# Where is my Drive C:???



## valkur (Mar 22, 2005)

Hi!

I need to run chkdsk on my main drive C: but when I use a bootdisk on a 3.5 floppy, all i am able to access is my a: drive and when I try to access my c: it says "Invalid drive specification". 

In the past when I was faced with this I would just use my win XP CD and enter its recovery console and do a chkdsk from there, but now that always crashes with a ntfs.sys error right as soon as i press R to enter the recovery console.

If anyone has any ideas I would REALLY appreciate them!

Thank you!!


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

NTFS partitions can't be seen or manipulated from standard DOS boot disks. Try one of these:
Useful boot disks that contain additional tools, such as NTFS access and gdisk, can be obtained here:
Floppy--> 
CD (floppy emulation)--> 
CD (no emulation)-->


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

I'm not sure that you would want to try and repair this using any DOS disk or additional drivers loaded after booting to DOS. 

But first off, why do you "need to run chkdsk on my main drive C:"

It is pretty easy to run a chkdsk from XP. One way is to open My Computer
Right click on the C: drive
Select Properties
Tools 
Check Now
Check both boxes and start. Likely it will actually do the chkdsk after you reboot.


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## valkur (Mar 22, 2005)

The reason I ask is because there is something wrong with my hard drive and i cannot boot XP.

I also cannot use the recovery console with the XP CD because it crashes with an ntfs.sys error

I have tried NTFSDOS Pro and their NTFSCHK utility crashes too.

I just tried Madboot and their scandisk utility does not work either  

There has got to be a way to fix the ntfs on my harddrive

Anymore suggestions?


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

When you say that programs like the recovery console crash with an error, can you give the exact error. 

After running NTFSPRO, do you see any files on the hard drive. Again, don't think I would necessarily want to do many repairs from this. And likely you have the read-only version anyway.

Have you tried doing a repair install.


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## valkur (Mar 22, 2005)

The exact error i get with the BSOD is:

STOP 0x00000024 (0x001902FA, 0xF89B5814, 0xF89B5514, 0xF815ABBA)

ntfs.sys - Address F815ABBA Base at F814E000 Date stamp 3d6de5c1

And I also cannot do a repair install, pressing enter to re-install or pressing R to start recovery console both result in the above error.

Yes I can see my files with NTFSDOS but of course I cannot make any changes.

So where do I go from here?


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

It sounds like you're not actually booting from the CD. Verify that your CD-ROM is first in the boot order.


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## valkur (Mar 22, 2005)

No I am for sure booting from the CD. It is second in the order (just behind floppy), I see the message press any key to boot from CD, i press a key and as it begins it's setup i see the computer accessing the CD drive

The error that I get with NTFSPRO says the following "Hi, I'm exception OOOE..." and then a bunch of registers or flags, wtv. At the winternals support site it mentions that this error might be due to a corrupt Master File Table?

Possible? If it is, how does one fix that? Remember I cant access recovery console, do a repair install and madboot doesnt work


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

Are you sure the CD is bootable? Verify by booting from it in another computer. Did the CD-ROM drive work before you started having these problems? Is it recognized in the BIOS? 

I've never heard of someone getting a blue screen error booting from the Windows XP CD.


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

If you are sure you are booting to the CD, the Recover Console is not the same as a Repair Install. Have you tried the latter one yet?


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

valkur said:


> The exact error i get with the BSOD is:
> 
> STOP 0x00000024 (0x001902FA, 0xF89B5814, 0xF89B5514, 0xF815ABBA)
> 
> ...


You could try running your disk check from either a floppy or CD:
http://users.adelphia.net/~abraxas/dl/NTFSchk.exe (bootable floppy)


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

If you have another XP computer, you could always try taking the drive out, connecting it in the other computer as a slave drive, and running a chkdsk from there. 

Especially with a NT based operating system, when possible I always preferred to do that from within the same operating system.


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## Demon Blue (Mar 26, 2005)

Did you add memory to your system? 
If you add the wrong speed memory you can get invaild errors while booting even off a cd.

Troubleshooting ideas (Overall system stability, drive stability, scratched or dirty cd, virus or software problem). Since you have had problems before I think it is one of the first two.

option 1)
At this point I would beg, borrow, steal another harddrive from your local repair shop, or buy one even a 3 gig would do. Then install the new drive to see if you could get a running system. That at least would tell you if you can get a running system. You can then slave mount the old drive and take your time recovering the info on it. 

option 2)
Download Knoppix STP linux or some other selfbooting linux cd (Suse Eval). That way you can try to boot the system and get and internet connection. You can then do use internet and linux tools. Either have downloaded Test Drive or download it. See if that can repair the partitions.


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## Fjalle (Apr 7, 2005)

Hi, valkur. I got the same problem as you yesterday, haven't found a solution yet but I will tell you if i found one.

Here is a link to a page that has the solution to the problem, but it costs 9,90$. 

OK, I cant post any link here but if you want the link contact me, send my a private message if you want it.


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## Fjalle (Apr 7, 2005)

I soleved my problem with NTFSchk.exe . THX!!!! ELVANDIL :up:


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

So running a NTFS check restored files on a FAT32 partition? 
How did you download the utility. I get and "Access forbidden!" error. 
What happened when you ran the utility?
What happened if you just tried to look at the FAT32 partition from DOS?


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## Fjalle (Apr 7, 2005)

Bob Cerelli said:


> So running a NTFS check restored files on a FAT32 partition?
> How did you download the utility. I get and "Access forbidden!" error.
> What happened when you ran the utility?
> What happened if you just tried to look at the FAT32 partition from DOS?


The partition that was corrupted or had something wrong on it was a NTFS partition. 
I downloaded it from the link Elvadil gave
http://users.adelphia.net/~abraxas/dl/NTFSchk.exe

on another computer and then just run the program, and it made a bootdisk with ntfschk on it, so after I rebooted my own comp. I ran ntfschk in the dos prompt.


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

Sorry for the confusion. That's what I get for answering multiple posts on similar topics at the same time.


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