Windows ME crash/No operating System

[tbalza]

My 3 year old LapTop comes up with message No operatind system when I rebooted.
Tried to started with the originakl Me CD and it tells me
that my OS is gone and that it could be due to a virus
MY Question:
Should I reinstall Millenium without formating the HD
in order to recover the rest of my files (inportant)docs Pics etc.
or is there another way to recover my old files first
and then format the drive ???
Thanks
Tony B.

 

[BitFuzzy]

The only time I've seen this problem is with a failing (bad) hard drive, though I have also seen a bad drive ribbon (cable) being the cause of the problem (my laptop).

Other potential causes can include:
Viruses
Failing Motherboard (drive controller)

To test the drive you can get a IDE converter cable for about 6.00 USD. Install the laptop drive into a PC as a secondary drive.

If you can access the drive it's good, if not it's bad.

Laptop drive start out at about 195.00 USD for about 20GB

Good Luck

 

[dbMark]

I agree with BitFuzzy since I've had that happen once and it was when a hard drive was failing. Fortunately it was intermittant at first so I was able to get some files off it before it failed totally. Have you tried getting a floppy boot disk with scandisk on it and checking that drive's integrity?

If it checks out okay, then you might was to check out the virus possibility. There have been a few recently corrupting files. That's rare these days since most want to control your computer rather than trash it.

 

[tbalza]

I tried the start up disk and it does boot up to the A: promt
I was able to read my CD rom Windows disk, But when I tried to reinstall Me. it asks to do a dos partition of the drive.
Not able to access the drive via Dos.
It also came back with the message that I might have a Virus

I would like to address it as a Virus..folks
Any suggestions as to how I get rid of it.

Thanks in advance..
Tony Balza

 

[dbMark]

There are some virus forums here that you could ask:
Home > Forums > MIS/IT > Security Solutions

Can you run an AV program? The problem is how to get the definition files onto the hard drive or accessible when the program runs. Most definition files these days have ballooned in size and are too big for one floppy. Do you have a flash drive that you can plug into the USB port? Maybe you could run it from there or at least copy the files onto the hard drive and run it from there. F-Prot.com still has a DOS version of their software. It used to be free. If not try f-secure.com or possibly others.

 

[dbMark]

If you can't even read the hard drive from DOS, then I don't think the usual AV programs will work either. Could the "message that I might have a Virus" likely be just part of a generic failure message?

I really think you need run diagnostics on the hard drive. Find out the manufacturer and get their diagnostics program. Seagate has a diagnostic program that does generic testing. Possibly there is freeware or shareware too. Most of the other drive manufacturers provide software only for their brands.

 

[tbalza]

Thanks dbMark I will check into running a diagnostic program
I'll get back to you and let you know..my results.

TB

 

[dbMark]

If a virus did trash the partition, then I don't know if anything can be done to correct what it did. If it is the drive, you'd need another drive.

Either way, there are companies that may be able to rescue some or all of the data, but is it worth the cost?

 

[tbalza]

dbMark

Call it sentimentalism..I had lots of Family Pics
and Docs that I would miss...
Thanks in any case
TB

 

[dbMark]

I'm the genealogist in my family. Although I search out old, long-forgotten records rather than recent ones, I probably understand more than most.

 

[xkjdhdg]

Have you tried using a boot disk. If you have try a Windows 98 boot disk. Then go to DOS and see if you can get to your disk. If you do not have a boot disk. Get on another computer and go to

http://www.bootdisk.com

download a Windows 98 and Windows Me boot disk file.
What had done before all of this happen? When you run fdisk do it see a hard drive? Does show any paritions?

 

[tbalza]

mrfixit I ran fdisk and it came back with the message no
fixed disk present.
I guess that means its gone for good.

Any other ideas ??
TB

 

[xkjdhdg]

Have you check you BIOS settings. I have disk that comes and goes in the BIOS. It is worth check to set if you set are there.

 

[tbalza]

I did mrfixit and when I went in is was set for floppy boot up.
I reset it for HD bootup save it and rebooted but some how it wont stay at the HD seeting Everytime I go back in its at the floppy setting.
Any ideas

Tony Balza

 

[tbalza]

Mr Fixit:
I got the bios to accept the setting and it does stay at the
HD setting but still getting the same results
OPERATING SYSTEM NOT FOUND

Thanks

 

[xkjdhdg]

The correct boot order is floppy, cd-rom, HD ( BOOT TAB).
When you first go into the BIOS you see the Primary and Slave for it, Then you will have the seconary and slaave.
Make you have something in Primary. It should read what kind of hard drive you have and what kind of CD-ROMS.
(General Tab)
If you can see no hard drive after fdisk it could be BIOS settings. Did you try to boot from boot disk?
If all of that fails it most likely a bad hard drive. How old is the hard drive/machine?

 

[BitFuzzy]

ztblaza:

At this point I think it's save to say your drive has gone on to a better place.