unmountable_boot_volume error = is there a fix?

[techidave]

XP Pro SP3 BSOD with a unmountable_boot_volume error.  In googling the problem, it says to boot into the recovery console and run chkdsk /p and when that is done, run fixboot.

So I run chkdsk /p and at 50% it says The volume appears to contain one or more unrecoverable problems.  it sounds like the drive is now toast.

But is there any tools that might allow me to save some files (documents, photos, music, etc)?  Like a linux distro and which one would be the best?

I personally wouldn't worry about it too much but the laptop belongs to my daughter and she really wants some of those files.

any help would be appreciated!

[40hz]

Plug in a USB drive and boot using a live Linux CD. Some recommended distros here. FWIW SystemRescueCd is my current favorite. But any major distro should work. Just check to be sure whichever distro you pick supports NTFS volumes. (You'll need the ntfs3-g driver installed to see Windows volumes.) Then try opening the Win disk using any file manager. If the disk isn't too screwed up you should be able to recover quite a lot off it. I've used this trick this many times with pooched Windows disks.

Luck!

[Shades]

There is also: BartPE

Similar method of data retrieval as suggested by 40hz, but BartPE is Windows based, so it is definitely able to read files from the laptop.

The disadvantage is that you have to create the disk (or USB) yourself, while the distro's do not.

[40hz]

+1 w/Shades!  BartPE is also a very good alternative.

About the only real advantage a Linux approach has over BartPE (besides it being much easier to create the requisite CD as Shades already mentioned) is that it ignores several file 'error' issues that can stop Windows in its tracks. Especially handy if you somehow got a garbage character inserted in a file or directory name that's a character not allowed under Windows. You can just rename those files in Linux and all is soon well.

Another (less common) advantage is that, should there be any malware gremlins loose on the disk causing problems, they won't go active under Linux.

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@td - don't forget to let us know how you make out with this.

[techidave]

i tried it today with systemrescue cd and trk.  but they couldn't connect to the hard drive.  the laptop even gives a S.M.A.R.T. error now telling me the hard drive is in danger of failing.

oh well.....

[40hz]

Sounds like the controller has mostly failed and the drive is not far behind.

You might try GParted and attempt a data rescue since you have nothing to lose at this point.

Sorry the outcome hasn't been better so far.

[Shades]

You could also dismount the hard disk from the laptop and hook it up to a normal PC. If the hard disk is SATA, there is no problem with cabling. If it is still IDE/PATA, there are cables that convert between the 3.5" IDE connector on the motherboard to the 2.5" IDE connector on the hard disk.

You can even make these conversion cables yourself if you have the inclination to do so. All it takes is a standard 40 pins IDE cable and a female 2,5" connector that you either connect directly onto the cable (I connected my Amiga (A1200) hard disks always in this way and that worked beautifully) or spend some time soldering the cables from the 3.5" cable to the 2.5" connector.

Here is the pin-out you will need.

Hard disk to hard disk copy goes faster and has more chance of success. If you have the room on the hard disk in the PC that you use in this way, it is also a good idea to create an image from each partition on the laptop hard disk. Will save a lot of wear and tear on the laptop drive.