Monday, November 29, 2010

How to recover Windows 7 data when a failed device update makes the system inaccessible

Windows 7 is the latest version of operating systems from the house of Microsoft. It has got various advanced features that help immensely in creating amazing user experience. It has handwriting recognition enabled, has got a distinct Media Center to facilitate all kinds of multimedia activities, the ClearType functionality, etc.

Having said that, there may occur some problems while updating a new device that may block you from access the system. You should use the Windows Recovery Environment to overcome such problems. However, if that does not happen then you should use a third-party Windows data recovery software to recover Windows files.



Let us consider a case in which you have installed a new device in your Windows 7 system. After that, you have restarted your system but it fails to start.


Cause:

There could be various causes responsible for this startup problem in Windows 7. these are:


  • There are compatibility issues with the new device or the its driver with other drivers on your computer.

  • There is some hardware-specific issue that has caused the startup problem.

  • The device driver that you have installed is damaged.

Resolution:

To resolve this problem, you should repair Windows 7 installation using Windows Recovery Environment. This can be done using the following steps:

  • Insert the Windows 7 installation disc in the disc drive, and restart the system.

  • Press any key when the 'Press any key' screen is displayed.

  • Select the language, time and currency, keyboard or input method, and click Next.

  • Click 'Repair your computer'.

  • Select the operating system that you want to repair in the 'System Recovery Options' dialog box.

  • Click Next.

  • Make the required changes in the Registry Editor.

  • Exit Registry Editor and restart the system.


If the system remains inaccessible even after performing these methods, then you should use a third-party Windows recovery software to recover the trapped data. With highly interactive user interface, these data recovery tools are able to recover Windows data without any hassles.


The best data recovery software that recovers Windows data from all instances of disk corruption of data loss is Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery. With the ability to recover more than 185 different file types from various storage media such as hard drives, memory cards, iPods, USB drives, etc, this Windows data recovery software also recovers deleted emails from MS Outlook and Outlook Express. In addition, this software is compatible with Windows 7, Vista, Server 2003, XP, 2000, and NT4(SP6).

Recovering Windows files using third-party software after SYSTEM hive has damaged in Windows 2000

The Windows registry is a comprehensive database that stores all the configuration settings of your computer. It contains information about the low-level applications as well as for applications running on the platform.

All the registry information is stored in the SYSTEM hive, which is prone to corruption owing to several reasons like virus infections, power outages, etc. You should try to restore the registry file using the Windows Setup CD to recover Windows files. If the method does not succeed, then you should use a third-party Windows data recovery software to do the needful.

Let us assume a practical situation in which you are unable to start your Windows 2000 system. You may see the following error message in this regard:

“Windows 2000 could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

\windows\system32\config\systemd”

Cause:

The most possible cause of this start up issue is that the SYSTEM hive of your computer is corrupt or missing

Resolution:

To resolve this situation, you should restore the SYSTEM hive using the Windows 2000 CD-ROM. To do this, you should perform the following steps:

Insert the Windows 2000 CD in the CD-ROM drive and start the computer.
Press R to repair the Windows installation when the 'Welcome to Setup' screen is displayed.
Press C to repair Windows installation in the Recovery Console.
Type the number of the Windows installation that corresponds to the one that you want to repair.
Rename the SYSTEM file as “System.old” in the “%SystemRoot%\System32\Config” folder by using following commands and pressing Enter after each command:
cd system32
cd config
ren system system.old
Copy the ' %SystemRoot%\Repair\System' file to '%SystemRoot%\System32\Config ' folder using the following commands and pressing Enter after each command:
cd..
cd..
cd repair
copy system %systemroot%\system32\config
Restart the system.

If you are still getting the similar problem even after performing these steps, then you need to reinstall Windows 2000 after backing up the data. Some third-party Windows data recovery utilities are there that can help you to recover Windows data. These data recovery tools are absolutely safe to use that do not damage the files while recovering them.

The most efficient data recovery software that recovers Windows files from FAT, NTFS, and exFAT file systems is Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery. Recovering more than 185 different files from various storage media such as hard drives, external HDDs, pen drives, iPods, etc, this Windows data recovery tool is able to recover deleted emails from MS Outlook and Outlook Express. In addition, this Windows data recovery software is compatible with Windows 7, Vista, Server 2003, XP, 2000, and NT4(SP6) versions.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Windows Data Recovery if Pci.sys File Is Missing Or Corrupt

Windows is one of the most advanced and reliable GUI based operating system that can be used to perform various tasks. Even though it went through many faces of evolutions , the one thing that this powerful operating system cannot guarantee is that data will not be lost. That is why, it is recommended that users must maintain backup to be able to perform Windows data recovery. Otherwise, in such a situation, they have to opt for powerful software to perform the task. Let us take an example to understand this better.

On trying to start your Windows 2000 computer system, you get an error message similar to the following:

File is missing or corrupt: C:\Winnt\System32\Drivers\Pci.sys


Reason:

This error message occurs in case the Pci.sys file is unavailable or corrupt.

