unmountable_boot_volume stop error

[Tex]

I think this is one of the most frustrating windows stop errors and I have found a way to fix the SOB's about 90 percent of the time or more. May be caused by new drivers or bad ram etc.. but basicaly the filesystem is trashed so bad that you don't even get a drive letter to do a chkdsk on in or anything. Windows reports them as "damaged" or "unkown type" filesystems.. (long sigh...)

Pretty sad to do a google search on the phrase itself... (grin) lots of very frustrated folks out there.

Tex

[TheBaron]

my deathstar hit me with that one a few times, stupid pos

[a2jfreak]

Load fdisk (linux, not dos) and delete the partitions (if they are still there) making note of the sizes.

Then recreate the partitions, assign the proper file system, save changes, and see if that works.

I'm going to have to do that to a couple of drives. Can't say they are giving me that exact same message, but it's worth a shot. Let us know if you get it working on the 10% of the drives you've not been able to thus far.

[dodo]

I was wondering if you had tried a Partition Magic boot disk? Would it be able to find anything?

~dodo

[Tex]

You don't have drive letters to fdisk or anything. You have to have a special piece of software to handle this.

Can you think of any software that doesnt make you choose a drive letter to repair it and repairs it in place in a few minutes?

Tex

[a2jfreak]

Was this in response to my post?

If so, linux fdisk's utility does not go by drive letters, it goes by partitions. If your partition table has been wiped, you can recreate it (if you know what it should be) without damaging any data and then attempt to repair the drive using utilities like chkdsk, or the like.

Originally posted by Tex
You don't have drive letters to fdisk or anything. You have to have a special piece of software to handle this.

Can you think of any software that doesnt make you choose a drive letter to repair it and repairs it in place in a few minutes?

Tex

[dodo]

Originally posted by Tex
You don't have drive letters to fdisk or anything. You have to have a special piece of software to handle this.

Can you think of any software that doesnt make you choose a drive letter to repair it and repairs it in place in a few minutes?

Tex

Partition Magic should do it.

[seversphere]

one of my machines just did this - what software?!

R Studio?

[Tex]

And no Partiton Magic does not fix it. PM only works when it can see drive letters

ERD commander which is part of the WinInternals suite fixes it. They also have another package called idsk commander as a piece of WinInternals that is supposed to fix even harrier problems though.

I am on vacation in Colorado now and just checked the board. If you can wait till I get home on the weekend I can make up a bootable CD for ya.

Tex

[seversphere]

Originally posted by Tex
I am on vacation in Colorado now and just checked the board. If you can wait till I get home on the weekend I can make up a bootable CD for ya.

Tex

Hurray! :D also Hurry! :p

[Tex]

And I am stuck in vacation hell with a blown head gasket/cracked head on a Aluminum engine block v-6. I am stuck in Colorado till at least the end of next week.... sorry. If you can hang in there I would be glad to help though. Trying to think who else has a copy of the software in case your jammed bad ???

Tex

[Bravoexo]

Norton's Disk Edit?

[seversphere]

wish I was stuck in Colorado - Bjork is playing at red rock ampitheatre on Monday the 18th!!

Does this lack of a drive letter prevent OS install? The data on the drive isn't important but I do want to get it working instead of RMA. Thanx for your help so far!

[Tex]

No the drive isnt dead. If the data isnt important just format and go.

And trust me. Styuck at Robs parents with no car for two weeks isnt a vacation if you get my drift here. I just want to get my ass back home. When playing on ebay on a dialup internet connection is the highlight of the weekend its pretty sad.

Tex