Fixboot created more problems?

[rebecia]

When I tried to reboot my computer it would not start up. I suspected a boot issue! The hardrive appeared readable but would not boot. I used Windows recovery console and issued a fixboot command.

Now the computer will still not boot and when I try to use data recovery software it will not find any files in this partition.

Looking at Disk Manager I see it strange that the FixBoot util created a FAT boot partition of 10 MB.

I'm unable to get beyond this. Any suggestions so I can recover the files?

 

[linney]

Where are you running Disk Manager from?

Try deleting the FAT partition that you created (if it is created in some previous unallocated space) and then run the FixMbr command from the Recovery Console. It is Safe to ignore any FixMbr warning you may receive.

Is it possible that FixBoot was unable to write anything on the boot sector on the system partition and so wrote it on some unallocated space at the end, or beginning of your drive? How it became a FAT partition, I cannot say? If it has gone over part of your actual partition, then you might be in real trouble, not that your not at the moment.

You hard drive manufacturer will have free diagnostic software that can thoroughly check the condition of your drive. This software is self-booting.

HOW TO: Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition in Windows XP(Q305595)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q305/5/95.asp

How to Use System Files to Create a Boot Disk to Guard Against Being Unable to Start Windows XP (Q314079)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q314/0/79.asp

Data recovery.
PC Inspector

http://www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/UK/welcome.htm

http://www.restorer2000.com

http://www.runtime.org/hints.htm

Plenty of other recovery software listed here.

http://dmoz.org/Computers/Software/Disk_Management/Error_Checking_and_Repair/