HELP: partitions keep disappearing
 

This is the weirdest thing: partitions keep disappearing and revert to unpartitioned space.

Bought myself a 200GB Maxtor HD for one of my older computers and want to install win xp on it, so took the computer totally apart. Formated the HD, installed win xp, but after a few reboots, the partitions disappear.

Hardware connected:

P4 1,5 GHz
384 MB Ram
200 GB Maxtor HD
Siluro T400 64MB graphics card
DVD
network card

Can anybody help me, I'm totally lost.

Thanks

In loving memory of AMP...

"format C:"

(We'll miss you, bro)

no, no, this happens on an empty disk. Was going to install everfything all over again, so why are he partitions being deleted?

Your master boot files are corrupted.

It happens if you have a Boot Virus living in your mb's bios.

Virus scanners will not pick it up.

If your on win2000 I can have you back in seconds, lemm eknow what op your on.

Winxp fix

Put in Winxp disc with the affected hd, NO other hd's.

Put a Winxp boot disc into your floppy drive.

Run setup as normal, when you get to the screen that asks if you want to perform repairs or install winzp choose REPAIRS

Then choose console, itll give you a real command prompt.

you will see:

C:\WinXp



type in a:

Then you will see

A:

Type in

FixBoot

Say yes, then type in MakeBoot, or if it says command unknown type in Help

Find the MkBoot or simlar and type in that command.

Say yes.

Then remove floppy, and reboot load winxp.

I'm reinstalling Win XP right now, I'll try the FixBoot afterwards. How can I check if my master boot files are okay and how can I protect them in the future?

You can't really. Master Boot viruses are all different, some do destructions, some report everything you do, some do nothing at all really, just slow your computer down.


A Master Boot Virus is different then a Corrupt Master List.

IF you install winxp without fixing the Boot Pattern your hard drive will NOT be fixed and could die anytime from the virus if its that kind.

A fix takes less then 5 minutes.

One of the only ways to really secure it is to turn off ALL active x prompts, even signed ones.

Thanks MGibson

let's hope it'll work

Thanks again

use the 'fixmbr' command with the repair command line on the xp cd

nothing works:

format, fixboot, fixmbr

Going to ask for a new HD on monday.

Unless someone knows if a defect component (RAM, MB, Graphics Card) could cause this.

Thanks for the help

First. Open Window.

Second: Throw PC out window.

Third: Order new PC from DELL or HP.

Fourth: Sit on porch drinking beer waiting for Fed Ex to deliver new workstation.

:1orglaugh :1orglaugh

damn, tried all the above, even asked the shop to give me a new hard disk: same thing, so I know it's not the disk :)

before the partitions are deleted, I can see a blue screen of death, but it disappears in an instant, unable to read anything.

Anyone an idea, how to solve this?

bump bump