Cannot boot; hang on WMILIB.SYS; Help.

[Tricky]

I built my dream desktop out of:

ASRock 775V88+ LGA 775 VIA PT880 ATX Intel Motherboard

Western Digital Caviar RE WD2500SD 250GB 7200 RPM Serial ATA150 Hard Drive

Intel Pentium 4 531 Prescott 3.0GHz LGA 775 Processor

A-DATA 1GB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 333 (PC 2700) RAM

bits laying around and

lots of love.

I've since zipped off to law school and use my laptop for class and study, leaving the desktop in the unsteady hands of my fiance who uses it to plan our wedding. Something has happened, the desktop isn't booting. The system is XP Pro SP2 and I've kept it up to date, malware free, defragged and the registry relativly clean but for some reason the thing now hangs on:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS\System32\DRIVERS\WMILIB.SYS

I ran CHKDSK from the recovery prompt using my XP cd and was told "The volume appears to contain one or more unrecoverable problems".

I reset teh CMOS and still had the same problems.

Any suggestions? I'd obviously prefer not to format and reinstall but at this point is seems my options are growing slim...

[Pterocarpous]

...I ran CHKDSK from the recovery prompt using my XP cd and was told "The volume appears to contain one or more unrecoverable problems"...
Hello Tricky,

Despite the TLC you put into building and caring for you computer, unfortunately, it has a failing HDD (http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/h/hard_disk_drive.html). The first thing to do is to get your data backed up to external media (CD, DVD, HDD) or a different HDD w/in the same system. Don't run the computer (IOW, keep it turned off) until you're ready to recover/backup all of your data. The reason for doing this is when a HDD begins to fail (produce errors), it is usually progressive. Continuing to run the system w/ the failing HDD will likely result in more file corruption or, worse, data loss.

After you've backed up your data, run the HDD diagnostic on the drive. If you use WD's (Western Digital's) diagnostic, it will give you a code that you can submit w/ a request for RMA replacement of the drive.

EDIT://
You can find Western Digital's Data Lifeguard Diagnostic Utility (creates a boot CD) HERE (http://support.wdc.com/download/downloadxml.asp#30).

If you need any help or have any questions, just post back here. :smiles:

[Tricky]

Anyone have any ideas about how I can get some data off this thing before I wipe it?

[Pterocarpous]

Anyone have any ideas about how I can get some data off this thing before I wipe it?
The HDD will need to be replaced, Tricky. Run the WD (Western Digital) diagnostic and get the failure code. Then RMA the drive for a replacement.

As for getting your data off B4 sending it to WD, if you're unable to boot to the desktop in either Safe or Normal mode, then you'll need to connect the HDD to a different computer 1st as a 2nd HDD and see if the drive is readable there. If it is, pull your data off - THEN send it in for RMA replacement.

If you need help w/ any of these steps, just let us know.

[Tricky]

If only Tricky had another computer with SATA...

[Pterocarpous]

If only Tricky had another computer with SATA...
Hmmmm.... But do you have access to another computer at all (running Win2000 or better)? If so, you could place the HDD in an external HDD enclosure and connect it to another computer via USB or Firewire depending upon the enclosure. You could use a converter on the HDD connector but I wouldn't advise that as whether that will work or not is iffy. Another option is to install a SATA controller card in the other computer but now you're talking about making changes to the other computer that you may not want or be allowed to make...

EDIT://
Still another option is to install a new HDD in the original computer. Install the OS. Then connect the failed HDD as a 2nd drive and pull the data off then.

[Tricky]

Indeed. My thanks for your assistance.

[Pterocarpous]

Indeed. My thanks for your assistance.
You're more than welcome, Tricky. Do let us know how it turns out (or, of course, if you have any more questions), ok? :smiles:

[zero.counter]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS\System32\DRIVERS\WMILIB.SYS

I ran CHKDSK from the recovery prompt using my XP cd and was told "The volume appears to contain one or more unrecoverable problems".

I don't like the way that boot.ini entry looks, with that path on the end.

This error is not always indicative of a failing hard drive. For instance, I have experienced this error when the MFT becomes fragmented, and had to use diskeeper to correct that problem. I would continually get corruption errors on boot up, in the event log, and through chkdsk. That may very well not be your problem, so you can run the mfg. disk utilities to determine the status of your drives as previously suggested.

