"Unmountable Boot Volume" Win XP

"Unmountable Boot Volume" Win XP


Software KB

kb# SW00014
When booting up to Win XP you may get a error that reads "Unmountable Boot Volume". This is probably because your boot.ini file is messed up.

So, what do you do about it, panic and try to mount your boot in your computer...... No that is probably not a good idea.

You can boot to the XP cd and when you see the Welcome to setup press the letter R
You will get a dos prompt
Then type "chkdsk /p" without the quotes and hit enter
When that is done type "fixboot" and hit enter
"Y" and enter at the prompt
Then type "exit" and hit enter
The system will now reboot into Windows

If for some reason that don't work for you, you can boot to the recovery console like above and...
Type "chkdsk /r" then enter
When done type "exit" and hit enter.
This will take longer, but the system should boot back into Windows.


option 2:
Try BOOTCFG /rebuild


dont use chkdsk/r; just use chkdsk

believe me...it works!

RAYBAY AND ALL, I got it fixed by changing the boot sequence to CD ROM, only, then I rebooted with the OS cd in, went to the recovery console and at C: prompt, inserted, 'FIXMBR'.





Run these command -
chkdsk c: /r /p
fixmbr
exit (to reboot)

That is it.




Here is what I would do:
- I'd run chkdsk /r and fixboot from an XP disk

If that fails, I'd try the following:
- Slave the drive to another machine
- Use software like Partition Table Doctor and see if partition recovery is a possibility. If it is, I'd then get the data that way.
- I'd then use the manufacturers disk testing software to verify that the drive is in fact dying.

Again, if data recovery is critical, I would not mess around with it too much. I'd bring it somewhere.




Option 1: Use CHKDSK from the Recovery Console

1.
Start the computer with the HP Operating System disc in the CD or DVD drive.
2.
Press any key when prompted to boot from the CD or DVD.
3.
A blue screen will appear and several files will load. This process takes about 30 seconds to complete. You should not have to select anything from the keyboard.
4.
At the blue setup menu, press R to Repair a Windows XP installation.
5.
At the C: prompt, type chkdsk /r . This repair process may take 30 - 60 minutes depending on the size of the hard drive and repairs needed.
6.
After the chkdsk completes, type Exit at the C: prompt.
7.
Windows will restart. Eject the CD or DVD and it should continue normally.

Option 2: Re-install the operating system, drivers and applications
WARNING: Personal data and software installed on the notebook will be lost during this process. To protect your data, make a backup copy of the Documents and Settings folder before reinstalling the operating system. For information about backing-up and protecting your personal data see Microsoft: Backup basics for Windows XP (in English).For additional options, HP Notebook PCs - Repairing or Reinstalling The Operating System
Step 1: Re-Install the operating system
Follow these steps to reinstall the Windows XP operating system on your notebook PC:

1.
Connect the AC adapter and turn on the notebook.
2.
Immediately insert the HP Operating System disc in the CD or DVD drive.
3.
Press and hold the Power button for five seconds to turn off the notebook.
4.
Press the Power button again to turn on the notebook.
5.
Press any key when prompted to boot from the CD or DVD.
6.
A blue screen will appear and several files will load. This process takes about 30 seconds to complete. You should not have to select anything from the keyboard.
7.
At the blue setup menu, press Enter to continue.
8.
Press the F8 key to accept the licensing agreement and continue.
9.
When the Setup window is displayed, press the Esc key to continue installing a fresh copy of the operating system without repairing.
10.
Press Enter to set up the operating system.
11.
Press the C key to continue setup using the selected partition.
12.
Select Format the partition using the NTFS file system (Quick) using the up/down arrow keys and press Enter .
13.
A caution is displayed that formatting this drive will delete all current files.
1. Press ESC to cancel the format.
2. Press the F key to format the drive.

Once the hard drive is reformatted the installation of Windows XP will begin. This process may take an hour to complete. The notebook restarts in Windows after the process is complete. Follow the instructions on the screen to configure Windows and complete the installation.
NOTE: If prompted for the Microsoft Windows product key, refer to the Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity located on the bottom of the notebook.
Step 2: Re-install the drivers
Use the following steps to install the notebook hardware drivers using the Driver Recovery disc that was shipped with the notebook.

1.
In Windows, insert the Driver Recovery disc into the CD or DVD drive.
2.
The Driver Recovery program should start within 5-10 seconds.
3.
Follow the on-screen instructions for installing the drivers.

Step 3: Re-install the applications
Follow the steps below to re-install any applications included with your PC or that have been purchased separately.

1.
In Windows, insert the Application disc into the CD or DVD drive.
2.
The Application Installer should start within 5-10 seconds.
3.
Follow the on-screen instructions for installing the application choosing the defaults.

Repeat steps 1-3 for all applications that you would like to install.
Prevent the Unmountable Boot error from occurring
The Umountable Boot Volume error was corrected by Microsoft in Windows XP Service Pack 2. To prevent this error from occurring, install Service Pack 2. See HP Notebook PCs - Upgrading to Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 for instructions and important information from HP on installing Service Pack 2.

Remove incompatible software by using the Recovery Console

If the previous steps in this article do not resolve the problem, remove incompatible software by using the Recovery Console. Complete steps that describe how to do this are beyond the scope of this article. However, you may be able to use the following articles as guidelines for performing this procedure.

313670 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313670/) How to replace a driver by using Recovery Console in Windows 2000

816104 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816104/) How to replace a driver by using Recovery Console in Windows Server 2003

326215 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326215/) How to use the Recovery Console on a Windows Server 2003-based computer that does not start

229716 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/229716/) Description of the Windows 2000 Recovery Console

307654 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654/) How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP

307545 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/) How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting

216417 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216417/) How to install the Windows Recovery Console