URGENT! HDD lost

[rbaibich]

My computer restarted after a lightning hit the neighbor building, and now XP can't start. I get a BSOD says SYSTEM_CONFIG_INFO (or something like that) error. I tried to get into the recovery console. I can't get into any other directory other than Windows. I get an 'access denied.' error when I try to get into the other directories.

The strangest thing is that when I call the partition manager, an unpartitioned space (that didn't previously exist) shows up, taking up 8Mb of space.

I'll try later today to install the HDD into a friend's computer, to see if I can recover my data.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT I DON'T LOSE WHAT I HAVE IN THIS HDD!!!

Any other thoughts?

Help me please!!!!

 

[nightowl]

The 8MB partition is common to all drives with Win2k/XP installed on them. Also, you should be able to take the drive and put it into another computer and access the data. You may need to change permissions on the drive after you install it in a new computer but other than that it should be ok.

 

[Derango]

5 words: You should have backed up. Sorry, if that sounds harsh...but if the data on that drive was so vitally important, you should have stored a copy of it someplace else.

 

[ebaycj]

I totally agree with durango.

If the data was THAT important to you, you should have: (a) used a UPS, which prevents 99.9% of electrical damage, (b) used a high quality off site backup (preferably more than location/copy as well).

You were stupid. You lost. Live and learn.

ebaycj

ps- if you're this worried about mp3's/movies/whatever (and thats likely what this is about, admit it ), you need some serious help...

 

[WarCon]

Have you done a repair install off of the CD? When I changed mobo's XP just wasn't having any of it and wouldn't boot. I did a repair install and it loaded all the drivers it needed to run and let me load the rest after first boot.

 

[rbaibich]

You're absolutely right. I do weekly back-ups. This time lightning stroke (literally).

Originally posted by: Derango
5 words: You should have backed up. Sorry, if that sounds harsh...but if the data on that drive was so vitally important, you should have stored a copy of it someplace else.

 

[rbaibich]

ps- if you're this worried about mp3's/movies/whatever (and thats likely what this is about, admit it ), you need some serious help...

Nah, I'm worried about the graphical design work I did over the week. I worked a lot this last days just before the grand finale.

 

[John]

Ontracks easy recover pro is your friend.

 

[rbaibich]

Originally posted by: WarCon
Have you done a repair install off of the CD? When I changed mobo's XP just wasn't having any of it and wouldn't boot. I did a repair install and it loaded all the drivers it needed to run and let me load the rest after first boot.

Yes, I did. It won't install saying that the partition is using a different file system.

 

[WarCon]

For the future, I set one of my clients up with an easy way to keep their daily work saved. The customer keeps a packet writing formated CD (DirectCD or INCD) in their burner. As they close out for the day or even for lunch they do a "Save As" to the CD after they save to the hard drive. It would save having to do more than a just a few hours of rework and isn't any harder than saving your work to begin with.

 

[Woody419]

If the repair install does not work try this.
I have more links if that does not work.

 

[WarCon]

There is also a dos utility that lets you see ntfs partitions, if that is part of the problem. It might let you find your files and get them off. Its called NTFSDOS.EXE.

 

[rbaibich]

Good news: Ontrack's EasyRecovery worked out well, I got to copy and backup my files.

Bad news: there's something really wrong with my HD or my onboard ATA100. I tried to reinstall Windows by reformatting the HD, but it wouldn't do it. I got to install everything up by connecting the HD to the regular IDE port, and everything seems to be working now. I'm gonna do some other tests (connect the CD drive to the ATA100 port, for example) to try to narrow down the problem. Any other thoughts would be highly apreciated.

Thanx for the help so far,
Roberto.

 

[rbaibich]

Well, the IDE format and XP install didn't work after all. Seems I'm left with a possible burnt memory or MoBo. Or the processor maybe? Let the tests begin...

 

[IcemanJer]

burnt Mobo or burnt CPU will basically just fail before you get past POST.
Try swapping memory.

 

[Derango]

Sometimes lightning damage does weird things...like a part kinda works but doesn't work all the way...sometimes this gets worse over time. I'm thinking that you're going to need to at least replace that motherboard.

by the way, Sorry I was a bit harsh earlier...I'm just tired of people who don't back up and then come and cry that they lost all their data

 

[rbaibich]

memtest86 tells me it's the memory. That seems to be right, I took the one that was generating errors out and so far everything's ok. I'll ask my brother to play good ol' FIFA soccer to see if it hangs or anything.

Seems I'll be getting myself an UPS. Which one do you recommend?