Additionally, I would suggest booting recovery console and running the following commands:
1. chkdsk /r
2. bootcfg /copy (to backup the boot.ini)
3. bootcfg /rebuild (you will be prompted to point to the windows installation)

Then try rebooting into windows and see if you get another error

[Pterocarpous]

...I don't like the way that boot.ini entry looks, with that path on the end....
Zero.counter makes a very good point re: the path (http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/p/path.html) in your boot.ini (http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000492.htm) file, Tricky. I missed that when I read you post. Hopefully, by following ZC's direction, you'll recover function of your HDD. Please, do, as we've recommended as well and run the manufacturer's diagnostic on the HDD to be sure of its integrity, too.

EDIT:-1//
After another look at your 1st post, and some research on the I'net, I don't think that path you cited is in your boot.ini file. I think that's the info. you're being given on boot up when the system errors out - it's giving you the path to the file it expects to but cannot find. Even so, please, follow ZC's steps (1) thru (3) in the previous post. They are sound suggestions and may well get you up and running again.

So we might better understand, exactly when & where do you see this statement?
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS\System32\DRIVERS\WMILIB.SYS

[Tricky]

Zero.counter makes a very good point re: the path (http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/p/path.html) in your boot.ini (http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000492.htm) file, Tricky. I missed that when I read you post. Hopefully, by following ZC's direction, you'll recover function of your HDD. Please, do, as we've recommended as well and run the manufacturer's diagnostic on the HDD to be sure of its integrity, too.

EDIT:-1//
After another look at your 1st post, and some research on the I'net, I don't think that path you cited is in your boot.ini file. I think that's the info. you're being given on boot up when the system errors out - it's giving you the path to the file it expects to but cannot find. Even so, please, follow ZC's steps (1) thru (3) in the previous post. They are sound suggestions and may well get you up and running again.

So we might better understand, exactly when & where do you see this statement?
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS\System32\DRIVERS\WMILIB.SYS

According to my fiance, she came home from work and the boxzor had reset to the screen where you're promted to boot in either safe, safe w/ N.wing, Safe w/ Cmmnd. Prmpt. and the message: Windows did not start successfully. She says that it was windy that day and that there may have been a power surge. I'm trying those steps now...

[Pterocarpous]

According to my fiance, she came home from work and the boxzor had reset to the screen where you're promted to boot in either safe, safe w/ N.wing, Safe w/ Cmmnd. Prmpt. and the message: Windows did not start successfully. She says that it was windy that day and that there may have been a power surge. I'm trying those steps now...
Eeewwww. Power surge. :range: Nasty business for computers. I'd go ahead w/ the manufacturer's diagnostic on the HDD. If all goes well there, follow Zero.counter's instructions to rebuild your boot.ini file.

BTW, computers are extremely sensitive to power anamolies (noise on the line, sags and spikes in power, power outages, etc.). Therefore, having good power protection is an integral part of taking care of your computer. Please, visit THIS (http://www.short-media.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53524) thread for more info. re: power protection.

[Tricky]

Indeed, the box is protected through TWO surge protectors but that may mean nothing. I tried the rebuild and no dice. I'm running the WD diag. (thank you VERY much for the link and RMA advice; most crucial) and will post the results when done. After that I'm going to try and format and reinstall XP. After that, I'm going to to try and rob a 7-11 to garnish funds for new hardware.


:hrm:

[Pterocarpous]

......After that, I'm going to to try and rob a 7-11 to garnish funds for new hardware...
;D LOL! I missed that part.

If you can wait on a replacement HDD, you won't have to pay for new hardware. I believe WD will let you give them a CC (credit card) no. (just for insurance) and they'll go ahead and "hot ship" a new HDD to you. Once you get the replacement, you put the failed HDD in the same box and ship it back. (Shipping pre-paid, BTW) Once they get the failed drive, they'll pull the hold on your CC.

[Pterocarpous]

...Indeed, the box is protected through TWO surge protectors...
They're not plugged into one another, though, right??

[Tricky]

They're not plugged into one another, though, right??

No, both are plugged into the same socket. The peripherals go into one and the CPU and some lamps go into the other.

[Pterocarpous]

No, both are plugged into the same socket. The peripherals go into one and the CPU and some lamps go into the other.
Allllllrighty.... Just checkin'..... :rolleyes2 :smiles:

[Tricky]

Allllllrighty.... Just checkin'..... :rolleyes2 :smiles:


The quick test revealed no disk errors. :confused: I'm running the full media scan now.

[Pterocarpous]

The quick test revealed no disk errors. :confused: I'm running the full media scan now.
If it passes the full media scan the 1st time around, run it again. Do this a few times. Let's see if you can induce the error. If the problem is border-line, it may take heating it up to get it to produce the error.

