Compaq SR1750NX Desktop Boot Problems

[lciavarella]

I know it’s X-mas, but this Compaq Presario SR1750NX Desktop PC is driving me crazy. From the Compaq Splash Screen I have the “esc” to go to a Boot Menu, F10 to go to Recovery Partition, and if you don’t choose either of those options it goes to the Sate Mode options, Start Windows Normally. If I choose any of the later options it boots all the way to when windows is going to start and goes back to the Splash Screen. If I choose recovery I get this:
can not load minint\system32\ntkrnlmp.exe
error code 14
After running Spin Rite on the drive I can now see all the files on the drive now running Puppy Linux. Prior to that the drive would not mount. I made an image to a new drive and tried to boot from the image and it acts exactly like the old drive. It is Windows Media Center 2005 and the client has no discs. Can I use a regular Windows XP disc to boot to the Recovery Console or do I need a Media disc. I’ll accept any other suggestions.

Thanks
lciavarella

 

[Berk]

Don't quote me on this, but I believe you can use any XP disc if you go into the repair option to run scandisk.

If you are going to reinstall the OS (whether from scratch or on top of itself) you will need the Media Center Disc, and then you will need to know OEM vs. Retail.

Firstly, make sure you don't touch one of the images you have made. Data is precious.

Next, the path shouldn't be: minint\system32\ntkrnlmp.exe
It should be: c:\windows\system32\ntkrnlpa.exe

So, if you can use the image or original drive and from Linux edit the path and see what happens.

If not I personally would try and boot up from an XP disc, enter the recovery console and see if I can change the path and see if that works. If not, run the repair.

Worst case is a reinstall of the operating system on top of itself, which you would need a Media Center Edition Disc for.

I would also recommend running a full disc scan looking for bad sectors (I'm assuming you just used spin rite for data recovery, if I'm wrong, sorry for assuming).

If that comes up negative, I'd run a full hardware check just to make sure it wasn't bad RAM or something that caused a file corruption somewhere. I of course am mainly a hardware tech, and therefore see hardware problems before anything else.

I hope all this helps. If I've said anything wrong/erroneous some please feel free to correct me.

 

[lciavarella]

Thanks for the great suggestions Berk. That ought to keep me busy on this PC between opening presents and relatives stopping by.

Happy Holidays to all of you that are celebrating.

Thanks Again
lciavarella

 

[Berk]

No problem. I got forced into work today for 10 hours, so I'm just dinking around and needed something to actually make me think.

Hopefully it works. Whatever you find out though, let me know. I'd love to know what works for you.

 

[DCGPX]

Have you checked which partition its trying to boot off, minint sounds like its trying to boot to a recovery partition.

Just a quick thought when I saw the error it brings up


www.tornadopc.com

 

[lciavarella]

Have you checked which partition its trying to boot off, minint sounds like its trying to boot to a recovery partition.

Just a quick thought when I saw the error it brings up


www.tornadopc.com

Yes, when I get that error, I am trying to boot to the recovery partition.

Thanks
lciavarella

 

[DCGPX]

Just read post proper this time!

It sounds like your recovery partition is shot. I'd concentrate on trying to get windows to boot normally via the recovery console, run an in depth disk check and then sfc to see if files needs replacing. Thing is if any are specific to XP media enter then you will need a copy of the install disk!

If you not got an image, image it now just in case then try the sfc run

What was the original symptom before this issue or did this just start to happen ?

www.tornadopc.com

 

[lciavarella]

Ok, I ran chkdsk, fixmbr, fixboot, and nothing worked. This was from Recovery Console in the Windows XP Home Edition Disc. Got a friend of a friend trying to get me a Media Disc.

Thanks
lciavarella

 

[DCGPX]

What was the original symptom? What started all this?

Have you tried to restore registry from system restore manually?

As a start try restore the basic first install defaults from the repair folder to at least try and get it up and running?

After that you hopefully have something to work from.

 

[lciavarella]

I tried to do a Restore which I usually use ERD Commander, but the C: drive is not recognized at all. I can see and look at the Recovery Partition, but not the main partition. This is strange because I can see and look at the C: drive in Linux. I have to find out how this drive is corrupted. Back to my research team Google. Any help will be accepted happily.

Thanks
lciavarella

 

[DCGPX]

Ok, I ran chkdsk, fixmbr, fixboot, and nothing worked. This was from Recovery Console in the Windows XP Home Edition Disc. Got a friend of a friend trying to get me a Media Disc.

Thanks
lciavarella

When you went into recovery console did it see the original windows install when you tried to rebuild the boot files ?

What's in the boot.ini file? Is the correct path there for original windows install? Strange linux sees partition and not windows, have you tried repairing mbr via Linux seeing as it sees it in the first place


www.tornadopc.com

 

[lciavarella]

I put way to much time in this stupid drive. EASEUS had a xmas sale so I bought Data Recovery Wizard Pro and I'm running it now. Says it's going to take three hours to recover. If it doesn't work I'm done with this computer and own me a new tool for the tool box. If it works, I get this annoying machine off my bench and the proud owner of data recovery wizard. Either way I'm a winner. Thanks for all the help DCGPX, a lot of good tips. Thanks

lciavarella

 

[B Trevathan]

it goes to the Sate Mode options, Start Windows Normally. If I choose any of the later options it boots all the way to when windows is going to start and goes back to the Splash Screen.

