[MAYDAY!!] Accidentally messed up Windows XP - it crashed

[Akula2]

Dear Friends,

I did a horrible mistake due to lapse in my concentration. Here is 80 GB IDE disk geometry:

=> C: Windows XP SP2 15 GB partition

=> D: NTFS parition - 10 GB

=> E:F:G:H: NTFS partitions on the Windows Extended partition.

=> On the same Extended partition, there exists Linux /swap and /root partitions.

What happened was:

a) I wanted to delete the H: partition which was residing adjacent to Linux partition

b ) By mistake I opened the Explorer and clicked the Mouse on H: partition and left it like that (forgot)

c) I opened Add/Remove program list but did nothing, to do few uninstalls after partition deletion.

d) Now I opened compmgmt.msc for Disk Management then deleted the H: partition!

Then XP reacted strangely and got almost hung :(

e) Then I switched OFF and ON the PC.

f) Most shocking was GRUB screen vanished (crash console appears) which means that Linux partition got deleted instead of H: partition!!

It's important to share with you that Fedora Core 12 possess the default BOOT flag.

I thought that it's nothing big deal, only a case of Boot flag toggle with DOS bootable CD but am shell shocked to find after hitting the fdisk from DOS it says

Error reading the disk!!!

I felt like collapsed for a while, don't know how I did such a mistake. Please help me on how to boot into my Windows XP. I can't afford to loose data or bear the expense on Data recovery :(

I only have one Acer laptop at my disposal, awaiting for your replies. Big thank you in advance.

[Seshomaru Samma]

On the same Extended partition, there exists Linux /swap and /root partitions.

I don't understand your set up

I can't see how Windows can mess up Linux and Grub considering it's two different file systems

Also usually the grub resides in the MBR and not in the Linux partition (though you might have set it up that way)

but what you should do first is assume that Fedora is still alive and try to reinstall Grub ,using a Linux live Cd (there are so many online tutorial for this, google 'reinstall grub live cd') or using the supergrublive cd (boot from it and then GRUB => MBR & !LINUX! (>2) MANUAL |8-) , read more about it on google)

If it complains that it can't find Grub then the next thing you should do is reinstall Linux, however I would make a back up of the important Windows files beforehand.

Of course you can't boot into Windows but have no fear your data is all there. Use a Linux live Cd to back it all up. Ubuntu is good , I'm sure they have a Fedora live CD as well. Here is a tutorial for using Ubuntu to rescue files on a dead XP. Here is another, this time using Knoppix (another Linux distro) to rescue data

Note : if you don't have a CD burner for all those rescue CDs they also boot from USB , but booting from CD is easier.

[Akula2]

On the same Extended partition, there exists Linux /swap and /root partitions.

I don't understand your set up

I can't see how Windows can mess up Linux and Grub considering it's two different file systems

Check out this picture to understand in a better way.

As explained above, I intended to delete H: drive but since the H: was in use (Mouse clicked in the Explorer window) it appears Windows deleted the adjacent Linux partition. Hope now it's more clear. I don't get how all this happened :(

[Seshomaru Samma]

What is not clear is the location of your GRUB.

If it is in the MBR (which is the default location) then you should follow my post above to restore it.

If it is not (this would mean that you specified a different location , so you should know) then I would imagine that you are using the windows bootloader to dualboot. In that case you need to recover the mbr the windows way (boot from windows cd and run 'fixmbr' )

So in order to help you I need to know how you are dual booting ?

[Akula2]

What is not clear is the location of your GRUB.

If it is in the MBR (which is the default location) then you should follow my post above to restore it.

If it is not (this would mean that you specified a different location , so you should know) then I would imagine that you are using the windows bootloader to dualboot. In that case you need to recover the mbr the windows way (boot from windows cd and run 'fixmbr' )

So in order to help you I need to know how you are dual booting ?

Yes, was dual booting the PC with FC12 but I didn't tamper with Windows boot loader. I am guessing that FC12 has incorporated new GRUB version, maybe it tampered with it. I will cross check on that. I mostly do MBR multi boot, setting options from /etc/grub.conf

Hiren Boot CD saved me from big embarrassment and helped me to boot into my system successfully. Now am taking all data back ups into my 80GB iPod as a precautionary measure. Culprit seems to be MBR, got messed up so I need to do 'fixmbr.'

