Solved Need Specific Help with ci.dll corrupt file

[BlueRanchRider]

I have chased through several threads for hours and have not been able to get anything to work. System goes into failure to startup and repair doesn't work. I need help getting system to recover and or files off so I can wipe and start over. Yes, I have broken the basic rule of ownership which is backup files. Wife's laptop and she has much info we'd prefer not to lose. I have two laptop computers and internet connection.

Where shall we begin?

 

[BlueRanchRider]

Anyone out there?

 

[Jacee]

"Trinity Rescue Kit or TRK is a free live Linux distribution that aims specifically at recovery and repair operations on Windows machines"

Trinity Rescue Kit | CPR for your computer

 

[BlueRanchRider]

I'll read up now, thanks

 

[gini]

There's a lot of discussion here (2 pages) about what sounds like a similar problem
boot critical file C:\CI.dll is corrupt - Microsoft Answers
Maybe you'll find some helpful ideas.

 

[BlueRanchRider]

I have read and tried those fixes and nothing will work. I need help getting files off the hard drive so I can reformat completely.

Any help?

 

[seekermeister]

I'm no expert on the subject, but since you have two laptop, I would think that you could interconnect them and copy the files that you want to the good laptop.

 

[BlueRanchRider]

That's what I need help with, sorry I'm no techie

 

[BlueRanchRider]

I purchased a sata hard drive to usb adapter and plugged it into my working laptop and the only thing on there is listed as Recovery and a warning not to mess with it. What is going on?

 

[seekermeister]

I'm not sure what is going on the the adapter, but if you type "transfer files from another computer" into the Start Menu search window, it will take you to a wizard that is designed for this purpose. I have never used it on W7, only on XP, and it was slow, but then slow is better than dead.

EDIT: Rethinking your last question, I assume that you used the adapter to connect your wife's hard drive to your laptop. If that is so, then I have no idea of the problem...maybe someone else will.

EDIT 2: Thinking further, when you say that the only thing there is listed as Recovery, are you talking about a file or a partition. A lot of manufacturers have recovery partitions separate from the main partition containing the OS, etc. That partition should be much smaller than the drive's capacity though, and the primary partition should also be visible. If not, then you have a serious problem, and the data may not be recoverable.

EDIT 3: Thinking on, if for some reason the primary partition has disappeared, it may be possible to recover the data using something like O&O's Disk Recovery. However, when I bought it back about a year ago, it cost ~$100, so you would have to decide whether the data was worth that or not.

 

[BlueRanchRider]

You are correct, i have a recovery partition and separate partition. I cannot discern any recognizable files on it such as photos I'd like to transfer. Any thoughts?

 

[seekermeister]

You can't discern files such as photos, etc, or you can't discern any files? The file system should look the same as it did on your wife's computer, when it was working.

 

[BlueRanchRider]

I have tried recovery, system restore and even a backup and reformat but windows will not start up. What is going on? Is the hard drive the problem? I don't have a installation disk for Windows, seems dell just puts it on the hard drive and doesn't give actual disks. What should I do?