Missing file

[Zsj]

Hello,

I am currently working on a friends computer and he says he paid $50 for a diagnostic from a local computer shop, all they had to say was "You're HardDrive is Fried"

Now this could mean many things:
1] your HDD is broken.
2] your HDD blew up...
3] your OS crashed, and you need to ReForm...


In my case when I looked at what the computer said, I say that the local computer shop is a bunch of geeks who actually dont know a thing about computers, I thought "Geezz I could fix this easy! all I need is a couple files and then do a SYSTEM Restore and all will be fine"

They said that the HDD was "Fried" meaning it's broken..
I say that the drive is fine and need's a couple file's.

In a moment I will get to the Technical Stuff. First I must convince you that they Might be Wrong.


If it doesn't go as I hoped, I will have to Reformat the Damn thing.
And if I was Wrong, and the HDD was broken, I have ordered a new HDD already and will replace it if necessary.


This is what I think I remember what it said:

Cannot boot, missing file or corrupt <Directory>NTFS.sys
you can try to repair it by inserti ng the windows repair disk and pressing "r" when the screen pops up.

or somthing like that.

and it also said the same thing but with another file:

missing file or corrupt: <Directory>hal.dll

or somthing like that..
im going over to another friends where my computer is located so i can further TroubleShoot

as to what his OS is, I have no idea.........
and I was being a bad repairman when i forgot to ask him what he is using.

thanks in advance!


PS, he is going to save atleast $120 by coming to me to fix his computer!

 

[kimsland]

Really to support your friends or anyone really, you should learn as much as possible for yourself first
You could hang around TechSpot's forum and just read the posts and replies (without actually commenting) until you know as much as possible

The concern is, only knowing half (or less) of the things out there, may cause more grief than help to user's computers. And guess who they'll blame for the cost of repair !!

You may find yourself in deep sh#t trying to help others, when you yourself are still learning. Best to practice on your own computer first.

By the way. Here's a good link to Drive Diagnostic test downloads

 

[Zsj]

What you said really didnt make much sense...

I know alot about computers, I am waaaay more knowledged then the local computer shop.
they charge $50 for a diagnostic, then they say you need a new hard drive.
and they were going to charge $100 for a new HDD, with the same amount of space, and type. (80gb IDE)

and another $70 to 80 for installing windows.

well anyways, I may be only charging him for the HDD and ten bucks for the new install of windows, but this is all i know about his computer:

Windows XP (i think) not sure what version
250mb ram
2ghz intel pentium 4 cpu
and some intel mobo
and a cd-rw drive
AND a floppy drive.

its a gateway...



any OTHER help would be helpfull.

i cant access his HDD on my computer, it has a removable device icon with a little red ? on it

 

[kimsland]

I agree you would know more than the local computer shop

Microsoft's Windows XP Professional Repair Install step by step
http://www.windowsxpprofessional.windowsreinstall.com/installxpcdrepair/part3.htm

Microsoft's Windows XP Home Repair Install step by step
http://www.windowsxphome.windowsreinstall.com/installxpcdrepair/part3.htm

Must be Xp with that Ram amount !

Edit

i cant access his HDD on my computer, it has a removable device icon with a little red ? on it

Plug it in internally, not USB

 

[Zsj]

Firstly i would like to say that this is going to be an edit message>

I plugged it in internally

It was on CS and it was on its own cable.

Im going to try to stick it in my older computer, see how that works out.
I'll do that tomorrow.

 

[kimsland]

this is going to be an edit message>

Please confirm the HardDrive jumper is set to CS (Cable Select) on the end of the drive.
Also confirm the drive is connected to its own IDE cable (usually being in place to the CD\DVD Drive, ie unplug the DVD drive)

 

[LookinAround]

This is what I think I remember what it said:

Cannot boot, missing file or corrupt <Directory>NTFS.sys
you can try to repair it by inserti ng the windows repair disk and pressing "r" when the screen pops up.

or somthing like that.

and it also said the same thing but with another file:

missing file or corrupt: <Directory>hal.dll

or somthing like that..

Another good computer skill: Effective Online searching

• Invest time learning the many different online search parameters/options available to you
• Experiment with them to learn how to effectively use them to find relevant things that may also help

Missing Or Corrupt Hal.dll Error Resolution
Steps to Resolve the Missing Or Corrupt Hal.dll Error in Windows XP

Windows XP Setup - Missing HAL.DLL
Error Message: Cannot Find \Windows\System32\hal.dll

How to fix "Missing or corrupt NTFS.sys" error in Windows XP

 

[kimsland]

Another good computer skill: Effective Online searching

Yes well at the moment the drive is not being found at all !

My first post was to confirm by running a drive diagnostics, and also to boot from CD (ie Repair)
But then it was fully confirmed the drive could not be found, both as connected as USB and internally

Therefore the searched links may not help (just yet) !


Your next approach to try another "older" (as Zsj said) computer, is probably a good idea. It will prove that the issue is not in the Bios config, of that computer you are using (ie PATA enabled)

You should also try M (Master) setting as well. I have had older drives that have required this to be seen.

 

[Zsj]

Yes, I also look on the Internet before I come to ask for help

I would have done the repair thing, but I dont have all the software that came with his computer.
Infact I dont have any software of his, But I contacted him yesterday and he said he would bring it all over in a day or two.

So in that time Im looking for alternative ways to salve this.

It is Morning now, Im going to connect HDD to computer.


The reason that My newer computer didnt see it was probably because it only has one IDE port, And thats for my two DVD drives. And it has 5 Sata ports for HDD's.

<Edit>

I put it into my older computer, It found it ans installed it.
I looked through the drive and found that all his files were there, when I get his Software Im going to try to Repair it using CHKDSK /r from the recovery console.

if no luck, I'll try the Repair Install, then ill reformat if that didnt work. Saving all his Important files of course.