Getting BSOD before Windows comes up

[Cristatus]

I am getting an "unmountable_boot_volume" Blue Screen when gtarting up into WinXP. This error comes just before the Windows starts, but after the WinXP logo comes up.

I have no idea what went wrong, but the machine in question has been dormant since a week (i.e.: not been used at all, and been shut down). The last time I used it, there seemed to be no problem at all, and I did not install any updates, because there was no internet connection.

I have no idea what to do.

TIA

Logic1485

 

[MrChad]

Heh, just got the same thing on my wife's laptop last night. I've been following the steps on this support page. Basically, boot to the recovery console and run chkdsk /r then fixboot. Hopefully your hard drive isn't failing.

 

[Cristatus]

There is one problem with this though. I didn't get a Windows XP CD with my laptop (Acer), I only got some restore disks.

Now what do I do?

 

[firewall]

The chkdsk command requires the file Autochk.exe. If it cannot find it in the startup directory (\%systemroot%\System32, by default), it will attempt to locate it on the Windows Installation CD.

From Window's Help and Support.

Try making a system startup disc (floppy) and copy the relevant files (chkdsk, fixboot) on it. Then boot from that disc and run chkdsk.

Else, download some good diagnostic boot cd and run the HD diagnostic tool from it.

 

[firewall]

http://search.microsoft.com/search/resu...indows+xp+boot+disk&swc=1&na=33&cm=512

Try the above link for downloading boot disk from MS site.

 

[Cristatus]

Sadly, I don't have a floppy drive either 🙁

edit: does the Hiren BootCD work as a replacement to the XP BootCD?

 

[firewall]

Dunno. There are iso images of boot cds which you can burn. Try searching google for it.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: logic1485
Sadly, I don't have a floppy drive either 🙁

edit: does the Hiren BootCD work as a replacement to the XP BootCD?

Bart's PE Boot CD will do it, but it's much easier just to find a neighbor with XP (or 2000, or better, 2003) CDs, put it in the drive, and run chkdsk that way.