The ever annoying Unmountable Boot Volume.

[wehateyourhate]

I'm quite inept when it comes to computers.

I've had the pleasure of the Unmountable Boot Volume message.

Safe Mode, Last Known Configuration, and Start Windows Normally doesn't work.

I've tried to repair with the XP disc.
Once it goes past the first setup which loads files it says "Setup is starting Windows," and then poof! My computer shuts off. I've tried it multiple times with the same result.

Unfortunately, I don't think throwing my computer through the window would help.

All I really know about my laptop is that it's an HP Pavilion ze2000, and that it runs on XP Home Edition.

Any help is much appreciated, and sorry about the vagueness. Like I said, I'm very inept.

[GX1_Man]

Do you have a real Windows CD, or restore CD's, or what?

What preceeded this? Do you have any data you need to back up?

First thing to do is to diagnose the hard drive with free diagnostics from the hard drive manufacturer's site. Is the drive completely internal? Is there a chance it could have become dislodged?

[wehateyourhate]

Do you have a real Windows CD, or restore CD's, or what?

What preceeded this? Do you have any data you need to back up?

First thing to do is to diagnose the hard drive with free diagnostics from the hard drive manufacturer's site. Is the drive completely internal? Is there a chance it could have become dislodged?

It's one of the CDs that came with my laptop, some XP thing for repairing or reinstillation.

My computer was fine, then I let my partner use it for about two months.
Upon recieving it back, it kept shutting off randomly, but it would be fine when I turned it back on.
Yesterday, it did the aforementioned turning off business, and then upon starting it back up, I got the Unmountable Boot Volume message.

I'd like to keep a lot of stuff on it, but if that's inevitable, I'll do anything I can to fix it.

I'm assuming it's internal? Like I said, I'm a complete moron when it comes to anything about computers. I apologise.

[patio]

Grab a 2.5"to PCI adapter cable for about ten bucks...hook up that laptop drive to a known working desktop machine and back up your data...

Then we can proceed from there.

[wehateyourhate]

Grab a 2.5"to PCI adapter cable for about ten bucks...hook up that laptop drive to a known working desktop machine and back up your data...

Then we can proceed from there.

Wow. I think that's far too much for me to handle. I don't really associate with anyone that's much more experienced than I, either.

Is there any way I could get it fixed? My dad already offered to pay if I did that.

[GX1_Man]

I think Best Buy will be glad to take $100 or so for the job. Do you have a geeky friend who could help?

If you don't have a LOT of data and a burner, you could boot with a Linux Live CD and burn it, send it across a network to someone who does, put it on a pen drive, etc.

Have a read. You could probably do this.

http://www.computerhope.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1152393515

[wehateyourhate]

I guess Best Buy it is.

I really wish I was moreso well-versed.

Thanks a lot for the help.

[fat_basterd21]

yea this is what computer shops do... and about all they can do, recover info and install...

Why dont I have a shop...