basica
asked on
Invalid Boot Sector
Invalid Boot Sector
I'm getting this error when I try boot. The computer just suddenly froze up and when I tried rebooting it gave me this error and keeps giving me this error.
It wasn't dropped or anything. It doesn't make any strange noises either.
I booted up with the Windows 98 startup disk and chose to boot without CD rom - it gave me an a: prompt but when I tried to change to c: it gave "invalid drive specification" error.
What else can I try???
I'm getting this error when I try boot. The computer just suddenly froze up and when I tried rebooting it gave me this error and keeps giving me this error.
It wasn't dropped or anything. It doesn't make any strange noises either.
I booted up with the Windows 98 startup disk and chose to boot without CD rom - it gave me an a: prompt but when I tried to change to c: it gave "invalid drive specification" error.
What else can I try???
Basica,
Go into setup within your bios. Make sure that the hdd is set up (autodetect may be an option). As stated above it may be the battery, but let's get it up and running again.
Also try this
when you use the bootup disk, type in fdisk, and post partition information here (don't make any changes yet)
Hope it helps.
Glenn.
Go into setup within your bios. Make sure that the hdd is set up (autodetect may be an option). As stated above it may be the battery, but let's get it up and running again.
Also try this
when you use the bootup disk, type in fdisk, and post partition information here (don't make any changes yet)
Hope it helps.
Glenn.
ASKER
The CMOS settings remain intact. When I boot the computer and does the IDE check it recognises the harddrive. When I do the fdisk, it recognises that there is 1 harddrive that is not partitioned.
Now the virus thing - come to think of it a few months ago I decided to do a virus scan with McAfee (wasn't having any problems, just did the scan) - it found a virus (something like CIH3000, or something to that effect) on the drive in hundreds of files and was able to clear all of it except about 20 files - a lot of which were system files - some of which I replaced but about 10 remained infected and I kind've forgot about it because the computer was still working okay. I guess this may be the problem.
So what now - reinstall windows? - use McAfee again?--- but how, because won't recognise C: drive? Suggestions?
Now the virus thing - come to think of it a few months ago I decided to do a virus scan with McAfee (wasn't having any problems, just did the scan) - it found a virus (something like CIH3000, or something to that effect) on the drive in hundreds of files and was able to clear all of it except about 20 files - a lot of which were system files - some of which I replaced but about 10 remained infected and I kind've forgot about it because the computer was still working okay. I guess this may be the problem.
So what now - reinstall windows? - use McAfee again?--- but how, because won't recognise C: drive? Suggestions?
From what you've said, it appears that the CIH virus activated on April 26th.
Unless you can afford to pay a data recovery service company like ONTRACK, you will probably need to use FDISK, and FORMAT C:\ /S
To quote from Symantec anti-virus web site below:
--------------------------
There are 3 known variants as of
April 1999 that are all very similar.
CIH Version 1.2 and Version 1.3 has a
payload that will trigger on April
26th commemorating Chernobyl (the
anniversary of the April 26, 1986
Soviet nuclear disaster). CIH Version
1.4 has a payload that will trigger
on the 26th of any month.
The first of two payloads has been
designed to overwrite the hard disk
with random data starting at the
beginning of the disk (sector 0)
using an infinite loop. The
overwriting of the sectors will not
stop until the system has crashed. As
a result, your computer will not boot
from the hard disk or floppy disk.
Also the data that has been
overwritten on your hard disk will be
very difficult or impossible to
recover. You will need to restore the
data from backups.
The second payload will try to cause
permanent damage to the computer.
This payload attacks the Flash BIOS
(a part of your computer that
initializes and manages the
relationships and data flow between
the system devices, including the
hard drive, serial and parallel ports
and the keyboard) and will try to
corrupt the data stored in the Flash
BIOS. As a result, your computer may
not display anything on the screen
when you startup the system. Fixing
this will require hardware repair on
the computer.
Removal:
For more information on KILL_CIH
utility, please go here.
Unless you can afford to pay a data recovery service company like ONTRACK, you will probably need to use FDISK, and FORMAT C:\ /S
To quote from Symantec anti-virus web site below:
--------------------------
There are 3 known variants as of
April 1999 that are all very similar.
CIH Version 1.2 and Version 1.3 has a
payload that will trigger on April
26th commemorating Chernobyl (the
anniversary of the April 26, 1986
Soviet nuclear disaster). CIH Version
1.4 has a payload that will trigger
on the 26th of any month.
The first of two payloads has been
designed to overwrite the hard disk
with random data starting at the
beginning of the disk (sector 0)
using an infinite loop. The
overwriting of the sectors will not
stop until the system has crashed. As
a result, your computer will not boot
from the hard disk or floppy disk.
Also the data that has been
overwritten on your hard disk will be
very difficult or impossible to
recover. You will need to restore the
data from backups.
