Computer Help Needed
 

I turned my desktop on this morning and a screen was on that mentioned a problem and you could do various different things - restart, reboot, etc, etc.

No matter which option I picked, it went to a screen that said there was a problem ---- unmountable_boot_volume

What is wrong? I can't get on my desktop!!!:eek:

I dread having to call the tech people.....:(

Eek :eek:! It sounds like you're most likely going to have to reformat. I hate computers because of things like this. Hopefully someone else can help you better. Good luck!

The other day someone posted a link Computer Hope's free computer help. It's a wealth of information.

Just realized...you probably can't get to computerhope.com. Doesn't that tick ya off? Call about a computer problem and the first solution involves going on line. :rolleyes:

Good luck

Did you try to manually shut it down? If that works, you do a system restore from the last day it was working.

If you have the system disks, you could try to get it to boot from the CD. Most likely you'll have to format the hard drive.

The computer techs that you use should be able to recover any files you have on there, before you format.

This has happened to me several times, and it was a simple problem, one time I had a disk in the disk drive, and it confused the computer, and another time I had a photo card in the slot, and it wouldn't boot with this in the slot, so make sure it's not something simple like this before you turn to more drastic measures. Do you have a system restore?

Speaking of recovering files...you can go buy....a thing (hi tech computer speak :rolleyes: ) for 25 bucks...and providing you have a dvd writer...you can transfer the files. Most computer places will charge you a pretty penny to do this for you.

The computer store will know what it is you're looking for...even if you call it a thing. ;)

Really? That's great to know! My daughter's computer just died....took it to a computer place & they were not able to retrieve her files/pics?:( It's worth a try. Not sure why they couldn't achieve this, tho?:confused:

Yeah it's true....and I have the discs to prove it. :D A techno kid told me about it. Here the price for retrieval runs you 200-300 bucks. Did the computer place say why they couldn't?

I'm going to pick it up tomorrow.....definitely will find out more. Thanks!

The computer doesn't do ANYTHING....when I turn it on, the black screen comes up that says "windows did not start sucessfully" and gives you a list of options:
"if you know what caused this problem - choose: last known good configuration" OR
"if you don't know - choose one of the following: start windows normally, safe mode, safe mode w/ networking, safe mode w/ command prompt".

No matter which ones I try, another screen pops up...."unmountable_boot_volume", check if new software/hardware was installed...if problem continues, remove/disable newly installed software/hardware....disable BIOS memory options (caching/shadowing).....choose safe mode to remove/disable components....etc....and then a list of letters and numbers under tech info.

BUT, I can't even get past these screens to check anything...I know that I haven't installed anything new....and I am sure I have deleted/cleaned out my history, cookies, temp files, etc.

---I am on my DD's laptop---

There is another screen I can get to by pushing F8 when I first turn the computer on...it is the windows advanced options menu...the options listed are:
safe mode w/ networking, safe mode w/ command prompt, enable boot logging, enable VGA mode, last known good configuration, directery services restore mode (windows domain controllers only), debugging mode, start windows normally, reboot, return to OS choices menu.

I have maually turned off the computer, unplugged and replugged everything and done everything on these screens....I can't get any further (so far).

I will check that website...and everything else...before I deal with tech support...THANKS! (sigh)

That's good to know....I will have to check that out (for future mishaps)...my grandmother's computer crashed last year (I think from an email virus) and it cost a LOT to have everything restored on it!!!:eek:

You tried all those options?


Safe mode w/ networking should get you to windows. The safe mode w/ command prompts will offer tests you can perform.

Yep...I've tried them all:( and this morning, I did the networking one, clicked on windows XP home edition (only option, of course) and it ran thru a list of things, but went back to the screen (unmountable_boot_volume)....sigh:(

I haven't gone to that website yet.....to see what it has to say....wish I could just get ON my desktop...that would help..and I could go from there....it "sucks" not being able to get past those screens!!!:thumbdown

That site is awesome...getting ready to attempt some of what it said to do!!! Wish me luck!!!!!:xfingers:

I just looked....it doesn't sound good, Jenn....your hard drive may have already died.

Quick link to the page -
Computer Hope Search

I hope NOT!!! :eek:

I am doing my recovery disc right now.....it is going to take forever (it's been over 8 minutes and it just now is on 2%)...but I will see where it gets me!!! :xfingers:

Thanks for all your help!!!!

Good luck. We've killed many a computer at my house. Probably should've told you that before I offered repair advice. :rolleyes:

Ha :biggrin:

Well, my desktop was a Christmas gift to my DD when she was in 2nd grade...she is 9th grade now...so, it has been a good machine...if nothing else, this may be a good time to buy a new one....OR just take over her laptop!:p

16 minutes....up to 13%........I think it is moving faster! ha! ::rolleyes:
atleast, I am not stuck on those two screens, as before!!!! Maybe, just maybe, I will get somewhere!:xfingers:

darn...need to run and get a formatted floppy diskette...to do something with the recovery.....hope that means, it is almost fixed!!!!!!!

Wishing you good luck.
I called a small local company and they reformatted my hard drive for $200 with a 3 year guarantee, can't beat that.

Sounds like something is wrong with your operating system or your hard drive. I put the hard drive as a secondary drive in another desktop. Then you can just look at the contents like you would a second hard drive. It wont try to boot from it if it has its original drive with the operating system on it. Then you can check for errors.