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Defrag Borked my Machine

  • 03-01-2010 5:22pm
    #1
    PDD
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,019 ✭✭✭


    Hi Folks,

    I defragged my machine there the other day as part of my semi-regular maintenance however it seems to have Borked my machine. The defrag finished fine and when I went to restart my machine next it just wouldnt boot.

    I put in a Ubuntu Live CD and GParted was able to see the HDD but none of the partitions on it. It just showed the drive and listed the type of File System as unknown. This has me a little concerned as Ive always been able to use a LiveCD to rescue files before. I think there might be something wrong with the MBR :eek:

    Rescuing the Windows installation isn't a priority just recovery of files from the HDD's partitions. I was wondering if anyone can suggest a way around this as Im completely stumped.

    Dave


Comments

  • #2
    Fysh
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 11,076 Mod ✭✭✭✭Fysh


    What version of Windows are you using?
    Have you got the original installation media?
    How old is the drive?
    How old is the computer?

    Possible routes to fixes:
    Put drive into another machine (either on internal connection or via usb2 caddy)
    Boot from install media and use recovery console with chkdsk, fixmbr and fixboot (winxp) or "Repair my computer" (vista/win7) to check drive and boot loader
    Create WinPE disk using the BartPE method and see if this fares better than the linux livecd at recognizing the drive.


  • #3
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 92,443 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    which version of windows ?


    testdisk is a tool with versions for windows or ubuntu that allows you to find deleted partitions

    photorec form the same place will recover files form the partition


  • #4
    unnameduser
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,081 ✭✭✭unnameduser


    defragging can be quite labour intensive on a machine. I would imagine that the drive wasnt too far from failing if a defrag upset it. best of luck in getting it repaired.


  • #5
    Kevster
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,980 ✭✭✭Kevster


    For future reference, i think that you should do a Scandisk before you do a defrag; and you should alo run the Disk Cleanup program in addition to something like CCleaner. I mean, if you're defragging, then you'd want scandisk tofix any 'rogue' sectors on the disk before defrag tries to move them; and you want to use the other programs to minimise the amount of temporary/unneeded files that defrag has to manage.

    I've been doing this process for many years now on my 2002 PC, and it still works great - very efficient.


  • #6
    PDD
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,019 ✭✭✭PDD


    Hi Folks,

    Many thanks for all the responses, some very useful information there.

    @Fysh - Its Windows XP Pro
    I have an installation media
    PC is custom build and the HDD is about 2 years old

    I just got a loan of a spare rig to put it into, will pick up the rig tomorrow and hopefully will be able to get it sorted. Damn there is no fingers crossed emoticon!

    @ Cpt. - Cheers for the TestDisk suggestion, it looks pretty good and I think I have Knoppix LiveCD lying around somewhere. A friend had a similar problem before and was able to use Find&Mount to recover the partitions so I think it should be possible. Recovering the Windows partition and making it bootable might be another story. :confused:

    @ Unnameduser - Jebuz! :eek: I had suspected as much but I guess I didn't want to belive it was true. I do remember when the defrag had finished about half the HDD was red blocks that could not be moved, I had suspected they might be bad sectors.

    @ Kevster - As I mentioned above there were alot of red blocks after defrag was finished and I had planned to run Scandisk after I had rebooted when Defrag finished but it wouldnt boot after that. Mental note take - ScanDisk first then Defrag. I think there must have been alot of rogue sectors then and most likely a good few bad sectors. :(


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  • #7
    Kevster
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,980 ✭✭✭Kevster


    PDD wrote: »
    @ Kevster - As I mentioned above there were alot of red blocks after defrag was finished and I had planned to run Scandisk after I had rebooted when Defrag finished but it wouldnt boot after that. Mental note take - ScanDisk first then Defrag. I think there must have been alot of rogue sectors then and most likely a good few bad sectors. :(
    Hey dude,

    It happens to me too (those immovable red sectors), but not as bad as it sounds for you. I remember trying to sort out my bros laptop once though and I ran the defrag and was appaled. it was like it had never been run, and when I did run it it took a few hours for hisd 40GB disk. It takes me around 5 minutes to defrag my 40Gb disk each week.

    Kevin


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