What I did was:

a) Downloaded Hiren Boot CD and burnt it on a CD

B) I choose boot from the Hard drive (options from the GRUB console)

c) Voila! My Windows XP started booting...

d) Now taking backups.

Unresolved issue:

1) fixmbr

2) I see repeated warning errors (5-7 log lines per boot) in the Event log: Error in the paging operation on the drive D. Don't know what's the problem...maybe after taking I delete all partitions except C: ??

3) I see junk values filled up from the Disk Manager; values like 183GB, 195GB etc in the last partitions. What should I do after taking backup?

Any detail (URL) on fixmbr is highly appreciated and thank you.

EDIT: In that attachment picture, /swap and / are the FC12 partitions.

[Seshomaru Samma]

I think the best way would be to try to restore Grub

If you restore the Windows MBR you would lose your Fedora install

If you wish to restore the Windows MBR you will need a Windows Install CD, follow the instructions here.

If you don't have a Windows Install CD you can use a Linux Live Cd , Google "fixmbr live linux cd" or something similar.

[Akula2]

I think the best way would be to try to restore Grub

If you restore the Windows MBR you would lose your Fedora install

If you wish to restore the Windows MBR you will need a Windows Install CD, follow the instructions here.

If you don't have a Windows Install CD you can use a Linux Live Cd , Google "fixmbr live linux cd" or something similar.

I can't restore GRUB because FC12 rescue mode says that it needs to re-initialize the disk but warns if I choose that then all data would go up in the air! Only option is to do fixmbr from my XP SP2 boot CD.

IMPORTANT:

I did boot into my system (as per a suggestion at another forum), from the Disk Manager I choose the C: drive partition as active. System showed busy icon for a while and then BLUE partitions got replaced with a single GREEN PARTITION!! System is still up but there is a RED CROSS mark at Disk0 place. Now, what should I do? Should I reboot or not? Am really scared once again :(

UPDATE:

System is out of the busy mode, responding as stable with all existing data intact (took backup and left them as it is). Should I reboot and proceed with fixmbr with XP CD?

[Akula2]

I think the best way would be to try to restore Grub

If you restore the Windows MBR you would lose your Fedora install

If you wish to restore the Windows MBR you will need a Windows Install CD, follow the instructions here.

If you don't have a Windows Install CD you can use a Linux Live Cd , Google "fixmbr live linux cd" or something similar.

I can't restore GRUB because FC12 rescue mode says that it needs to re-initialize the disk but warns if I choose that then all data would go up in the air! Only option is to do fixmbr from my XP SP2 boot CD.

IMPORTANT:

I did boot into my system (as per a suggestion at another forum), from the Disk Manager I choose the C: drive partition as active. System showed busy icon for a while and then BLUE partitions got replaced with a single GREEN PARTITION!! System is still up but there is a RED CROSS mark at Disk0 place. Now, what should I do? Should I reboot or not? Am really scared once again :(

UPDATE:

System is out of the busy mode, responding as stable with all existing data intact (took backup and left them as it is). Should I reboot and proceed with fixmbr with XP CD?

I did boot with WinXP SP2 CD, pressed 'R' then I get this message:

The path or file specified is not valid

C:\>

It's showing like that, what should I do next ? Typing fixmbr nothing happens...

[Seshomaru Samma]

I can't restore GRUB because FC12 rescue mode says that it needs to re-initialize the disk but warns if I choose that then all data would go up in the air!

Don't use the Fedora rescue mode to chroot into the partition, use the super grub CD

Also - how did you boot into Windows ? with a PE? do you have a bootloader now or not?

[Akula2]

I can't restore GRUB because FC12 rescue mode says that it needs to re-initialize the disk but warns if I choose that then all data would go up in the air!

Don't use the Fedora rescue mode to chroot into the partition, use the super grub CD

Also - how did you boot into Windows ? with a PE? do you have a bootloader now or not?

Before making the C: as active my PC used to boot but now it's not booting :(:(

Windows Boot screen appears...keeps on scrolling and on and on...then reboot and shows the boot options:

Safe mode

....

....

....