Troubleshooting:

The following measures may help you troubleshoot the problem:

1st Method: Restore Pci.sys file using the Recovery Console in MS Windows. In the Console, you will need to expand Pci.sy_ to \%SystemRoot%\System32\Drivers folder on the hard disk. Pci.sy_ is in the I386 folder of the CD of Windows 2000 CD.

  1. To start the Console, insert the CD in the drive and restart computer.

  2. On the 'Welcome to Setup' page, press R (followed by Enter) to repair.

  3. Next press C (followed by Enter) to Enter the Recovery Console.

  4. Type the number corresponding to the 2000 installation that needs to be repaired (followed by Enter).

  5. Enter the password when prompted.

  6. In the Console, type map (followed by Enter). Make a note of the drive letter assigned to the CD drive.

  7. Once done, type the command followed by Enter:


expand X:\i386\pci.sy_ c:\winnt\system32\drivers /y

where, X refers to CD drive letter,

C refers to Windows drive,

winnt is the folder in which Windows is installed,

Also, there is a space before c:

  1. You should get following error message

pci.sys

1 file(s) expanded.

  1. Once the same is done, you can quit the Console by typing exit.

  2. Restart Windows normally.

2nd Method: In case the above method doesn't start the system normally, there is a possibility that some additional files are missing or corrupt. So to replace them, perform an in-place upgrade, by

  • Inserting the installation CD in the drive, and restarting the computer.

  • Install Windows 2000, by pressing Enter on first option screen, and click 'Accept' on the License Agreement.

  • After this, the Setup detects installation and when it prompts you to repair, press R.

3rd Method: But in case the setup refuses to detect Windows installation, then you will need to reinstall the operating system. But, since this procedure removes all the data saved in that partition, you will have to recover partition data using the most recent backup. But, in the absence of a backup, you will have to perform Windows data recovery using appropriate software.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Remove personal data before retiring you old PC

If you're planning to replace, sell, or retire your old computer, it's very important to eradicate your personal data stored on its hard drive before unplugging it for the last time.

You should always remember that even though you manually delete computer files, an identity thief might still be able to recover them, possibly putting you or your family at risk.

Files you should remove before you donate or sell your computer:

  • E-mail contacts

  • messages

  • All documents

  • All files in the operating system recycle bin or trash folder

  • Internet files

  • All non-transferable software (most software is transferable if you have the original disks and product key)

Options for removing files from your computer:

  1. Remove the files yourself at home using disk-cleaning software. On Windows 7 and Windows Vista you can clean up files with Disk Cleanup. If you have any sensitive files on your computer, you can also use a third-party application. To find software that works with your version of Windows, visit Bing and search for "file shredder" or "secure file deletion."

  2. Call the computer manufacturer's technical services department and ask how to delete personal files (your computer might need to be under warranty for this service).

  3. Take your hard drive to a local reputable computer supplier to have them safely overwrite your files.

Once you've cleaned the personal data from your old computer (and you don't plan to or are unable to sell it), what should you do with it? Consider donating or recycling.

Donate

If your unwanted computer still works, donating it is probably the best way to go, and doing so will help keep toxins such as lead, mercury, and other electronic byproducts out of the environment.

Each computer dumped in a landfill is a missed opportunity to provide a computer for others to use through a nonprofit or school-based refurbisher.

In addition, depending on the current market value of your donated computer, you might be able to deduct its value from your taxes (refer to current federal and local tax laws for more information).

Recycle

If your computer is an older model (five years is typically the maximum for donating), doesn't work, or donating isn't otherwise an option, you can dispose of it responsibly with the help of a qualified recycler near you, such as those found on the National Center for Electronics Recycling.


For any windows data recovery issue visit: http://www.stellarwindowsdatarecovery.com/

Backup and Restore Windows 7 Data

Backup and Restore—improved for Windows 7—creates safety copies of your most important files, so if you lose something, it won't be lost forever.

Let Windows choose what to back up, or pick individual folders, libraries Easily find the files you're looking for and manage them as if they were in one location—even when they're in different folders or on several PCs. or drives. Windows can back up files on whatever schedule you choose. Just set it and forget it. In Windows 7, you can back up files to another drive, your network, or a DVD. Backup and Restore for your personal PC and attached DVD or external hard drives comes with all editions of Windows.

To back up Windows files

  1. Open Backup and Restore by clicking the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Backup and Restore.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • If you've never used Windows Backup before, click Set up backup, and then follow the steps in the wizard. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

    • If you've created a backup before, you can wait for your regularly scheduled backup to occur, or you can manually create a new backup by clicking Back up now. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.



Notes

  • We recommend that you don't back up your files to the same hard disk that Windows is installed on.

  • Always store media used for backups (external hard disks, DVDs, or CDs) in a secure place to prevent unauthorized people from having access to your files—we recommend a fireproof location separate from your computer. You might also consider encrypting the data on your backup.

