"UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME" NEED HELP TO FORMAT hARD DISK
My computer not allowing me inside windows-XP" when ever start PC it shows "unmountable_boot_volume" in blue screen i dont have origanl XP CD for this PC, purchased this PC from neighbour he too dont have any CD for this PC... i tried my max level to fix this but nothing work'd so i decided to format whole hard disk becoz i dont have any important DATA in it and plan to run new installation from new XP setup CD that i got from a friend. Please Help me with this, is there any software to do Format and partition? were "i can't even get inside Windows" pls help with this i am getting mad were
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Comments
Don't panic, but don't kid yourself either. This error usually appears if the OS file system had been damaged but it can also occur if you are using the wrong drive cable. Since it worked before, I'm assuming it's damaged files and, unless you have an XP installation CD, you very likely won't fix it on your own.
If you are going to reinstall the OS anyhow, the Windows XP installation CD has a lot of the formatting and partitioning tools you need and will walk you through doing it. Since the data doesn't matter and, if you have the time, it might also be a good time to use the full format feature. If you need help with this process, we can certainly help you at this forum.
To avoid complications, I would also recommend having your own disk- as using a friends installation CD may require an activation code and, honestly, we don't go looking to PO Microsoft here.
Hope that helps
"Since the data doesn't matter and, if you have the time, it might also be a good time to use the full format feature. If you need help with this process, we can certainly help you at this forum.
To avoid complications, I would also recommend having your own disk- as using a friends installation CD may require an activation code and, honestly, we don't go looking to PO Microsoft here"
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Prabhu: Yes i am ready to follow your direction pls guide me with this and CD i bought from my friend is Just "single CD"
Prabhu: What is Activation code? you mean serial number? i have serial number with that CD to instal,is that enough or need spl Activation code?If yes then i am in seriouse problem ! i dont have such code help me with that tooo
Prabhu : You give better solution what to do, i am not withstanding with one idea i do what ever you expert say.. i just follow it
Prabhu : guide me
The Product Activation Code (PAC) is a unique 25 character code that Microsoft uses to identify legally obtained licenses of Windows XP. The code should be communicated to Microsoft within a specified period of time or XP ceases to operate. It is found on or in the CD case and is usually on a sticker that should be put on the PC XP is installed on. Should someone try to install that copy of XP on another PC, Microsoft could make things difficult.
There are some methods to work around this- some are even legal. IF your friends' version, however, is a private single license and currently has it in use on another machine, you could have complications after installation.
In response to helping you install XP, you must first guide us a little and tell us some things about your PC and how you are going to set it up. First, can you tell us what kind of PC is it (like a Dell or homemade and if homemade what kind of motherboard is in it) and what kind of hard drive(s)- size, SCSI, SATA, IDE? Are you planning on setting up a RAID array for this install? What version of XP is on the install CD?
Also understand that I/we at SM can be working/family people so may be in and out of this thread as needs be, so please be patient if responses take a while or come from different people.
EDIT: One other thing- if we go this route, this may no longer be considered an emergency issue by the moderators and your thread may be moved. Just follow the replacement link.
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MAKE: DELL Pentium III HARD DISK: IDE Size: Below 7 GB think so
Number of Physical Hard Disk inside Comp: 1
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Details showed in BIOS:
Drivers:
Primary Type Cyls Hds Pre LZ Sec Size
DRIVE 0: Auto 784 255 -1 784 63 6448
DRIVE 1: None
Secondary:
DRIVE 0: Auto CD-ROM DEVICE
DRIVE 1: None
Boot Device Priority:
CD-ROM Device
Diskette Drive A:
Hard-Disk Drive C:
PXE
Boot Sequence: CD -ROM First
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System PtiPlex GX1 450L+ Setup BIOS VERSION:A04
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XP CD got Activation Code which has 25 characters.
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I want to have two partition in this Hard disk C: and D:
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Actually i want to Fix this problem as soon as possible before my exam starts, i have lots of stuff to practise with that PC.
In short, there really isn't that much more guidance I would give you here. Others with more wisdom than me may chime in, but that is essentially it. Feel free to post questions or problems about the install you may have.
EDIT ADDED: How much memory do you have?
