Discussion Locked

WinXP Pro bootup crash

0 helpful
9 replies
Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

All started when I accidentally cut the power to my computer by pressing the master power switch on the spike bar. When I flipped the switch back to on and turned on my pc the raid array (2+0 stripe) shows up as functional. Then I watch the WinXP pro loading screen. Then a blue screen shows up and before I can read one word the computer restarts.
From another copy of winxp on a different harddrive I am able to run fine. I can see the drive letters of the raid array, but I can?t access any of the files. Also when I try to access the files I get a popup error ?Windows - Delayed Write Failed?.
I have tried Ontrack?s Data Advisor reported the drives as fine physically with its 90-second test, but the file partions were unsupported, and thatthis problem is the result of an improper windows shutdown.

9 replies

by ann777

Boot to Recovery Console and when you get to the DOS prompt.... chkdsk /r

You should be able to boot normally after the repair.

by darcon3k

I tried running the recovery console, first it asked which OS to log into. The only choice was "1: C:\WINDOWS"
I need to explain how my system setup looks so you have a clue whats going on =)
20GB=>C:\ Backup WinXP, works fine
40GB \ / D:\ 20GB With broken Winxp
=>raid (2+0), total 80GB=>
40GB / \ F:\ 60GB storage
(note E: is a cd-rw drive)
So I tried logging in, chkdsk worked fine in C:\ since theres nothing wrong with that drive. So then I tried the other drives.
D:\dir
An Error ocurred during directory enueration
D:\chkdsk /p
the volume appears to contain one or more unrecoverable problems
D:\ chkdsk /r
the volume appears to contain one or more unrecoverable problems
E:\dir
listed Winxp cd contents
F:\dir
An error ocurred during directory enumeration
F:\chkdsk /p (also tried /r)
the volume appears to contain one or more unrecoverable problems

by darcon3k

(seems the spacing was deleted on my comment to anna's answer, so here a better explanation of my harddrive setup)
C: (Backup WinXP)20GB, works fine
D:(Default WinXP) 20GBcant boot
E: cd-rw
F: 60GB storage
I have 3 hard drives in my system, 1 is a 20GB with drive C: on it. The other 2 are raided together (2+0) totaling 80GB. 20GB are partioned and used for drive D: and the other 60GB for F:

by thechas

Sounds like Windows was in the middle of a write operation, or that the head crashed on the drive when power was removed.

I suspect when all is said and done, you will end up formatting the drives on the raid array, and starting over.

Chas

by darcon3k

I've had power failures before and afterwords when power was restored I was able to bootup fine. My friend even had his little cousin pull the plug while he was encoding a video (HD intensive). Although it sounds like I was unlucky that the power was cut while something important was being read/writen. Theres gotta be a way to fix this =)

by deadly ernest

This looks like the system is not recognising the raid drives as a raid installation and thus having recognition problems. Are you in a possition to fromat c: reload Win XP and reload the raid software. If so I would suggest using the working version of Win XP to reformat the c: drive and then reload win XP and reformat again during the installation.

Another option may be to use your current working XP install as your main and just load the raid software into it.

It would also be worhwhile checking the motherboard manufacturer's website for any driver or BIOS updates and load them. It can't hurt and it may just jolt the system back to working.

This discussion is closed to new replies.