Is it restarting because of a error, crash or BSOD that happens so fast that you don't see it, did you turn off automatic restart upon error?

It does the same thing when you choose Last know good config., safe mode, safe mode with networking, etc. etc.?

Sometimes a Linux CD will see your files when windoze will not, Knoppix is pretty good when it comes to recovering files when windoze doesn't see them, but Puppy works well also.

Does C: show up in BIOS?

 

[lciavarella]

Got it out of the machine and hooked up to another PC running the EaseUs Data Recovery Wizard right now, so I can't check your suggestions Trevathan. Prior to running the software I looked at the drive in Disk Management and it showed it as a healthy drive, but as a RAW drive. I'm not quite sure what that means. Researching the RAW thing now.

 

[DCGPX]

basically RAW means windoze has no idea what file system in use ( alot more complicated than that but its a fair analogy for now!) which is why it cant see the files.

I've had fixmbr sort this in the past but you've obviously tried it, so your in the realms of data recovery now so let Easus try its luck.

 

[B Trevathan]

If EaseUS doesn't do what you want you may want to look at TestDisk, its not as pretty as EaseUS but if it works and its free.

Helpful links:

EaseUS
http://www.easeus.com/resource/recover-raw-disk.htm

TestDisk and Live rescue CD
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Livecd

TestDisk Step by Step to recover lost partitions and repair damaged FAT/NTFS boot sector
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Step_By_Step

TestDisk is powerful free data recovery software! It was primarily designed to help recover lost partitions and/or make non-booting disks bootable again when these symptoms are caused by faulty software, certain types of viruses or human error (such as accidentally deleting a Partition Table). Partition table recovery using TestDisk is really easy.

TestDisk can

Fix partition table, recover deleted partition
Recover FAT32 boot sector from its backup
Rebuild FAT12/FAT16/FAT32 boot sector
Fix FAT tables
Rebuild NTFS boot sector
Recover NTFS boot sector from its backup
Fix MFT using MFT mirror
Locate ext2/ext3/ext4 Backup SuperBlock
Undelete files from FAT, exFAT, NTFS and ext2 filesystem
Copy files from deleted FAT, exFAT, NTFS and ext2/ext3/ext4 partitions.

TestDisk has features for both novices and experts. For those who know little or nothing about data recovery techniques, TestDisk can be used to collect detailed information about a non-booting drive which can then be sent to a tech for further analysis. Those more familiar with such procedures should find TestDisk a handy tool in performing onsite recovery.

 

[lciavarella]

Is it restarting because of a error, crash or BSOD that happens so fast that you don't see it, did you turn off automatic restart upon error?

It does the same thing when you choose Last know good config., safe mode, safe mode with networking, etc. etc.?

Sometimes a Linux CD will see your files when windoze will not, Knoppix is pretty good when it comes to recovering files when windoze doesn't see them, but Puppy works well also.

Does C: show up in BIOS?

Yes It shows up in BIOS and I did go and disable Compaq Splash Screen it then just went through the whole POST thing on screen - gave no errors.
lciavarella

 

[lciavarella]

If EaseUS doesn't do what you want you may want to look at TestDisk, its not as pretty as EaseUS but if it works and its free.

Helpful links:

EaseUS
http://www.easeus.com/resource/recover-raw-disk.htm

TestDisk and Live rescue CD
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Livecd

TestDisk Step by Step to recover lost partitions and repair damaged FAT/NTFS boot sector
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Step_By_Step

Going to check out this TestDisk and if it doesn't work I'm throwing this drive up against the wall. By the way, ran all kinds of tests with EaseUs and it still does the the same as before.

 

[red12049]

Going to check out this TestDisk and if it doesn't work I'm throwing this drive up against the wall. By the way, ran all kinds of tests with EaseUs and it still does the the same as before.

Not sure why this is such a big deal. You probably have a bad hard drive (and definitely have a bunch of corruption on that probably bad hdd).

If you've gotten the data off, test the hdd for mechanical and surface problems. If it passes, try reloading Windows from scratch, see how it runs, then bring back data if it's ok. If' it tests bad, same procedure on new hard drive.

I have no idea why you'd expect an image of a FUBAR hard drive to work just because you place that image on a good drive.

Perhaps, before you throw that drive against the wall, a review of hard drive basics might be in order.

Let us know how the job comes out.

Rick

 

[lciavarella]

Not sure why this is such a big deal. You probably have a bad hard drive (and definitely have a bunch of corruption on that probably bad hdd).

If you've gotten the data off, test the hdd for mechanical and surface problems. If it passes, try reloading Windows from scratch, see how it runs, then bring back data if it's ok. If' it tests bad, same procedure on new hard drive.

I have no idea why you'd expect an image of a FUBAR hard drive to work just because you place that image on a good drive.

Perhaps, before you throw that drive against the wall, a review of hard drive basics might be in order.

Let us know how the job comes out.

Rick

Don't have a Windows Disc to load from scratch, that is why I was trying other alternatives. I ran SpinRite on this drive both 2 Recovery and 4 Maintenance and it passed without errors. It shows up in disk management as a healthy drive. I guess it has turned out to be more of a challenge than a repair. Win or lose it is still going against the wall.
lciavarella