Computer help please

Location : Mid Cheshire Spotter Watch Member : Yes

I have a mega problem with my PC. It won't boot up!! (This is typed on my laptop)
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It states (on switch on) that

We apologize for the inconvenience, but windows will not start successfully, a recent hardware or software change may have caused this.

If your computer stopped responding, restarted unexpectadly or was automatically shut down to protect your files and folders , choose last known good configerations to revert to the most recent settings that worked

If a previous startup attempt was interupted due to a power failure or because the power or reset button was pressed or if you aren't sure what caused the prob choose 'start windows normally'

Safe mode
Safe mode with networking
Safe mode with command prompting

Last known good configuration (your most recent settings that worked)

Start windows normally

Use the up and down arrows keys to move the highlite to your choice.
Seconds till window starts 20...19...etc
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on the second screen that appears (No matter what you open it in).........
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A problem has been detected and windows has shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME

If this is the first time you've seen this stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps :

Check to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed.
If this is a new installation, ask your hardware or software manufacturer for any windows updates you may need.

If problems continue, disable or renew any newly installed hardware or software. Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing. If you need to use safe mode to remove or disable components , restart your computer , press F8 to select Advanced Startup Options, and then select safe mode.

Technical information:

*** STOP: 0x000000ED (0x82BAE508,0xC0000006, 0x00000000,0x00000000)

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I have been trying all of the above to no avail, any body any ideas please??

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Location : Hucknall. Nottingham

Might be worth trying a System Restore if you can get your PC to boot up into Safe Mode - pick a restore point when you know that your machine was working OK.

Failing that, if you're running Vista, boot up from the original Vista disk and carry out a System Repair - the option will come up on screen when you boot from the disk.

Good old Bill Gates!

All the best,

Dave

Location : EGXC Spotter Watch Member : Nope

Quote :: UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME

Nasty. That is explaining to you that windows has failed to read the file table of your hard disk, which would indicate a physical error, rather than a software error.

Even so, you could try the system restore stuff mentioned by Dave, but I don't expect it would make much difference if your hard disk is physically damaged. When the menu comes up asking how you want to start windows, you could try "start in safe mode with network support". At least that way it might be possible to access some of your files and back them up, before the inevitable hard disk replacement.

Moderator Location : UK Spotter Watch Member : No

Saw this once. One of the kids had left a floppy in the drive (granted a few years ago). The PC tried to boot from the floppy drive. The disc was removed and the computer booted fine.

Sorry if you've tried this avenue.

Moderator Location : Between Coventry and Leicester

Sounds like an ACER laptop ?

Location : Mid Cheshire Spotter Watch Member : Yes

I have no floppys in or dvds cds etc.
I cant get to the system restore from safe mode it just shows the second screen again.
and it's a Dell dimention 3100
It's going to be a right shame to loose about 6000 photos / videos. A lot are saved to flikr and photo bucket but I purposly haven't put ay of the kids on them

But thanks for all the helpfull advise folks

Moderator Location : Between Coventry and Leicester

My acer laptop had very much the same issues. tried restoreing the file from the OEM repair disc
with no luck.
in the end i had to buy a new hardrive and reinstall the operateing system and all other stuff fresh again.

what i did do thou was buy a external hardrive caddy system .
cost under a tenner. plugged this in to the new system and loaded in the old hardrive and got all my files back.was just a case of moveing my files from the corrupt old drive that would not boot up, on to the new drive.

Once i had all my files off the corrupt drive i just formatted it and now use it to back up files .

Admin Location : Bristol, UK

"UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME" errors are normally easily fixed (assuming it isn't a corrupt drive in this case).

Do you have a Windows XP or Windows Vista disc?

If so, chuck it in the PC and load up the setup, press "R" to repair when prompted.

Then try the following commands (can do them all in one go or restart and test after each one, doesn't really matter):

FixBoot
FixMBR
BootCFG /rebuild

If the above dosen't work, it could also be worth running a Check Disk, with the "ChkDsk /R" command.

HTH,
Mike

Admin Location : East Midlands Spotter Watch Member : Yes

Interesting,

Best thing to do is access the BIOS and see if you can see the details of the hard drive appear on the bios screen.

if you can see the hard drive details reset the bios & cmos settings to default and save and exit the bios.

Reboot the machine and see if it does a clean boot up.

If not, do a soft reset, (reset button) and keep tapping the F8 key.

Choose safe mode with command prompt.

type in

chkdsk/f and if it states that the Hard disk is locked. Press Y to check on next boot-up.

reboot the machine - a blue screen should appear that goes through 5 stages.

Before this message you quoted appeared, did your system shut down correctly?

Have you installed any new software or updated any software or drivers ?

If BIOS cannot see your HDD then the boot sector is corrupt.

So boot up in safe mode again and choose command prompt.

type in defrag c: -b

This will defrag and optimize the boot sector of your hdd, this is an undocumented dos command.

If this does not work then your HDD needs to be put examined more closely via an external caddy with a USB on another computer and using www.recuva.com to recover your photos from it.

Location : Mid Cheshire Spotter Watch Member : Yes

Had it round at a 'fixer' today , after the customary sharp intake of breath he manged to get it going,(after initionally telling me that it probably needed a new hard drive!!) , for £50 !!! still I missed the old girl (Got over 6000 photos on her!! I have got a lot backed up on Flikr and photo bucket , but the wife (SWMBO) wont let me put kids photos on there)
Thanks to all for their tips and help
Ian

Admin Location : East Midlands Spotter Watch Member : Yes

Ian.

Regarding your treasured photos, put them on to CD and not DVD.