HD Errors: Vista cannot recover

S

stevec5088

Member
This is a tale of woe. For 4-5 years, I have been using my Vista Home Basic laptop from Dell for both work and home. I have lots of Oracle database tools plus associated data installed. (Unfortunately, I have never taken an "image backup" of the hard disk in case of a disk failure like this.)

Monday, after returning from a trip, Windows would not start due to disk errors. Fortunately, I have a UBCD4WIN boot CD, and I was able to start from it, and copy the entire contents of the hard disk to a backup disk. And then, the computer rebooted and actually started up normally.

Subsequently it would not restart. I ran all the memory tests I could, and they all reported no problems. Then I went ahead and ran ChkDsk and repaired the HD errors. It took two runs; the first deleting bad index files, the second replacing invalid security codes on about 500k files. Third run of chkdsk found it to be clean.

However, Windows Vista is trashed! It will NOT boot at all.

I have tried the "System Recovery Options" without any luck. Startup Repair could not repair, and System Restore reported "No restore points have been created".

I am told the Dell Factory Image Restore will wipe out all installed software, so I have not used that option.

I purchased a Windows 7 upgrade disk, thinking it would help. But it requires a WORKING Vista system before it can upgrade.

I have read in this site, about How To Perform a Repair Installation For Vista, and it to requires a WORKING platform to run the "Repair Install":
WARNING: Do not boot the computer and run the Vista installation DVD from boot. A upgrade install will not work this way.
Click to expand...
So, if anyone here knows of ANY possible way to repair my broken Vista installation withOUT killing the installed non-Windows software, it would really save me.
 

My Computer

System One

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
Yes, well I think I have learned the hard way about saving stuff -- in this situation, only an image backup using a Ghost software tool would have helped. Until this crash, I didn't even know such a tool existed.

Do you have any helpful suggestions?

By the way, I have a second laptop with identical hardware and OS, used by my family only to browse the Internet. Is there any way I could identify the necessary files from it and write them into the c:\Windows path on my broken unit?
 

My Computer

System One

Read my link about using Ubuntu. I think that your stuff can be saved. Then we can try a factory reinstall to get the OS back.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
I already have a full backup of the broken C: drive, made using the file manager within UBCD4WIN (XP version), by simply dragging and dropping entire folders.

Are you saying I should use Ubuntu and make a different type of backup? (Many thanks in advance.)
 

My Computer

System One

stevec5088 said:
This is a tale of woe. For 4-5 years, I have been using my Vista Home Basic laptop from Dell for both work and home. I have lots of Oracle database tools plus associated data installed. (Unfortunately, I have never taken an "image backup" of the hard disk in case of a disk failure like this.)

Monday, after returning from a trip, Windows would not start due to disk errors. Fortunately, I have a UBCD4WIN boot CD, and I was able to start from it, and copy the entire contents of the hard disk to a backup disk. And then, the computer rebooted and actually started up normally.

Subsequently it would not restart. I ran all the memory tests I could, and they all reported no problems. Then I went ahead and ran ChkDsk and repaired the HD errors. It took two runs; the first deleting bad index files, the second replacing invalid security codes on about 500k files. Third run of chkdsk found it to be clean.

However, Windows Vista is trashed! It will NOT boot at all.

I have tried the "System Recovery Options" without any luck. Startup Repair could not repair, and System Restore reported "No restore points have been created".

I am told the Dell Factory Image Restore will wipe out all installed software, so I have not used that option.

I purchased a Windows 7 upgrade disk, thinking it would help. But it requires a WORKING Vista system before it can upgrade.

I have read in this site, about How To Perform a Repair Installation For Vista, and it to requires a WORKING platform to run the "Repair Install":
WARNING: Do not boot the computer and run the Vista installation DVD from boot. A upgrade install will not work this way.
Click to expand...
So, if anyone here knows of ANY possible way to repair my broken Vista installation withOUT killing the installed non-Windows software, it would really save me.
Click to expand...

Based upon your above quote, I assumed that you wanted to back up before going further.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
Take your time its not hard. Once your stuff is saved, we can get you up and running. There are many options.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
Ok, I have created the Ubuntu disk, launched it, and could see all the files and folders on my c: drive in "OS". I plugged in a "Passport" external hard drive, and created a top-level folder. I selected all folders and files in "OS", then did a ctrl-click-and-drag, dropping all in the new folder. The process is copying 56 GB, taking ~4 hours.

Once that is done, what do I do?

(I might add that I have already backed up using another CD, (UBCD4WIN), as I wrote in my first post. So now I'll have two backups.)
 

My Computer

System One

If you are certain that you DO have one good back up, we can move on.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
Want to make a factory restore?
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
richc46 said:
Want to make a factory restore?
Click to expand...

NO! In the last line of my original post, I wrote:
So if anyone here knows of ANY possible way to repair my broken Vista installation withOUT killing the installed non-Windows software, it would really save me.

THAT is the key... I have loads of installed Oracle software used for developing software, plus a testing database. I need to get Windows working WITHOUT the factory restore so it does not remove all that installed software.

I missed your comment earlier about doing the factory restore, and hoping that your statement, "There are many options" meant you had ideas about restoring Windows without killing the installed software.

We have tried upgrading to Windows 7, but the upgrade REQUIRES a running OS. Looking at Vista Install CDs, they also require a running OS. So those are not valid options either.

I have a parallel platform used by my family, purchased at the same time as this broken unit, that has a working/running copy of Vista. Would it possibly work to copy the C:\Windows folder from that machine and overwrite those files on the broken unit?
 

My Computer

System One

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
> Set the computer to boot from the Seven CD and it will install

Unfortunately, that is not the case. I have tried it. It starts up, and then several steps down the road, it stops and tells me I have to start the upgrade WHILE WINDOWS IS RUNNING.
 

My Computer

System One

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
> Where did you get that CD?
> Is it a Seven DVD that was purchased from normal sources?

It is a Microsoft CD purchased through my employer, a large university, at a discount "Licensed for use only by students and faculty" (I am a staff software developer.) On the DVD is written:
Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
32-bit x86 Upgrade: Pre-existing OS License Required
(Product Key Required)
Click to expand...


It also contains the Microsoft product key on the envelope.

I am getting the impression that this is my only path forward:
1. Factory Restore
2. Windows-7 upgrade
3. etremely thorough disk testing
4. Reinstall all software


 

My Computer

System One

Check the Hard Drive, I think its bad. Use the test given above
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
richc46 said:
Check the Hard Drive, I think its bad. Use the test given above
Click to expand...
I downloaded SeaTools for DOS, v2.23 and ran a full test. No errors found. The test took 65 minutes.

I then ran HD Tune, a disk checker on the UBCD4WIN CD, and it also took 65 minutes, and nothing turned up at all.
 

My Computer

System One

Im on a travel status. Wait 24 hours then post, to remind me, I will help
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
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