Bad HD problem! Try this one! Drive is able to boot but shows as 0kb

[jazsper]

Windows XP, NTFS, 80 gig Western Digital, 23 gig used. Went to boot up yesterday and after I logged in an error screen popped up and said that there was not enough page file space to run certain programs and adjust the size. Looked at My Computer and the drive properties, and the status said that the drive had 0kb used and 0kb available and the file system was RAW. Looked at Computer Management and saw the drive, listed as healthy, with the correct size and file system, but am still unable to open the drive. Error shows that the drive is not accesible. Took the drive to another XP system with a good drive and installed the bad drive as a slave, booted with the good drive and tried to open the bad drive to get at the files but the drive is inaccessible. What am I doing wrong? Please help me with this situation.

Thanks.

 

[DelJo63]

sounds like the partition table was smashed.

can you see the disk at all;
cp->admin->storage->disk mgmt?

on the second system, where you moved the HD as a slave,
you might be able to use Partition Magic to see/repair the PT.

you should prepare yourself to accept the loss of data/programs and
start gathering the CDs to rebuild the system --- sorry for your plight

 

[jazsper]

On both computers, I used disk mgmt and could see the disk and the NTFS files system, but ONLY in disk mgmt. The regulat disk properties are where I'm getting the bad news. It seems like part of the OS sees the disk and its ok and the other part of the OS says the disk is not even there! Would the system be able to boot if the partition table were that badly messed up? This is making me nuts just thinking about it!

Thanks for trying!

 

[DelJo63]

attached screen shot of DiskMgr

notice the upper vs lower panels

you're saying the lower is similar, but the upper shows ZERO freespace?

 

[jazsper]

VICTORY!!!!!

I was able to get the drive OPEN again!

I went in as the Admin in Safe with Networking, and found that the ENTIRE drive was set to DENY access to EVERYONE! I have no idea how this happened, but I restored the accessibility of the drive by changing permissions! I wish I knew how this happened, but I am glad to have the hd back and able to funtcion. The fact that the system booted but would not open was driving me crazy! If the error window had said "permission denied", instead of "C:\ not accessible" then I might have had more of a clue to the source of the problem.

Thanks to all for taking time to go over this problem and offering suggestions. I really do appreciate it!