Can't reinstall/repair windows 7

[frazz402]

Hi everyone

Recently my old laptop (toshiba a200-1vo) stopped booting. I'd get the "windows has failed to start" message which led me to try to start it up in safe mode, command line mode, etc which all resulted in a black screen with a movable cursor.

I then tried booting from my win 7 CD to either try using the recovery console or just format/install again with no avail. The installation only recognizes my hdd as "unpartionated disk space" and does not allow me to install windows 7 either "'Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer's hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure the disk's controller is enabled in the computer's BIOS menu" - I'm not sure what this means but I do have the bios configured to boot from windows 7 as first source. I then tried running the recovery console which failed to resolve my problems automatically and got the following message "windows boot manager is missing or corrupt". After this I think it became apparent my hdd has some kind of issue. I tried going into the console and manually format but windows only recognizes 1 disk partition (X: which is the Boot partition). I've tried a few commands like bootrec /fixmbr /fixboot /rebuildbcd but nothing seems to work. chkdsk can't even be started either since windows can't detect any partition either.

Is there something else I can do to fix the disk? Is this hdd dead for good or are there any kind of tools that can scan it or restore it? ANy help would be apreciated.

 

[Carl Lawrence]

I think your hard-drive could be dead as it is not being detected.

 

[Debbie B]

Hi,

Kindly follow the below mentioned steps in order:

1. Confirm Hard Drive is recognized in BIOS. If yes, follow next step. If NO, load BIOS defaults.
2. Run Start Up repair from the URL mentioned: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows-vista/Startup-Repair-frequently-asked-questions
3. If the issue still persists, then try running the Hardware Diagnostics. If you get any error code, make a note of the error code.

Hope this helps.

 

[frazz402]

BIOS does indeed detect the hdd still. The startup repair from the windows 7 cd gives me the "boot manager not found or corrupt" error still. The hardware diagonisis seem to be only for memory, in which case I ran it and it turned out ok. The install cd gives me an option to "load disk drivers" prior to installing. I thought hard drives did not require a driver? Where could I find these though? I've tried looking with no avail (mk2035GSS)

Any ideas?

 

[whs]

Try to manipulate the HDD with the bootable CD of Partition Wizard (last entry on the webpage). Burn the iso to CD and load with that. Maybe you have more luck. That program provides all functions of Disk Management and some more.

If you have no valuable data on the HDD, I would delete everything on it and define an active, primary partition into which you should be able to install.

If you first have to recover some of your data, use a live Linux CD - e.g. this one: http://www.sevenforums.com/software/198909-lucid-puppy-way-recover-files-non-bootable-computer.html

 

[frazz402]

Thanks, I'm trying that. It's taking a long time to load for some reason and it's giving me a couple of errors in between so I hope it manages to start up.

 

[gregrocker]

I would first wipe the HD with PW CD, from it's Disk tab. Then create your NTFS Primary partition to Modify>Set to Active, try install.

If this fails run the HD Surface Test and Check File System. You'll then know if your HD is bad.

 

[frazz402]

Sadly the option for wiping (along with almost every other option) is greyed out. The only scan I'm able to perform is the partition recovery wizard. My drive is labeled as 'Bad disk' but the above scan is actually finding existing partitions so maybe not all is lost.

 

[gregrocker]

You must click on the HD to highlight it to get the Wipe Disk option, run Surface Scan or Check File System on the new partition you make.
Partition Wizard Wipe Disk Video Help.
Partition Wizard Check File System
Partition Wizard Create Partition Video Help

 

[frazz402]

Yeah that's the problem - selecting the disk itself greyes out every signle option from the drop-down menus except for the Wizards. I get 1 hd listed, which is listed as 'Bad disk'.

 

[gregrocker]

In that case boot into the HD maker's HD Diagnostic extended CD scan to see if HD is salvageable.

If so use the tool on it to Quick Wipe the HD and try install.

 

[frazz402]

I've looked for toshiba disks in that list and found only 1 option that can be bootable. However it says * Runs only under DOS from a bootdisk*. What does this mean? Do I need to create a bootable MS-DOS disk and copy the file there? I've never heard of this before.

 

[gregrocker]

That's why I specified to run the extended CD scan, the only effective way to repair HD. Burn ISO to CD using Windows Image Burner which should be on rightclick menu when you click on ISO file.

 

[johnmic]

windows error

You said 1 disk partition (X: which is the Boot partition) not worked It seems this would be related to your hard disk partition issue i am not sure for that Try Recovery Fix for Partion Recovery software. I hope this works and solved your problem.

Good Luck