My Windows box decided to stop working right (It would try to load Windows and then POST again in an endless cycle no matter what mode I booted in) so I got out my bopy of Mandrive One to copy all the stuff I need off the drive so I could format it and start over--it's just not worth trying to fix Windows.

The problem with this plan is that I can't access either of the NTFS drives nor either of my external USB drives. They show up in the control center without partitions listed but the correct hardware information but not in /mnt. I tried mounting them all manually (mount -t ntfs /dev/hdb1 /ntfs) to no avail.

I'd really like to avoid having to pull the drives out of one box and installing them in another to copy the data so any help would be appreciated.

Open Mandriva Control Center (System / Configuration / Configure your computer in the menu system).

Select Mount Points in the category list (left).

Click Create, delete and re-size hard disk partitions (right pane)

Click the Continue button in the pop up dialog.

Click the tab for the drive containing the partition to be mounted (if not the first drive).

Select the partition to be mounted.

Click the Mount point button in the Choose Action list (left).

Enter the mount point (e.g. /mnt/drive-c) in the Mount Point text entry field of the pop up dialog.

Click the OK button (bottom left).


Click the Mount button in the Choose Action list (left).

Repeat this procedure for any additional partitions to be mounted.

Note: Each partition must have a unique mount point (its own directory in the Linux file system).

Click the Done button to close the Partition Manager. Since you are using Mandriva One (a Live CD) you can answer yes or no when the Partition Manager asks if you want to save the new configuration since the information will be saved to a RAM disk and not persist after a reboot.

Close Mandriva Control Center

Your partitions should now be found at the mount point(s) you selected in the Partition Manager. Good luck. Note that this procedure requires an undamaged hard drive to succeed.

If your trouble is very serious you may wish to use an excellent System Rescue CD. I had a problem where my Partition Magic 8 rescue disk set reported an error "too many sectors for the BIOS" or some similar error (it has been a while ...) and my trusty System Rescue CD saved my bacon. It will boot to a CLI, but if you are more comfortable you can startx to a Window Manager GUI. For me the star of the show was Gparted, but for you it may be partimage. There is a wealth of information on the WEB site.

HTH

The problem with that is no partitions show up in that tab, that's why I asked in the first place. I'm on my way to try a System Rescue CD, though. Stupid Microsoft.

SystemRescueCD looks useful, even if it doesn't work, thanks.

I know now that the journal is messed up but I can't get Windows to fix it because Windows is broken. Ideas?

Now: I have the journal repaired, Windows still won't boot but I won't format the drive until I get data off of it. (Teach me to back up my important data, eh?) I can get MandrivaOne to mount the drives but when I open the drives through the GUI Mandrive thinks there's nothing on them. (This'll teach me not to use Linux when I feel like it, my laptop's already well on the way to a Mandriva-only system.)

If you have the Windows XP Install CD, you may be able to fix Windows in the rescue console. There are a few commands to fix some things (e.g.: fixmbr and fixboot), but I do not know if they will be all that useful in your situation. That is why I suggested the System Rescue CD. I hope it helps.

I just remembered something: There is a way to 'install' WindowsXP over an existing installation rather that along side of it. This method can repair some problems without loss of data. Fred Langa (former Byte Magazine Editor in Chief, Former writer for Windows Magaxine etc.) published an article on the subject, so you can get get better information on this procedure at his WEB site (langa-dot-com). You can use his google search function to find a solution for your specific issue (use 'search langa dot com).

I actually tried that after my last edit and the Windows installation stalls every time about 3/4 of the way through. I've given up on the easy way so I just formatted another hard drive and dropped it in the broken computer to have Windows installed on it. Thanks for all your help--I've at elast found some new things I didn't know about.

Hi,
I did the Langa thing and it worked like a charm..I do remember that there was several points that I saw NO activity and thought it froze but later it restarted and went on, and did a nice job..It actually took windowsXP
from an old computer to a newer one, all the programs and configurations were as B4 with no re-installations..That was impressive to me..
jolphil

Edit: Oh I did have to re-activate windows though..

One:

To fix the Windows part you need a CD with a valid license that is the same type of Windows. An XP home cd can't repair XP professional for example. The repair WILL change the activation number, which you must also have or all is lost.

Run the install CD, if you have a SCSI or aftermarket SATA or SATA 2, press F6 and use the driver on the floppy as instructed. That way, Windows can find itself on the hard drive.

You will be offered 2 repair screens. Pass on the first. That is the manual repair which seldom works. Don't format or delete any partitions. At some point, the Windows CD will search for Windows on the hard drive and ask you if you want to repair it manually or use auto.

Remember, this is Windows. It is closed source. No one really knows how it works. Use the auto repair. About 75% of the time, it succeeds.

Two:

You could use the Linux live cd together with an external USB drive or even a USB flash or mini drive to rescue your data. I haven't tried firewire, but that may also work.

Three:

The easiest way would be to put your internal hard drive into a cage (a kit to make an external hard drive out of an internal drive) Usually, these are USB types. Then find a trusted friend with a DVD burner and copy all of your data to CD or DVD to be used with your new Linux install.

This is why you shouldn't ever have just one computer.

BTW: I use Linux for serious computing. Windows (& its drawbacks) pays the bills.

I fixed my problem the hard way, but got it done. I pulled a hard drive out of another computer, formatted it, installed Windows on that one, pulled the data off my other hard drive (Windows didn't have any problems reading it, just booting from it), formatted everything and then started over.

*shakes fist at Microsoft*

What do you think I'm posting to this forum on?

Sometimes Microsoft practically makes you want to cry. Another essential thing to have is USB adapters or firewire adapters for all types of hard drives that you have. That way, you can pull them out and tweak them if necessary. It is almost mandatory. I upgraded from an IDE on its last legs to a Promise card and a SATA 2 drive. It put new life into my old machine, runs very smoothly. The one thing that I regret is not getting a second identical hard drive and making it RAID 1. I got the non-RAID card. Fortunately, I have a DVD burner. With my next computer, I might make a mirror.