To create a new, full backup

After you create your first backup, Windows Backup will add new or changed information to your subsequent backups. If you're saving your backups on a hard drive or network location, Windows Backup will create a new, full backup for you automatically when needed. If you're saving your backups on CDs or DVDs and can't find an existing backup disc, or if you want to create a new backup of all of the files on your computer, you can create a full backup. Here's how to create a full backup:

  1. Open Backup and Restore by clicking the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Backup and Restore.

  2. In the left pane, click Create new, full backup.

        Note

    You will only see this option if your backup is being saved on CDs or DVDs.

To set up a backup after upgrading from a previous version of Windows

After you upgrade Windows, you will need to set up Windows Backup, even if you had a scheduled backup in the previous version of Windows. This is because there are several changes to the backup program. Instead of selecting file types to back up, you can have Windows back up data files saved in libraries, on the desktop, and in default Windows folders, or you can choose specific libraries and folders to be backed up. You can also create a system image of your computer. For more information, see How does Windows choose which files to back up?

To set up your backup, follow these steps:

  1. Open Backup and Restore by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Backup and Restore.

  2. Click Set up backup, and then follow the steps in the wizard. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Resource: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Back-up-your-files

If you have a proper backup of your data then a Windows data recovery software can be used effectively to recover your data completely.



Safety tips for using a public computer

Public computers in libraries, Internet cafes, airports, and copy shops can be safe if you follow a few simple rules when you use them.

Read these tips to help keep your work, personal, or financial information private.

1. Don't save your logon information

Always log out of Web sites by clicking "log out" on the site. It's not enough to simply close the browser window or type in another address.

Many programs (especially social networking Web sites, Web mail, and instant messenger programs) include automatic login features that will save your user name and password. Disable this option so no one can log in as you.

2. Don't leave the computer unattended with sensitive information on the screen

If you have to leave the public computer, log out of all programs and close all windows that might display sensitive information.

3. Erase your tracks

Internet Explorer 8 offers InPrivate browsing that leaves no trace of specific Web activity. For more information, see Browse privately.

Internet Explorer also keeps a record of your passwords and every page you visit, even after you've closed them and logged out.

Disable the feature that stores passwords

Before you go to the Web, turn off the Internet Explorer feature that "remembers" your passwords.

  1. In Internet Explorer, click Tools, and then click Internet Options.

  2. Click the Content tab, and then click Settings, next to AutoComplete.

  3. Click to clear both check boxes having to do with passwords.

Delete your temporary Internet files and your history

When you finish your use of a public computer, you can help protect your private information by deleting your temporary Internet files. For information on how to delete temporary Internet files on Internet Explorer 7 and Internet Explorer 8, see Delete temporary Internet files.

4. Watch for over-the-shoulder snoops

When you use a public computer, be on the look out for thieves who look over your shoulder or watch as you enter sensitive passwords to collect your information.

5. Don't enter sensitive information into a public computer

These measures provide some protection against casual hackers who use a public computer after you have.

But keep in mind that an industrious thief might have installed sophisticated software on the public computer that records every keystroke and then e-mails that information back to the thief.

Then it doesn't matter if you haven't saved your information or if you've erased your tracks. They still have access to this information.

If you really want to be safe, avoid typing your credit card number or any other financial or otherwise sensitive information into any public computer.


Resource: http://www.microsoft.com/protect/mobile/public/publicpc.aspx

We suggest the above tips for securing a private data. If anyhow you have lost your data I personally suggest to go for Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery Software





Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7

Introduction

To upgrade your PC from Windows XP to Windows 7, you'll need to select the Custom option during Windows 7 installation. A custom installation doesn't preserve your programs, files, or settings. It's sometimes called a "clean" installation for that reason.

A custom installation is more complex, and it can sometimes take a couple of hours to complete. We created this five-step tutorial to help guide you through the entire process each step of the way.

What you need

  • An external hard disk. You'll need to move your files off of your PC before you install Windows 7. To make this easier, we recommend a free download called Windows Easy Transfer, which will require an external hard disk. They're readily available at electronics and office supply stores, and they provide an easy way to add additional storage space to your computer.

  • The original installation discs or setup files for the programs that you want to use with Windows 7. You'll need to reinstall your programs by hand after installing Windows 7. When you run Windows Easy Transfer you will get a report that lists the programs that you are currently using with Windows XP.

32-bit or 64-bit: Which version of Windows 7 to install?

Both 32-bit and 64-bit installation discs are included in the Windows 7 package. 64-bit operating systems can handle large amounts of memory—typically 4 gigabytes (GB) of random access memory (RAM) or more—more efficiently than 32-bit operating systems. However, not all computers are 64-bit capable. For more information, see 32-bit and 64-bit Windows: frequently asked questions and 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7.

You'll probably need the 32-bit version, but to make sure, click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.

  • If you don't see "x64 Edition" listed, then you're running the 32-bit version of Windows XP. Step 1 of this tutorial will show you how to run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor, which can let you know if your computer is capable of running the 64-bit version of Windows 7.

  • If "x64 Edition" is listed under System, you're running the 64-bit version of Windows XP and can run the 64-bit version of Windows 7.

Next: Download and run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor.

For more details Click here

windows 7 data recovery

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Recover Windows files with Stellar Windows data recovery software

Data is precious and data loss is a tragic for almost everyone of us. Even the loss of photos is a great headache for all of us. The data is lost usually when there is a system crash, virus attacks, sudden power surges all affect the hard drive and makes files corrupt, lost or damaged and leaves you needing to recover windows files.


It is better to check if the hard drive is affected. What caused the system to crash? It may be a new incompatible hardware or software. Try to unplug the hardware and restart the computer. A normal start-up indicates that the hardware is indeed the problem.


If it does not start-up normally, press the F8 key while the Windows is rebooting to start it in safe mode. If it reaches the log-in screen, then the problem may be related to a new software. Before proceeding to the next step, already make a backup of the other remaining files.


You can also fix the problem using system restore which resets the settings but there is no guarantee you will get your files back and recover deleted files.


If the first step did not work at all, then you can try another method to try to save lost data. Take off all the cables and USB wires and open the case to find the hard drive. Make sure that all the cables are plugged into the right place. You can also try to switch with one cable from another and see if this will work. If the problem still exists, then it is time to accept that there is something wrong with the hard drive.


If nothing else works, then you can now try to use Stellar Phoenix windows data recovery software. This software is the ultimate solution which I have also tried and recommend you to try to recover your files.


Sunday, November 14, 2010

How to Solve 'Invalid drive specification' Error in Windows

'Invalid drive specification' – is a windows error that generally appears when a command (containing a drive letter) is run. The operating system is unable to find. One way to sove the issue is to run the command using a different drive letter. However, there are times when you get this error while accessing a hard disk partition using boot floppy disk or CD.

Occurrence of 'Invalid drive specification' error at this point of time can be serious as this suggests that the Windows partition is inaccessible, possibly because of corruption. This is when a Windows Data Recovery utility can come handy.


A new hard drive with 'Invalid drive specification' error indicates that it needs to be partition and formatted before being used. But in other cases, a boot disk can prompt this error when:


  • You are trying to access Windows XP or later NTFS partition using a boot disk that has been created for Windows 98 or earlier. The DOS command prompt in such cases cannot read the NTFS partition of Windows XP or later. Thus you need to use a different boot disk that is exclusive to the operating system and can read the partition. If no such disk is available, create NTFS recognizing disk.


  • If the above case doesn't, you should make sure that your hard disk is correctly configured in the BIOS. An improperly set hard disk is not accessible by Windows.


  • If you get this error even if BIOS settings are appropriate, the partition to be accessed is corrupted. To resolve the issue, you can delete the damaged partition if you have a backup to restore the data. But to extract data from a corrupted partition itself, you need to use a Windows Data Recovery Software. Designed to run effective scanning algorithms, these Windows Data Recovery software are competent enough to restore lost or deleted data from Windows disks.


Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery is a high-end, easy-to-use utility that can recover lost data from Windows disks partitioned to NTFS, NTFS5, FAT32, or VFAT file system. Providing advanced features like, disk cloning, disk imaging, RAW data recovery, etc., this is one of the most efficient Window Data Recovery Software.



Tuesday, November 9, 2010

How to recover windows data when boot.ini file is missed or corrupted ?

When you start a Windows system, first of all the number of operating systems that are installed in the system are scanned and listed. After that, you can select and go ahead with the operating system with which you want to log onto the system. This information is stored in the boot.ini file, which is not a read-only file.

Because of not being a read-only file, the boot.ini file can get corrupt or may contain incorrect entries, due to which the system would not start. In such circumstances, you should modify the boot.ini file using the Windows Setup CD. However, if that does not work then you should use a third-party Windows data recovery software to recover Windows data.

Consider a scenario wherein you are unable to start your Windows XP system. The following error message is displayed in a black screen:

“Invalid Boot.ini”

Cause:

The root cause of this problem is that the boot.ini file is either missing, damaged, or contains incorrect entries.

Resolution:

To resolve this case, you would need to refurbish the boot.ini file. This can be done using the following steps:

  • Configure the boot settings in the BIOS (Basic Input/Output Section) so that you can boot the system using a Windows XP Setup CD.

  • Insert the CD in the CD-ROM drive and start the system.

  • Press R to enter the Recovery Console.

  • Type 'bootcfg /list' and press Enter to view the current entries in the boot.ini file.

  • Type 'bootcfg /rebuild' and press Enter to scan the hard disks and display the various operating systems present in the system.

  • Perform the instructions as they appear on the screen.

  • When you are through with all the tasks, then type 'exit' on the command prompt and press Enter to exit Recovery Console.

  • When the computer restarts, you will see the 'Please select the operating system to start' message. Select the appropriate operating system in which you want to start the system.

If the system is still not starting and is still inaccessible, then you should try to reinstall the operating system after recovering the trapped data. To do this, you can use a third-party Windows data recovery software. These data recovery tools have rich user interface that make the Windows recovery safe and easy to perform.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

NTFS File System- A deep discussion

NTFS (New Technology File System) is the standard file system of Windows NT, including its later versions Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.

NTFS supersedes the FAT file system as the preferred file system for Microsoft’s Windows operating systems. NTFS has several improvements over FAT and HPFS (High Performance File System) such as improved support for metadata and the use of advanced data structures to improve performance, reliability, and disk space utilization, plus additional extensions such as security access control lists (ACL) and file system journaling.

In the mid 1980s, Microsoft and IBM formed a joint project to create the next generation of graphical operating system. The result of the project was OS/2, but Microsoft and IBM disagreed on many important issues and eventually separated. OS/2 remained an IBM project. Microsoft started to work on Windows NT. The OS/2 file system HPFS contained several important new features. When Microsoft created their new operating system, they borrowed many of these concepts for NTFS. Probably as a result of this common ancestry, HPFS and NTFS share the same disk partition


NTFS has five released versions:

  • v1.0 with NT 3.1, released mid-1993

  • v1.1 with NT 3.5, released fall 1994

  • v1.2 with NT 3.51 (mid-1995) and NT 4 (mid-1996) (occasionally referred to as "NTFS 4.0", because OS version is 4.0)

  • v3.0 from Windows 2000 ("NTFS V5.0")

  • v3.1 from Windows XP (autumn 2001; "NTFS V5.1"), Windows Server 2003 (spring 2003; occasionally "NTFS V5.2"), Windows Vista (mid-2005) (occasionally "NTFS V6.0"), Windows Server 2008, Windows 7.


Features of NTFS


  • NTFS Log

  • USN Journal

  • Hard links and short filenames

  • Alternate data streams (ADS)

      • Sparse files

  • File compression

  • Volume Shadow Copy


To know more about these features Click here

For NTFS recovery visit: http://www.windows-data-recovery.net/


Friday, October 29, 2010

Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery Software - A rescue for lost photos

It was the 25 December 2009 , the Christmas Day. I , alongwith my five friends , all six (Ranvir, Meenka, Atul , Syed Dushyant and Kuldeep) went to Manali ( Himanchal Pradesh, India ). A beautiful place with beautiful people. We had a digital camera with us with 16 GB memory card. We had already planned to juice each and every moment of that trip and catch every moment with our camera.

We were alltogether afer 6 long years so, every moment was precious like gems. We took hundreds of photos and recorded too many videos.



Manu Temple

The distance between Delhi and Manali is about 600 Km and took about 15 hours to reach there. The next day when we returned back I cut all my photos from memory card and pasted it at my laptop. Now it was a big screen and clearer photos.



Now it was again the time of separation for all of us. Everyone wanted have those remembrable photos. So, we decided to print all those pictures. When I stareted my system everyone was shocked . The folder was dissapeared. I can't explain how heart breaking and embarassing it was. All the photos were lost. Aaaahhhhh............. Oh god what to do ?


After a while , Meenka suggested to go for some software help. She suggested me the Stellar Phoenix Windows data recovery software to get my photos back.




I downloaded , installed and recovered all my photos. Alas! All were happy to get their photos back.

Next time we are planning to visit Goa. But this I will not forget to take my rescue with me the Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery Software v4.2.


Thursday, October 28, 2010

Microsoft Declares Record First-Quarter Results


REDMOND, Wash. — Oct. 28, 2010 — Microsoft Corp. today announced record first-quarter revenue of $16.20 billion for the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2010, a 25% increase from the same period of the prior year. Operating income, net income and diluted earnings per share for the quarter were $7.12 billion, $5.41 billion and $0.62 per share, which represented increases of 59%, 51% and 55%, respectively, when compared with the prior year period.

Prior year results reflect the deferral of $1.47 billion of revenue, an impact of $0.12 of diluted earnings per share, relating to the Windows 7 Upgrade Option program and sales of Windows 7 to OEMs and retailers before general availability in October 2009. Without the deferral in the prior year, first-quarter growth rates for revenue and operating income were 13% and 20%, and growth in net income and earnings per share were 16% and 19%, respectively.

“This was an exceptional quarter, combining solid enterprise growth and continued strong consumer demand for Office 2010, Windows 7, and Xbox 360 consoles and games,” said Peter Klein, chief financial officer at Microsoft. “Our ability to grow revenue while continuing to control costs allowed us to deliver another quarter of year-over-year margin expansion.”

For more details:

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Windows XP inaccessible after upgradation?

When we upgrade Windows XP on your system then it may not pay off well. It may show some problems because of damage of some setup files on the hard disk, which does not get overwritten during the upgrade process. Here some corrective measures need to be taken to resolve the issue and if it is not get solved , then a hard drive recovery software is the ultimate solution.

For more details visit: http://recovery-hard-drive.blogspot.com/2010/09/did-you-find-your-windows-xp.html

Monday, October 18, 2010

Windows 2000 - Relation between start-up issues and data loss

Sometimes, at a restart, your Windows 2000 may be displaying an unexpected error message following which the booting process may be halted and the data in the drive becomes inaccessible. In such situations, taking any chance can result a permanent loss of valuable data in the drive and user is always suggested to go for Windows data recovery software. The error message that you receive, can be any of the following:



“Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM”



OR

“System hive error”

Cause:

The above errors can happen if any of the below condition is true:

* If a PCI controller card, manufactured by Promise Technology Inc has been installed in the computer and you are installing/starting-up Windows 2000 operating system.
* Possible damage to the system hive or it is missing from the registry.


It may happen sometimes that Windows 2000 OS may fail to load heavy registry files. This is the situation, when a huge block of data has been written by the write process to the system sub-key and the sub-key indeed is meant to retain only that information, which is needed to start-up the system.


Resolution:

* The first and the foremost thing that you can do is to check whether there is any CD, DVD or any other device is connected to the system. Thereafter, you should also check for the correct boot sequence in the BIOS.
* Remove the PCI Controller manufactured by Promise Technology. As it has been observed quite a few times that if you have installed a Promise ATA66 controller, you may receive such error. Then, restart Windows 2000 setup, after enabling the IDE controller on your motherboard.
* If you failed to resolve the issue with the above step, then, try replacing the backup copy of the system hive. In order to do so, try restarting Windows 2000 from the start-up disk and on the Welcome screen , press 'R' to repair. If asked, give the administrative password and press 'C in order to run recovery console. Thereafter, select the installation, which you want to repair.
* Still, if you are unable to fix the errors and the data is still inaccessible thereof, then recover your data from the valid backup and make a fresh installation after formatting the disk drive.


Formatting will wipe out all the data from the drive. Here a user is suggested to go for any trusted Windows data recovery utility like Stellar Phoenix Windows Data recovery. Its an absolute boon to the Windows users, as it can recover any lost, deleted, formatted or inaccessible data.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

"Fixmbr" made hard drive partition Inaccessible

When some of the operating system files need to be repaired or replaced ,you have to repair the master boot records (MBR) of the computers system. This repairing is required when . This process writes a new code to the selected partition. This procedure calls for execution of fixmbr command in the Recovery console of your system.

But it has been found so many times that all the hard drive data becomes inaccessible after running the fixmbr command. In this condition Windows Data Recovery Software is one of the rescue.

Once, one of my clients had a trouble that while trying to boot his MS Windows 2000 Professional that has been refusing to start. Here is scene he faced :

Insert the Windows installation CD in the disk drive.
Boot the system from the CD.
And then entered the recovery console.
But, when you tried to run the fixmbr command, you encountered the following error message:

'This computer appears to have a non-standard or invalid master boot record. FIXMBR may damage your partition tables if you proceed. This could cause all the partitions on the current hard disk to become inaccessible. If you are not having problems accessing your drive, do not continue. Are you sure you want to write a new MBR?'

In such situations, you have little choice to proceed further. You will soon find the below mentioned message displayed on your system:

Writing new master boot record on physical drive
\Device\Harddisk0\Partition0.
The new master boot record has been successfully written.

After this, you need to check whether all the partitions are working properly not. In case they are not accessible, you will need to recover windows partition data, using the latest backup . And if you don't have the backup available, then you have to opt for partition recovery software to perform complete Windows data recovery. These software implement complex algorithms to read the hard drive and fetch data from it.

A free trial version of the same can be downloaded from the company website. Ie; at http://www.windows-data-recovery.net/


Tuesday, October 5, 2010

'Non-system disk or disk error' in Windows – How to kick it out

Its all about the self explanatory features Windows which have made it this popular. But , at the same time, its more prone to viruses and malware. Regardless of the reason, if any Windows error leads to an inaccessible data then restoration of the data from the backup is the foremost choice. If back-up is not up to date or failed to restore the data, then Windows data recovery software is the only choice you are left with.

One example could clear the concept here. Suppose one fine day , you started your computer and got a dark screen with an error message flashing on the screen. The system did not boot further making your data in the hard drive unavailable. The error message that had flashed on the screen is as follows:

“Non-system disk or disk error”

Cause:

There can be more than one possible reasons behind the above problem. Before listing the same, a simple analysis says that may be your start-up device does not contain any boot file and Windows is trying to load that device. Other possible reasons can be any of the following:

• The parameters set by the CMOS drive settings may be incorrect for the device from which the system is trying to boot.
• A troubled hard disk drive.
• Virus attack or malware intrusion.

Solution:

In order to resolve the above issue, follow the steps individually and try to boot the system thereafter.
• Try removing any non-system disk attached to the system that is any non-bootable system disk that has been at the point, from where the system is tend to boot, including the CD/DVD drive, floppy drive etc.
• Try to check, whether the boot sequence of your system is correct or not that is the boot device selected should contain the boot files or the operating system files installed in it. Go to the settings at the startup and set the correct boot device accordingly.
• If your system contains multiple hard disk drives, ensure that the drive from which you are trying to boot has been installed with a bootable operating system, such as Windows XP, Vista etc.

One very important point I would like to mention here is , please never compromise with the quality of anti virus program or else you may have have to pey more for it . The cost may be in terms of your valuable data also..

Monday, October 4, 2010

Unbootable partition in table- How to solve the issue

The MBR or Master Boot record is the first sector in a partitioned disk and is popularly known as the partition sector. The MBR keeps the detailed information about the primary and secondary partitions. It uniquely identifies the individual disk media attached to the system by virtue of a 32 bit signature and hence the Windows system is able to learn the properties of the volume/disk.

In case, if it gets corrupted, the data becomes completely inaccessible and only Windows Data Recovery software can resolve the issue. Furthermore, blue screen of death (BSOD)or a black screen appears with an error message. The booting process gets halted at that point and all your data remained inaccessible. The possible error flashing on the screen may be as below:

“No bootable partition in table”

Cause:

• Most likely, the above error can be caused due to the corruption of the Master Boot Record (MBR). Another possibility is that if by any operation, you have modified the disk MBR or your system is not getting the one it is looking for.

• Another ordinary possibility is that may be the system has been set to boot from any storage media, which doesn't have any valid boot instruction set in the MBR. In simple, the system is trying to boot from a non bootable CD, DVD or a USB device.

Resolution:

• Ensure that there is no CD, DVD or any other device connected to the system and moreover, check for the correct boot sequence.
• If the above is alright and the error still persists, put the Windows system installation disk, and open the recovery console by pressing the key 'R' at the start-up. Then run the command 'fixmbr'.
• After trying the above options, if the problem remains unresolved, then the only way left is to make a fresh installation of the operating system.

If a user does not have any backup, then you have to use any Windows data recovery software in order to recover your valuable data.

These Windows data recovery software are capable of recovering any lost, deleted, formatted or inaccessible data from a Windows operating system based hard drive. Moreover, the software usually have Windows look-a-like user interfaces and come with detailed instruction sets.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

How to get data back after UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME error

Last week - laptop - 160GB SATA hard drive

Hope my readers understand what I wanted to mention above. Trying to have little different layout.

Well, come to the point -- It asked me to choose between, 'Start Windows Normally' or 'Launch Startup Repair'. I chose to start the system normally, instead of going through the recover windows options. But I got this abominable blue screen with the following message flashing across:

“A Problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME

If this is the first time you've seen this stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again follow these steps:

Check to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed. If this is a new installation, ask your hardware or software manufacturer for any windows updates you might need.

If problems continue, disable or remove any newly installed hardware or software. Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing. If you need to use Safe Mode to remove or disable components, restart your computer, press F8 to select Advanced Startup Options, and then select Safe Mode.

Technical Information:

*** STOP: 0x000000ED (0x83449C90, 0xC0000185, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)”

Then I restarted my system and tried to 'Launch Startup Repair'. But I was stuck with the same blue screen.

A great problem now what to do?

I started to search the internet for ways to recover windows, so I could access all my files and folders.

• I tried Safe mode, safe mode with networking and safe mode with command prompt. But all in vain


• Then I used the installation disk to auto repair, but even that didn't work for me. The computer did load upto the vista background but that was it. It froze!

• Disconnected all the external devices, except the keyboard and the mouse, and then booted up. In the BIOS I disabled SATA and used the IDE configuration. But to no avail. My computer didn't respond properly.

• Then I went ahead and made small modifications by accessing 'Advanced Boot Options'. Here I selected 'Repair your computer'. Then at the command prompt, I ran chkdsk /f command. After this, I executed chkdsk /r. In case there are bad sectors that are preventing the system from loading, CHKDSK will try to recover those bad sectors. But, no, even this didn't allow me to view my desktop, or the files stored on my system.

When nothing worked, I got very frustrated, and completely formatted my system. I decided to reinstall the operating system, and then recover all my files from the backup.

With the installation disk, it was a matter of some hours when my system was up and running, as good as new. Then I attached my external drive which had all the backup. But it was not recognized. I was at my wits end, and didn't know what to do! Further research revealed hard drive failure of my drive, and called for recovery measures. But I also came across this information that formatted, and deleted data could also be recovered using Windows data recovery software.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Windows data recovery software to handle in Windows 2000 System Hive Corruption


In Windows systems, the System hive stores the backup of registries containing the keys, subkeys, and their values. For each user profile, there is a separate system hive. However, sometimes it may get damaged due to several reasons. In such situations, you can use various system recovery methods. If these methods do not work, then this situation calls for professional Windows data recovery software to recover hard drive.

Consider a scenario in which you restart your Windows 2000 system and it fails to start. The following error message is displayed in this case:

“Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEMced”

Note: The 'ced' letters displayed at the end of the error message is actually not part of the error. It is probably part of the previous screen, which was not overwritten when this error appeared.

In addition, you may get the following error message as well:

“System hive error”

Cause:
There could be the following causes for this problem:
• A PCI (Peripheral Computer Interconnect) controller card of Promise Technology, Inc. make is installed in your computer.
• The System hive in your system is either missing or damaged.