Start Windows normally

What happened to my PC now :(

[MANEMAN]

What happened to my PC now

Follow thread to here: http://forums.windowsforum.org/index.php?showtopic=43825

Good information available **Here**

[Akula2]

I think the best way would be to try to restore Grub

If you restore the Windows MBR you would lose your Fedora install

If you wish to restore the Windows MBR you will need a Windows Install CD, follow the instructions here.

If you don't have a Windows Install CD you can use a Linux Live Cd , Google "fixmbr live linux cd" or something similar.

UPDATE:

Wrote the TestDisk Quick search result to the disk, it said to be to Reboot. I did that and I got the same:

I get the windows crashed options:

Safe Mode

Safe Mode with Networking

......

......

......

Start Windows Manually.

*****TestDisk Quick Search file system result*****

Disk /dev/hda - 80 GB / 74 GiB - CHS 9729 255 63

Partition Start End Size in sectors

1 * HPFS - NTFS 0 1 1 1957 254 63 31455207 [WinXP_SP2]

2 P HPFS - NTFS 1958 0 1 3262 254 63 20964825 [senna] Software

3 E extended LBA 3263 0 1 8549 254 63 84935655

4 P HPFS - NTFS 8550 0 1 9728 254 63 18940635 [Videos]

5 L HPFS - NTFS 3263 1 1 5351 254 63 33559722 [Data]

6 L Linux Swap 5352 1 1 5416 254 63 1044162

7 L HPFS - NTFS 5417 1 1 6199 254 63 12578832 [study] Research

8 L HPFS - NTFS 6200 1 1 7505 254 63 20980827 [Fedora] Pharma

NOTE: Again, doesn't show FC12 / parition.

Now I rebooted with Windows XP SP2 CD.....

First SUCCESS sign - CD is booting now :) (it refused to boot after I changed the default boot flag to Windows, remember?):

Now I pressed 'R' and I got a very positive dialogue - Recovery console asking me:

1: C:\Windows

Which Windows installation would you like to log onto

(To Cancel, press ENTER)? 1 <=== I remember I have give the input here as 1

Now, Type the Adminstrator's Passord: I DID THAT

Now, recovery console jumped to

C:\Windows (never happened till this step to me earlier).

Now I did type FIXMBR, I got this **CAUTION**

This computer appears to have a non-standard or invalid master boot record.

FIXMBR may damage your partition tables if you proceed.

This could cause all the partitions on the current hard disk to become inaccessible

If you are not having problems accessing your drive, do not continue (BUT AM HAVING THE PROBLEM, ISN'T IT?)

Are you sure you want to write a new MBR?

NOTE: I didn't get NTFS Boot sector recovery screen after Quick Search write with Parted Magic

I clicked 'Y'. It said....

Writing new MBR on physical drive \Device\Harddisk0\Partition0

The new MBR has been succesfully written....and am back to:

C:\WINDOWS

I got the windows crashed options, again:

Safe Mode

Safe Mode with Networking

......

......

......

Start Windows Manually

I clicked on the Start Windows Manually..........

Yep! Yep!!!

Windows BOOTED, and am into Admin account :):)

Once I booted into the Admin account, Windows quickly detected VOLUME changes and updates it. Then for the safety sake I Started the Logical Disk Manager Administrative Service in AUTO mode (Logical Disk Manager I keep always AUTO) and I rebooted again.

No problem...lol in fact machine seems to got little more faster in restart/reboot :D

Next, I opened Event log, NO ERROR MESSAGES or anything warning.

Next, opened important thing Disk Management...........

I can see ALL WINDOWS and Linux /swap as healthy....ONLY Linux / is showing as FREE space...very funny....I DEL the H drive it's INTACT....instead Linux / has gone :(:(

I suspect that because I opened Explorer window and click the mouse on the H drive and forgot?

Updated KIS 2010 and logged into my account to check the mails...tons of mails lol.

Rebooted..

Logged into Admin account....and opened Event log...wow not a single error or warning :)

I am so happy it ended in a good way....now it's almost all over. Yes, I can re-install the FC 12 and hand that PC back to my Mom.

But, I feel bad for Linux / partition :(:(

SOLVED THE PROBLEM

[dE_logics]

Accidentally messed up Windows XP - it crashed

So what's new with that? :lol:

But it is true that your boot or root partition is deleted.