Did you change the jumper settings on your drives? In the configuration your BIOS is showing (which is a good one, by the way) you should have the jumpers on both CD and Hard drives set to Single (sometimes called Master without Slave). The jumper convention is often on a sticker on the drive. If there is no sticker or you can't figure it out, tell us the make and model of the drive if you can. Also, each drive should be on the END of the IDE cable (if it is a two-drive cable).
Also, it sounds like you are bypassing the CD boot and going on to the Hard Drive. Try powering up again and pay attention to the screen immediately after POST (Power On Self Test- which happens when your computer beeps). You should see the screen say something like "Boot from CD ...". On many systems, you must press a key at this point to prompt the system to boot from CD. Try that.
Hope that helps.
Sorry if I'm in and out- I'm doing stuff with the family for the holidays and I'm sure many others at SM are too.
I think that messing with the jumper settings would make the drives not recognize at all, rather than corrupt the data on the drive. At least I haven't heard of it causing data loss before. If you reinstall windows and the hard drive does this again, or begins to click conspicuously, it may be time to retire the little guy and buy a new one. They're dirt cheap these days.
Lastly, if you can't get ahold of a copy of windows, perhaps you could consider a open source/free Operating system. There are many flavors of Linux available, many of which are available for free download, and are getting to be increasingly user-friendly. I see that you have acquired a copy of windows, but this might not be a bad idea for future reference.
Read post #5.
In many cases you are correct. However, I've had systems that do not follow the conventional wisdom or specification. I thought it was important that he should at least check since he DID say he messed with it (post #9).
He did say he has the XP installation CD (post #3). It IS possible that his copy is damaged or an improperly burned XP boot image- in this case I would also suggest obtaining a bootable copy. If he goes the Linux route, guidance here will obviously have to change and I would suggest a new thread and a little more time Prabu may not have .
However, that said, there may still be another problem we haven't unearthed yet that neither Linux or XP can fix, and Prabu is having difficulty expaining it- so it may take a while. It is an old PC and problems like a dying system battery and bad memory are possible. And that might have been my next suggestion if he failed to get it going at this point.
"you should also make sure that your boot sequence is set to try to boot from the CD drive before the hard disk; this could be why you aren't getting the option to boot from the CD."
But i dont know how to be sure in my setting is correct to boot from CD ROM in BIOS. please how setting should be to load from CD ROM.
yesterday i got frustrated so i open'd my CPU cabin i removed battery from mother board then replaced it again... may look like pointless but to show my agony to my computer ha ha ha funny
what about jumper button i didnt see any one in my mother board, itwill have in hard disk drive? if you suggest me to peal sticker in hard disk i will peal to find jumper button in Hard Disk Drive.
Thanks Suggesting and withstanding with me to solve my problem really appreciated !
Keep It Up ! great job
"FUXOR : you should also make sure that your boot sequence is set to try to boot from the CD drive before the hard disk; this could be why you aren't getting the option to boot from the CD."
But i dont know how to be sure in my setting is correct to boot from CD ROM in BIOS. please tell me how setting should be to load from CD ROM.
yesterday i got frustrated so i open'd my CPU cabin i removed battery from mother board then replaced it again... may look like pointless but to show my agony to my computer ha ha ha funny
what about jumper button i didnt see any one in my mother board, itwill have in hard disk drive? if you suggest me to peal sticker in hard disk i will peal to find jumper button in Hard Disk Drive.
Thanks Suggesting and withstanding with me to solve my problem really appreciated !
Keep It Up ! great job
Don't peel any stickers - that will only void your warranty and possibly damage the drive if you accidentally open the chamber. You should look on the sticker to see where to place the jumper for your drive.
This picture is of a hard drive, but it's the same idea for a cdrom:
i think problem is setting up CD Rom first to boot before hard drive identified .. help me with this please
Look through the BIOS for something like "Boot Order", "Boot Sequence" or "Boot Priority". Depending on your machine, this might be found in one of any number of different places in the BIOS.
Another thing: When you first start the computer, watch the bottom of the screen carefully. What you're looking for is a message like "Press any key to boot from CD". As soon as that appears, hit a key on the keyboard.
