#12 rotor123

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Posted 12 June 2012 - 02:15 PM

Oh sure that would work fine. Just open my computer right click on the drive, choose properties and then tools
then the error checking button
check now
then select both option to check for errors and scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors.

If it can't check it now it will ask to schedule it to run at startup. This will take a while depending on on the size of the drive.

Good Luck

You could also review this thread
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic421198.html/page__view__findpost__p__2424943
By AustrAlien

It should let you create a XP recovery console disk you can use too.

Edited by rotor123, 12 June 2012 - 02:49 PM.

My next Upgrade, USB 3 on my remaining desktop. The only External storage devices I currently Buy are USB3 devices

How Does a computer get Infected? http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/2520/how-did-i-get-infected/

My first Computer had a Whopping 16K of memory @ 0.89MHz. My first hard drive held 20 Megabytes and never filled up.
My Oldest Motherboard and Hard Drive are a 80286 @ 8Mhz and a Seagate 20 Megabyte MFM drive.

Forum Rules, The BC Welcome Guide

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#13 Kaljinyu

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Posted 13 June 2012 - 07:59 PM

A Recovery CD? Sounds useful. But surely there's some way to make it as a flash drive.

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#14 rotor123

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Posted 14 June 2012 - 02:33 PM

That one I can't say as I always use discs.

Why not hook it up to the other computer and do as I suggested here.

Just open my computer right click on the drive you added, choose properties and then tools
then the error checking button
check now
then select both option to check for errors and scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors.

If it can't check it now it will ask to schedule it to run at startup. This will take a while depending on on the size of the drive.

Good Luck
Roger

My next Upgrade, USB 3 on my remaining desktop. The only External storage devices I currently Buy are USB3 devices

How Does a computer get Infected? http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/2520/how-did-i-get-infected/

My first Computer had a Whopping 16K of memory @ 0.89MHz. My first hard drive held 20 Megabytes and never filled up.
My Oldest Motherboard and Hard Drive are a 80286 @ 8Mhz and a Seagate 20 Megabyte MFM drive.

Forum Rules, The BC Welcome Guide

Back to top

#15 Kaljinyu

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Posted 18 June 2012 - 09:44 AM

Whew, sorry that took so long. Anyway, I ran CHKDSK on the other computer, along with the /f and /r functions, and it fixed what it found. But I'm still getting that error.

Are you familiar with Bootfix and what it might have done to the MBR code on my drive?