Is my hard drive damaged?

[Well Oiled]

The home PC (Dell dimension 5150 with XP) crashed last night and won't restart. I get the message:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
System32\Drivers\ntfs.sys

It says insert the original XP CD-ROM and do a repair, but IIRC it didn't come with an XP disk, it was all pre-loaded (hunted around for one last night but couldn't find it with the original documents and stuff)

Is there a diagniostic tool I can download and use instead? Does it mean my drive could be on it's way out?

Any guidance appreciated as my wife uses the PC a lot and she is not a happy bunny.

Cheers Keith

[beabert]

Its usually a button at startup to boot to an installation partition, it was F12 on my dell.

[beabert]

F11 on yours i think

"There should have been a Dell recovery partition on the hard drive that you access with CTRL/F11"

You will need to backup your files though as that will wipe them, you could try copy ober the missing file from a windows cd instead.

[Well Oiled]

Thanks for the quick reply - I have an XP disk from my son's machine - can I use that to repair it or will it only work with the CD that was mnatched to the Dell?

[beabert]

Any disc.

http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/how-to-fix-missing-or-corrupt-ntfssys-error-in-windows-xp/

For the recovery console you will need to change the keyboard input language type if you admin password has symbols etc, try blank password if you cant remember.

[Well Oiled]

That's a really good link - thanks - will follow the tips from there.

Cheers Keith

[beabert]

If for whatever reason you cant get it working and need the files off it, buy a cheapo 2.5" hdd caddy for the hdd :-)

[Well Oiled]

Well..........All these efforts to repair have failed, so it looks like I now need to re-install XP. As the computer didn't come with an XP disk do I need to buy XP? or can I use any XP disk? Doesn't the code on the sticker attached to my computer have to match the one on the disk - I heard they have changed the way it works and this is not required any more.

If anyone has an idea I'd be grateful as my wife is still not a happy bunny!!

Cheers Keith

[the_lone_wolf]

Code on the sticker might be a unique Dell one, but I've used an OEM Vista disc to install Vista on a Dell notebook

Have you tried attaching the HDD as a slave to another PC? - It doesn't sound like the drive is failed, so you should be able to get your documents off...

[Kalessin]

The product key on the label on the computer is the one you should use. It doesn't have to match the WinXP CD.

Did you try accessing the recovery partition?

[Well Oiled]

The drive hasn't failed completely - in command mode I can do a directory and see the files.

How do I access the recovery partition and what state will it take me back to?

Thenks for the quick replies Keith

[Well Oiled]

The product key on the label on the computer is the one you should use. It doesn't have to match the WinXP CD.

Did you try accessing the recovery partition?

I also heard that it has to be from a Dell (any Dell disk will do), but not from another make of PC - is that right?

[beabert]

Yes what about thr recovery partition?

Any dell oem disc will verify as genuine, you wont need to activate it or put any keys in, its 100% genuine. So download one or buy a dell oem OS disc of ebay for a £5 like i did.

[beabert]

I wrote the key combination for the recovery partition above.

[the_lone_wolf]

I also heard that it has to be from a Dell (any Dell disk will do), but not from another make of PC - is that right?

So manufacturers buy a Volume license, meaning the installer will know if your disc isn't a Dell volume license installation

This may well not be the case though, I've not had it stop me in the past


This may be of use:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822800

[Well Oiled]

I wrote the key combination for the recovery partition above.


Yes - you did - sorry !!

Will that take it back to the condition when I bought it? I assume so

[the_lone_wolf]

Yes - you did - sorry !!

Will that take it back to the condition when I bought it? I assume so

If you recover from the Dell partition it's likely your documents will be erased...

[Well Oiled]

So if I get a cheap dell XP disk and reinstall XP that might be a better solution, as then I'll have an XP disk for future use?

[beabert]

Depends what you want to do, if you need your files off it get a cheap caddy and plug the hdd into another pc and recover them. Then use the recovery partition or disc, this will erase all files usually.

You can also just run a repair installation with a disc that will leave you files intact.

I would recommend getting a dell oem disc off ebay as you know its a genuine untempered OS.

Incidently did you manage to get rid of your original error?

[Kalessin]

You do not need a Dell install CD just because it's a Dell OEM key. You may have issues with activation, but the activation system will give you a telephone number for Microsoft and when you explain the situation to them, they will allow activation. This shouldn't be a huge issue anyway, as you have 30 days to activate.

The main problem I foresee is that you do not have drivers for all your PC's components. I would suggest the following:

If you can boot from the recovery partition, check the recovery options. You may have the option to repair an existing installation. If so, try that.

Alternatively, you may have the option to completely recover the hard drive and restore it to its factory state. Do not do this until you have backed up your files.

The cheapest options for backing up your user files would be to install the hard drive in someone else's machine, or installing an additional hard drive in your machine with a bootable operating system on.

[beabert]

A valid point, if you have access to only one pc download the drivers from dell first.

[Well Oiled]

I can copy the files over to HDD2 using command mode. I have the 80gb drive that came with the machine and a 250gb one I bought in addition.

By the way - I think this may be the root cause of the problem. The two are mounted right on top of each other and spin at the same nominal speed but are a fraction of an rpm different and this gives a vibration that increase and decreases about every 3 seconds. I think that vibration isn't doing the disks any good so I intend to change the way they are mounted when I've sorted this lot out.

Again thanks for the advice. what a great bunch the orgers are .

Cheers Keith