The second payload will try to cause
permanent damage to the computer.
This payload attacks the Flash BIOS
(a part of your computer that
initializes and manages the
relationships and data flow between
the system devices, including the
hard drive, serial and parallel ports
and the keyboard) and will try to
corrupt the data stored in the Flash
BIOS. As a result, your computer may
not display anything on the screen
when you startup the system. Fixing
this will require hardware repair on
the computer.
Removal:
For more information on KILL_CIH
utility, please go here.
Have you tried to replace your master boot record using the fdisk/MBR command from your boot floppy.
Also have you tried mcAfee virus scan from a recovery boot disk. If you don't have one you can download it from
www.McAfee.com
Also have you tried mcAfee virus scan from a recovery boot disk. If you don't have one you can download it from
www.McAfee.com
ASKER
WOW!!!! That is incredible! - I'm so glad we know the cause. Does this mean that all me data is lost??? fdisk/MBR doesn't recognise c: drive.
It is gone,
use fdisk to recreate partition and re-install 98.
Glenn
Glenn
use fdisk to recreate partition and re-install 98.
Glenn
Glenn
It is gone, as stated above
the data that has been
overwritten on your hard disk will be
very difficult or impossible to
recover. You will need to restore the
data from backups.
use fdisk to recreate partition and re-install 98.
Glenn
the data that has been
overwritten on your hard disk will be
very difficult or impossible to
recover. You will need to restore the
data from backups.
use fdisk to recreate partition and re-install 98.
Glenn
Basica,
Hold the phone. Go to this web site, a program which may get your data back.
Glenn
http://onlinetraining.org/itinfo/1999/it990507.html
Hold the phone. Go to this web site, a program which may get your data back.
Glenn
http://onlinetraining.org/itinfo/1999/it990507.html
It can be downlaoded from here
http://www.pcworld.com/fileworld/file_description/0%2C1458%2C6614%2C00.html
http://www.pcworld.com/fileworld/file_description/0%2C1458%2C6614%2C00.html
ASKER
Thanks - I ran MRECOVER but it didn't help. The HDD isn't partitioned so I entered all the details appropriately but it tried to reconstruct the FAT32 partition and repair it but it wasn't possible. Any other programs that may be able to do this?
Listening...
(collection of local informational links from hes:)
hes
Look at these q's
https://www.experts-exchange.com/jsp/qShow.jsp?ta=hardgen&qid=10334325
http://www1.experts-exchange.com/questions/10334439/Operating-system-not-found.html
http://www1.experts-exchange.com/questions/10334113/WinCIH.html
hes
Look at these q's
https://www.experts-exchange.com/jsp/qShow.jsp?ta=hardgen&qid=10334325
http://www1.experts-exchange.com/questions/10334439/Operating-system-not-found.html
http://www1.experts-exchange.com/questions/10334113/WinCIH.html
Step 1 - Check your cables and connectors
Step 2 - Check your Bios settings
Step 3 - run Fdisk and make sure the disk is present and carry a fat.
Step 4 - Make sure if you can get to the drive via a boot disk that the drive has system files on it.
Step 5 - If all of the above check for virus
Step 6 - If all of the above are good. Trash the computer. Just kidding .. :)
KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid
This line of thought solves 90% of my tech problems. Its almost always something simple or stupid.
Step 2 - Check your Bios settings
Step 3 - run Fdisk and make sure the disk is present and carry a fat.
Step 4 - Make sure if you can get to the drive via a boot disk that the drive has system files on it.
Step 5 - If all of the above check for virus
Step 6 - If all of the above are good. Trash the computer. Just kidding .. :)
KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid
This line of thought solves 90% of my tech problems. Its almost always something simple or stupid.
The 26th does not arrive that often.
basica -- any news since that infamous date?
basica -- any news since that infamous date?
ASKER
Well it was definitely Chernoble virus. I've tried all the suggested programs but nothing has helped. Any more suggestions? (I've upgraded the notebook harddrive but still have the crashed one so I'm willing to keep on trying recover data)... as yet no luck.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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Also, there is a similar five file limitation downloadable version for CIH at :
http://www.ontrack.com/feature/index.asp?id=1
http://www.ontrack.com/feature/index.asp?id=1
I found a better application called Mrecover and MDR. First use MRecover. With this application you can get all your "Drives" (D:, E:, ...) back except the first one (C:). If you have a 32FAT you can even try to get your C: Partition back.
After this use MDR to recover single Files from your C: Partition (without a 5 file limitation).
I hope this solves your problem :-)
You can find this applications at http://members.xoom.com/monirdomain/
After this use MDR to recover single Files from your C: Partition (without a 5 file limitation).
I hope this solves your problem :-)
You can find this applications at http://members.xoom.com/monirdomain/
- Possibly a driver file missing or corrupted that allows a large hard drive to be used in an older model of PC
- possibly a computer virus.