windows 2000 server boot issue

Thread Starter

electronis whiz

Joined Jul 29, 2010
512
I have an old server I had put windows 2000 server on. it was working for fine for quite a while, I did some maintenance on a different SCSI bus in the system adding some new disks. I boot now after it goes through the normal bios and SCSI firmware it starts booting windows. The blue progress bar gets to the end then I get some kind of BSOD usually saying inaccessible boot device, check connections, termination. I didn't work on that one, and if was that issue bios wouldn't even see disks even with termination issue. I doubt is driver related since all the controllers are the same as before when worked.

Safe mode, last good config both result in same error. Got install disk went into repair mode. Automatic repair will not recognize install. try console select the OS and get command line. Ran chkdsk it gets to like 4% and quits saying 1 or more unrecoverable errors detected. Try fix MBR said original had some issues and made new successfully. I also did a fix boot and completed ok. I reboot it does same thing after I get a disk checking page after the windows is loading screen. Check said was checking disk I then get same BSOD.

I began suspecting maybe ntldr is bad tried replacing from CD, but I don't see it on CD and can't look into directories on the CD. change to CD do dir get list then try CD to a directory on it I get error saying specified directory don't exist.

I also had the system up and running after I did changes to system, then had power issue and system went down. Now I have this issue.

I saw things about corrupt system hive online, but don't quite sound like my issue. Others say registry is messed up with controller driver, but that usually relates to changing system with same hard disk, or adding new controller. However, I suppose it could be possible due to sudden power cut, but never had system do before when that happened.

any ideas of other things to try or how to replace ntldr or if these other two things relating to corruption need to be looked at too?

I've never really done repairs with windows 2000 before, and only had check disks fail when drive was actually showing other signs of possible failure. So not sure, if disk could be failing and just not showing other signs yet. But I had an identical model disk in same system fail so think good possibility, but seems like software since begins loading. No big deal just wipe and reload OS, but if I can learn some more about repair process and save current install I would rather do that.
 

Litch

Joined Jan 25, 2013
85
Ran chkdsk it gets to like 4% and quits saying 1 or more unrecoverable errors detected.
That alone, says the disk/array has damage that the controller cannot correct/repair - ie. your disks are physically damaged (Being Win2K and SCSI it's little wonder as I'd say they'd be over a decade old now?)

Your best bet would be to boot a linux CD (There are many recovery cds available) and try and recover what data you can over the network or via a usb hard drive.

The bottom line is the more you boot it and try and fix it the more corruption you're going to cause the filesystem without making any progress because of the ultimate brick wall in this scenario being the disk(s) are fried. By booting a linux CD you can mount the NTFS partition read-only and copy what you can, ignoring files that cannot be read properly.

Good luck.
 
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Thread Starter

electronis whiz

Joined Jul 29, 2010
512
I used a boot cd. tried many don't recall specific one, but it had a disk test function and I ran it and it saw no issues with the disk. also discovered bit more detail than windows would give. problem with the HAL.dll tried replacing it and related files according to MS site, but unable to fix some reason not seeing proper files or since generic won't work. just going to reload OS, better setup this time a mirror, and wanted to re-partition for dual boot type setup.
 

Litch

Joined Jan 25, 2013
85
Your primary points of evidence:
# Got install disk went into repair mode. Automatic repair will not recognize install.
# When windows boots, it BSODs saying inaccessible boot device.
# When chkdsk runs is says unrecoverable errors.

Everything that PC is telling you is that your disks are cactus; or the filesystem is that screwed that it thinks the disks are cactus.

You *may* have had a chance if the CD system-repair detected your install, but since it doesn't; your chance of recovery is so small it's going to be quicker just to format, then if the system crashes after that - you know it's definitely a disk.
 

Thread Starter

electronis whiz

Joined Jul 29, 2010
512
it seemed like this was disk related, but ran into issues with recovery before. I'm going to do a new install on a different disk then mirror to this one that could be bad. I reload things all the time even if disks seem to be about to fail. takes 15 min to install os or at least format it have had many appear bad that format just fine. I know be best just replace, but I don't really mind them failing later. not anything important either just a test system so don't mind failure. but I'd agree normally just pull it and pitch it.
 
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