EDIT://
If, in the end, you can't get it to fail, then get your data off - perform a zero-ones write. IOW, give it a good scrubbing (can give you links to utilities that will do that for you) - format and reinstall the OS.

[Tricky]

If it passes the full media scan the 1st time around, run it again. Do this a few times. Let's see if you can induce the error. If the problem is border-line, it may take heating it up to get it to produce the error.

EDIT://
If, in the end, you can't get it to fail, then get your data off - perform a zero-ones write giving it a good scrubbing (can give you links to utilities that will do that for you) - format and reinstall the OS.

Ptero., thank you again for such timely and quality advice. The WD Lifeguard disk has a zero-ones write tool on it, I'll try and squeeze the error, srub and then reinstall.

[Pterocarpous]

Ptero., thank you again for such timely and quality advice. The WD Lifeguard disk has a zero-ones write tool on it, I'll try and squeeze the error, srub and then reinstall.
You're certainly welcome, Tricky.

W/ respect to your post: Excellent. Please, keep us posted. (...and get that data off if you can. Hate to see folks lose their data...)

Good Luck! :thumbsup:

[profdlp]

If the drive passes the full test I would run TestDisk (http://www.cgsecurity.org/index.html?testdisk.html) and see if it can fix up the file system. :)

[Pterocarpous]

If the drive passes the full test I would run TestDisk (http://www.cgsecurity.org/index.html?testdisk.html) and see if it can fix up the file system. :)
Oooooooo.... Nifty, prof`. Thanx for the link! :smiles:

[Pterocarpous]

If the drive passes the full test I would run TestDisk (http://www.cgsecurity.org/index.html?testdisk.html) and see if it can fix up the file system. :)
I took a peek. So, this diag needs to be run under Windows, yes?

According to the web site, this utility is included in UBCD (http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/). You can run it from there if you like, Tricky. It may not be the latest version that's all.

[profdlp]

I took a peek. So, this diag needs to be run under Windows, yes? ...
No. It's best - if not essential, in most cases - to run it from its own bootable disk. The UBCD version would work fine, but is a much larger download if all you need is that one program.

[Pterocarpous]

No. It's best - if not essential, in most cases - to run it from its own bootable disk. The UBCD version would work fine, but is a much larger download if all you need is that one program.
I think so, too prof'. Maybe I downloaded the wrong version. I'll take a look at the site again. Thankyou. :smiles:

[Straight_Man]

I don't like the way that boot.ini entry looks, with that path on the end.


Path is valid. It is in my working XP SP2 here. It is a DOSsy path, with nothing truncated because each folder has 8 or fewer characters in its name and does not have to be truncated with a ~ed abbreviation in folder name for the rest of a Long File Name.

[Kwitko]

It's not a boot.ini entry. It's the convention used by the bootloader before Windows assigns the actual drive letter. Since Windows hasn't loaded at this point, no drive letter has been assigned, and to point to the file in question, it can only reference it using ARC convention, that is, by physical disk and partition. Boot.ini never specifies files, just paths.

[Pterocarpous]

It's not a boot.ini entry. It's the convention used by the bootloader before Windows assigns the actual drive letter. Since Windows hasn't loaded at this point, no drive letter has been assigned, and to point to the file in question, it can only reference it using ARC convention, that is, by physical disk and partition. Boot.ini never specifies files, just paths.
Kwitko, what does ARC stand for? (I do understand your explanation - I'm just curious about the acronym. Can't find it in any references I've looked it up in..)

TIA!

[Kwitko]

Sorry, Ptero, I should have explained it. :) ARC stands for Advanced RISC Computing.

Find some more here (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/reskit/prork/prbd_std_ccef.mspx?mfr=true) on ARC convention and boot.ini.

[zero.counter]

Path is valid.
I have to say that I disagree that the path is valid. The ini is not intended for loading device drivers and the such. The path may be commented out, which is why it is not affecting the installation. That entry is unecessary to say the least.

Do a lookup on the referenced driver.
Thanks

[Pterocarpous]

Sorry, Ptero, I should have explained it. :) ARC stands for Advanced RISC Computing.
Find some more here (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/reskit/prork/prbd_std_ccef.mspx?mfr=true) on ARC convention and boot.ini.
Thanx Kwitko! You're a brainiac! :bigggrin:

Now I've done gone an' larnd sompin' - again :rolleyes2 - here on Short Media.... :bigggrin: