Sorry to post Windoze problems here, but this is a case where Linux is all that can access this pc. This guy did a hard shutdown in Windows XP Pro and since has not been able to boot. Gets a nasty screen saying it was preventing boot so it does not hurt hardware. Windows sees a partition on his hard drive but no filesystem format.....period. Running Linux, I can mount his hard drive, qtparted says it is partitioned and active, but format info says "unknown" instead of ntfs. I'm currently saving his data onto cd's as Linux can see all the files and folders on the drive (although windows could not) and need to know where to find outlook express files and address book. is there a folder I can save and replace on the fresh install or what should I do. bookmarks would like to be rescued too if there is a way to do it.
I might also mention he has been impressed with linux through this process and has said he wants it also on his hard drive.

Hey!! try this follow this: X:\Documents and settings\<USER>\Application data\microsoft directory and \addres book... But please format that HDD and instal a GNU/Linux distribution, u will not have any problem like this one.



If u need some tips for installing that please feel free to mail me setlec_seta@linuxquestions.net

See this link:

http://www.attention-to-details.com/...s-files-on.asp

that's for the outlook express files. the address book is in:

/Documents and Settings/<User Name>/Application Data/Microsoft/Address Book

I'd just backup his entire/Documents and Settings/<Username> directory.

I thank you both, sure enough backing up on cd "/Documents and Settings/<Username> directory." backs up address book, email messages and web bookmarks.
Still not enough to make me take a second look at M$, although I do admit they have made things a little easier to fix and back up since I abandoned them at 98se.
I say fix, due to the fact that I did more googling and found M$ now makes programs to fix there operating system. Works pretty good I might add. Check out:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058/EN-US/
The only improvement they could make would be a proclamation prior to installation to say when this installation inevitably fails, do this to recover it. Most M$ users know nothing about fixing, they still have the reinstall mentality. Anyway, I have another happy workmate with a working pc. And he now has a backup of critical crap made in Linux environment. And no, due to system restoration I did not install Mandrake yet. I left his boot order for cd first so he can play with knoppix for a bit and hopefully catch the bug.