The old Unmountable Boot Problem...

Swanseajack

Hi, my dear old Dell desktop (running Windows XP) seems to have developed a nasty problem. I have the famous 'blue screen of death' appeared. My initial error message is Unmountable_Boot_Volume with a first parameter message of 0x8A810900 and a second parameter message of 0xC000009C. I have looked at various Windows assistance via a friend's laptop (which I am now on) but it appears that I can only fix problem by having the original Windows XP back-up disk - which I don't have, I think XP came pre-loaded on this machine - or, by reverting to Dell's factory settings and risking losing
data etc. I do have back-up but only minimal stuff really. Does anybody have any magical solutions or failing that, would a PC shop be able to help me, any idea how much they would charge? Thanks for any help, Jack

rmg1

A couple of options here
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,15607445
and here
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;555302

TakeThis

XP Home or Pro?

closed

If the hd is working, boot from this

http://www.paragon-software.com/home/rk-express/download_old.html

try the boot corrector option

backup your data to an external drive, factory restore it, install windows service packs, then backup

http://www.paragon-software.com/home/br-free/

Swanseajack

Hi, thanks for your replies, just got home to find problem still occurring. This is XP Home, can't access anything on the hard drive at all. The screen just reverts to the error message page and any attempts to restart machine either in safe mode or normal windows mode or last configuration mode etc etc just revert straight to the blue screen of death. Have put out a few requests for Windows XP back-up disk but none of my mates seem able to oblige so far. Unless there is anything else to try it looks like I will have to bite the bullet and try a repair shop....fed up Jack...

TakeThis

Disc is in your Inbox.

closed

Assuming it's software - What you need to repair it for free (or pennies) is already mentioned above.

Boot from the paragon repair disk, Backup, factory restore using restore partition or XP disc, put your data back.

You could also run chkdsk on the c: drive from Takethis's cd, and use the Dell diagnostic partition to check the disk out if the repair disk boot corrector doesn't work.

http://www.schrockinnovations.com/how-to-run-a-chkdsk-to-repair-your-damaged-hard-drive-2/

gavpowell

If it's a Dell, you will have a diagnostic partition on the hard driiv, which can be access by pressing a key(usually F12) when you first tiurn on the PC. It sounds to me like your hard drive's kaput to be honest, but the diags thing will tell you soon enough.Either way, I'd do that before faffing with software downloads.

EDIT: sorry, essentially duplicated what closed said

Swanseajack

Firstly, very many thanks for all the assistance being sent my way, hugely appreciated. Right, I have managed to try looking at the diagnostics via F12, this was my screen:

Boot Device Menu

* Onboard SATA Drive
* Onboard or USB CD-ROM Drive
* System Set-up
* Hard Drive Diagnosics
* Boot to Utility Partition

I chose Hard Drive Diagnostics, waited a couple of mins and then got the following:

Drive 0: ST3160023AS - Fail, Return Code 7
Drive 1: No Device
Drive 2: Philips DVD+/- RW DVD 8701 - diagnostics not supported
Drive 3: No device

Before I attempt the disc download, does this info throw a different light on anything? Thanks, Jack

TakeThis

Get on with the chkdsk using the XP disc. You'll need the disc for reinstallation anyway if the drive is kaput.