Now i changed something in BIOS
Boot Device Priority:
"CD Rom" Device
"Diskette Drive A:"
"Hard-Disk Drive C:"
" PXE "
i dont know what is "PXE" so i left it last
Exclude from Boot Device Priority:
this section is Blank
Device Controller Priority:
System BIOS boot devices
after doing all this changes still not working i dont see such thing "Press any key to boot from CD" !
I want to give clear details to you so i planned to record all things happening in my PC booting to blue screen "unmountable_boot_volume" also "BIOS" settings,
wil be posting that video here to have ClearLOOK. i am using another PC with Webcam so its possible to record screen of problem existing " PC " whats problem is i dont have Software to record video using Webcam i am searching in google soon find one and post u video here so that people know whats happening with my sick PC. IF you ppl know any free ware for webcam to record video pls info me
Wish You All Happy NEW YEAR 2006 :celebrate
thanks for ppl coming with solution for my problem are real :Rocker: Rocker's
With
i cant belive my eyes
i made it
i am out of word to explain what i feel now
i can't put it in words i feel great
its working
i am here to say all this because of you people Really done Great Job
i personelly Appriciate each and everyone here for helping me
Without you people i wont made it happen thanks again !
God bless you all Lets Celebrate this :celebrate
I'm glad you got it!
i inserted XP setup CD and it starts CALDERA DOS it stops in [DR-DOS] A:\> i can't run XP setup
after i try'd some commond which i dont know problerly like "fdisk" i just did what ever i thought but finnaly it created some partition but not helping me to run XP setup so i want to format whole hard disk and run fresh new partition pls tell the procedure to follow
another strange thing happend after showing [DR-DOS] A:\> i didn't type anything for while so it started to do like this but its own
[DR-DOS] A:\>//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// stoped and made some beep sound . why it like this ?
Also, you didn't by chance leave a disk in the floppy drive did you?
You probably have a stuck "/" key.
changes :
Starting.........
Microsoft(R) Windows Millenium
(c) Copyrite bla bla bla....
A:\>_ its stops here
what i should donext to start fdisk and Setup new XP
If CD ROMSET BE FIRST THE SAME CALDERA DOS starts even it accept Fdisk commond but i dont know what to do next all i know is just typing Fdisk !
With the set-up you have, simply remove the floppy and turn the PC on. What does the screen say after boot?
Hmmm- what is written ON the CD? Is it a Microsoft CD that says it is Windows XP? Or is it a CD that someone else might have made besides Microsoft? I'm beginning to think this is not an XP install CD.
. i selected in a option "use Standard boot image" i think its problem now
i am again trying to Copy CD selecting "read boot disc in drive" were i selected "Floppy Drive" is that floppy drive should have any file in it?
i just placed empty Floppy disk in floppy drive and empty CD in CD drive to burn new XP Setup Disk.
is there any file i should store infloppy disk before performing ?
If so, why are you copying it?
After Partition and format system displays: "system need to be reloaded Insert System disk in A: and restart"
what is system disk ? were i get that ?
I want to set my CD-ROm as drive E: and Floppy Drive as A:
is that set default or we want to creat while partition process?
I think you may be able to create partitions with Caldera DOS, but you may not be able to install a bootable copy of XP this way. I also think you have an improperly burned copy of the XP installation CD.
I personally will have difficulty supporting you until you can obtain a properly operating copy of Windows XP. That said, I will also say that once you have one- I think you'll find the install process much more straightforward.
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Starting....
Microsoft(R) Windows Millenium
(C)Copyright Microsoft Corp 1981-1999.
A:\>dir
Volume in drive A
VolumeSerial Number
Directory of A:\
EGA2 CP1
EGA3 CP1
EGA CP1
KEYB COM
KEYBOARD SYS
KEYBRD2 SYS
KEYBRD3 SYS
KEYBRD4 SYS
MODE COM
COMMAND COM
DISPLAY SYS
CONFIG SYS
12 FILES(S) xxxxxxx BYTES
0 DIR(S) xxxxxxxxx BYTES FREE
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THIS WHAT I SEE WHEN I COMPUTER START
AND ITS NOT ORIGINAL XP SETUP CD ITS COPIED ONE
If this is an illicit copy you are screwed. If this is a legal copy of WinME (Millenium Edition) you are also screwed. (It sucks)
You need to find a legitimate copy of WinXP and use that. If you don't want to pay for it, you need to check out our Linux Forum.