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  • #2081562

    Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

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    by agyedu.md ·

    Running Win 98SE, hanging up with a blinking cursor. Have tried Sys C: command, used Hard Drive Mechanic Deluxe to isolate the problem to corrupted FAT (running FAT 32).
    When I boot the system with Win 98 boot disk, C: has some files, but is not readable in English just some funny letters like Greek symbols, the other partitions D & E is readable in English. However, when I boot with boot disk from Ontrack SystemSuite, C files is perfectly readable, except my CDRom is not accessible.
    (a) Howcould I fix the FAT.
    (b) Can someone also point me in the right direction as to how I can move/copy my valuable data files from this hard drive before reformatting.
    Please help, I have over 4 years of business info on this hard drive. Thanks in advance.

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    • #3900000

      Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      by bwaggoner ·

      In reply to Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      The first thing I would try is to type the following at the C: prompt. FDISK /MBR
      This will attempt to repair the master boot record. If that does not work and you need to save your data, you may want to install another drive as the master and access the drive that will not boot and copy your files. Another option is to use a 3rd party utility like Ghost to copy the drive contents to another. You could then reformat your drive and reload. You could then copy your data files back.

      Good Luck

    • #3899998

      Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      by rwest ·

      In reply to Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      you didn’t say what the other drives were like ( d + e ) when you boot with the ontrack disk. If they are partitions on the hard disk and have enough space you could copy the data over to one of those partitions and then re-format the first partition and re-install the OS. if insufficient space remains you could puchase another drive and install it, then copy the desired data over to it. Last option involves the CD-ROM drivers, You could build a copy of your autoexec.bat and config.sys files onthe ontrack disk to install the DOS CD-ROM drivers that would enable the CD to function when booting from the ontrack disk.
      Does the ontrack disk manager have a repair / recovery feature in the menu? sounds like the disk was set up using ontrack and then, when it was “sys’ed” using 98 boot disk the FAT offset was changed leaving the FAT in an ‘unknown to the OS’ location / condition.

      It will be like a chess game, Wrong move and you loose.

      Good luck
      Ray

    • #3899987

      Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      by sybertek ·

      In reply to Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      boot up your computer and start tapping the F5 key to get the microsofy startup menu and choose “command prompt only” and at the C prompt type:
      cd windows (enter)
      cd command (enter)
      then type scandisk… it will then check your data and will findproblems with the copy of FAT and look to the other copy of the FAT that is created when the OS was installed and whatever ever errors it finds choose “fix it”. it will then either fix them or it will use the second copy of FAT and then it will ask you if you want to do a surface scan…choose no then choose exit and then restart your computer..your issue will be resolved. As for saving your data you can try to boot to safemode and try to save data from there but if it doesnt let you, you will have to do it from a command prompt. From the C prompt or what ever drive letter your data is on you use the “dir” command to look thru the directories, once you find files you want to save then just use the “copy” or “move” commands to copy files toa floppy disk” examp

    • #3899986

      Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      by teamwork ·

      In reply to Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      OnTrack is a boot manager used to load large partitions on computers that do not support LBA mode for large drives. If you boot with out it loading first, DOS will not know how to read the info off of your drive and you will get junk text in the file list. Depending on how old your copy of OnTrack is, it might have problems working with FAT32 drives. First you need to find out if your PC supports LBA mode in the BIOS setup screen. If so, you need to work at getting rid of OnTrack, if not, you need to keep it. If your PC’s BIOS supports LBA there is no need for OnTrack, you need to backup ALL of your drives, do an FDISK /MBR, then go into FDISK delete the partitions and create new ones. Re-format drives and restore data. Make sure the BIOS is setup to use LBA on this drive while doing all of this. If the PC has no LBA support, you need to fix OnTrack. Make sure you have the latest version, check the OnTrack disk for utils and support info for the CD-ROM drive: http://WWW.ONTRACK.COM

    • #3899962

      Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      by teddyrux ·

      In reply to Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      If either Norton Disk Doctor or scandisk are unable to repair the fat tables. You can try Invircible from Net-Z computing, it’s a little pricey, but worth every dime. If that doesn’t work you’ll have to contact Ontrack for data recovery services, if your data is REALLY important.

    • #3899949

      Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      by chipmunk ·

      In reply to Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      First thing I would do boot in from the Ontrack boot disk. If you can still get access to your D: and E: copy all you data over to the other paritions. It may take some time to remember where all your data is and move them.
      Then I would get anotherHD set it up as a Primary master and move the other to the Secondry IDE control, leave as a master. If you don’t have a secondry connection, than just leave the troubled HD off till you install Windows again. If you have a PC that does not support LBA which you can find in the BIOS then you would have to use Ontrack setup, thats only if the HD is larger then 528 MB. Then reinstall all your appication (Programs).
      After that I would shut down the PC and disconnect the CD-ROM and connect your Troubled HD, don’t forget to set the HD to Slave. ONLY DO THIS, IF YOU DON’T HAVE A SECONDARY IDE CONNECTOR.
      Auto Detect it.
      When back into Windows copy the data back to it’s Appications.

      Hope this will help
      Alvin

    • #3899948

      Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      by chipmunk ·

      In reply to Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      Hello again,
      I forgot to mention. I usually save all my data away from C:\ have a partition or second HD. save them away from C:\ some appication you can config to do that and others that con’t config to do it copy them over after you save them.
      Ido that because there is alot better chance if the C:\ crushing the the non OS drive.

      Alvin

    • #3899942

      Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      by hidayat ·

      In reply to Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      If your data is so important, forget to do it your self. Send it to the pro! Search for “Data Recovery” in any web searching tools.

      If it worth to try, I use tiramisu from Norton to move the data. It’s easy and safe!

      Or use my way: Use diskedit, then try to use the second FAT.

    • #3899888

      Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      by ilkopaunov ·

      In reply to Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      And I’m too on opinion that you must boot wiht Ontrack and move data to another HDD.
      I used Ontrack with my Quantum 3,2GB ST before. When I wanted to divide my HDD to 2 it made 2 extended partitions and one primary that is too little. Maybe you seethis one when boot without it. Do not try FDISK if you not sure what you do because you can loose all FAT’s. If your BIOS support LBA move data and then erase all partitions, create new one (usinging FDISK)and FORMAT it.

    • #3899869

      Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      by riyaz ·

      In reply to Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      Boot from Ontrack Disk manager and transfer the boot loader from diskmanager to the hard drive. read the ontrack help carefully.

    • #3899694

      Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      by tysonmathews ·

      In reply to Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      Had this last week
      in dos w/ boot disk in type
      fdisk /mbr

      then reboot.
      in dos also you can do
      youll be at the A:>
      type
      A:>D:
      D:>cd myfiles
      D:>C:
      C:>copy c:\windows\myfiles\*.* D:\myfiles
      cd is create directory
      a simp[le D: or C: is change current drive
      *.* is any and all files in that director so you can take importand files and copy to C:/myfiles or what have you.
      Then you copy the files from that directory to the created folder on D:

      YOU IN THE REDMOND KENT area of Washington? if so e-mail me.

    • #3791834

      Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      by jdhouck ·

      In reply to Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      Oops.
      CD is Change Directory
      MD is Make Directory

    • #3735725

      Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      by agyedu.md ·

      In reply to Corrupted FAT, Win98SE

      This question was auto closed due to inactivity

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