Resolution:
There could be the following resolutions for this startup problem:
• Removing the PCI controller: You should remove the PCI controller, then check the BIOS settings to see if the PCI controller is enabled on the motherboard. Restart the system.
• Restoring a backup of the System hive: You should use the Repair Console tool to restore the backup copy of the System hive. If your system does not have Repair Console, then you should run it from the Emergency Repair process.
• Reducing the System hive's size: At times, when too many resources are shared on the system the hive becomes too large and difficult to manage. In such cases, you should reduce the size of the System hive.

If the system is still not resolved, then you would need to use a third-party hard drive recovery utility to recover hard drive. Superb user interface along with the capability to recover data any damage are few of the benefits of these hard drive recovery tools.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Is it possible to prevent Windows Data Loss?

Have you ever crashed your Microsoft Windows 7 and got all your files trapped in system? There is no doubt, Windows 7 is an updated version of the ever so robust and reliable operating system but it has some limitations? There are also some errors.

All I want to mention here is - An operating system is a software, and certainly likely to crash. But with effective Windows data recovery methods, it is possible for a user to recover Windows files, and folders.

Here are the steps helpful to avoid the issue:

Windows 7 uses high-end configuration. So make sure you have at least:

• 1 GHz processor
• One GB (32 bit) RAM, or Two GB (32 bit) RAM
• 16 GB (32 bit) space, or 20 GB (64 bit)
• And a DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher drive

Make sure your device drivers are updated and compatible with Windows 7.
Ensure there is enough disk space.

Above points are not a sure guarantee for preventing abrupt problems that may surface, but certainly go a long way in preventing Windows crash, and the data loss situations that accompany such crashes.

But for people, who are already facing data loss due to reasons not listed above, then don't worry. There are Windows data recovery methods available for you.

• For starter, you'll need to try and start Windows in safe mode, then undo the last changes and restart your computer.
• Damaged registry files might be a cause of the problems. In such situations you may have to opt for registry cleaning.
• But, if the above steps, fail, then you'll need to format your system, and then reinstall Windows operating system. This will remove all the data that is saved in your hard drive, but also rid you of all the problems. After re-installation of your OS, you can use your backup to recover Windows files.

But, if you do not have a backup, there is no need to worry as there are a number of comprehensive Windows data recovery software available in the market.


Wednesday, September 8, 2010

'PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA' error in Windows

Although Windows is one of the most popular operating system but it has not been able to escape the bugs and problems that come bundled with any software package. The windows vista users usually encounter problem while booting. I have also faced a major problem last week, when I tried to boot my system and found my data totally inaccessible. After trying all my efforts , when was unable to get them back , I had to use Windows data recovery tools as I did not have backup of all my data saved on my hard drive.

After the splash screen, during startup, there appeared a black screen which had a moving progress bar. Along with this, an error message also flashed:

“A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

CLFS.SYS

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA

If this is the first time you’ve seen this Stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps:

Check to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed. If this is a new installation, ask your hardware or software manufacturer for any Windows updates you might need.

If problems continue, disable or remove any newly installed hardware or software. Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing. If you need to use Safe Mode to remove or disable components, restart your computer, press F8 to select Advanced Startup options, and then select Safe Mode.

Technical information:

*** STOP: 0x00000050 (0x8AFBF028,0x00000000,0x84E2C363,0x00000000)

*** CLFS.SYS - Address 0x84E2C363 base at 82e1b000 Datestamp 4549acbc”

Cause:
After too much of studies and R&D I came to know that, this error message appears when the CLFS.SYS file is corrupt or damaged. This error is followed by non booting of your Windows Vista, and ultimately to inaccessibility of the hard drive data.

In such situations, it becomes almost impossible to retrieve your data unless you have a backup. Otherwise you need to use 'Startup Repair' options to get rid of system booting problems.

And if this also fails, then you'll need to reinstall your Windows Vista to ensure your system starts to run properly. That done, to recover your data, you need to use effective windows recovery software

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Registry files got corrupted – How to get back windows data?

The Windows Registry stores all the information, related to OS and applications installed. This results a severe problem for smooth operations of applications. The data on hard drive goes inaccessible. Although repairing of registry files is possible but is not an easy job. It demands a deep technical knowledge and time as well. Hence, for faster and safe recovery of the data it is better to opt for any Windows data recovery utility.

Lets take a case:

It may that when we restart our computer with Windows XP, the system refuses to boot further with an error message and remains hanged. As the system fails to boot, the data in the drive remains inaccessible and any Windows data recovery software is a wiser choice to get back your valuable data.

Following are the error messages :

“Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM”

OR

“Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SOFTWARE”

OR

“Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure} The registry cannot load the hive (file): \SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE or its log or alternate”

OR

“Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure} The registry cannot load the hive (file): \SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE or its log or alternate”

Resolution
To resolve this registry issue, repairing of registry files is required. In order to replace the files, first you have to take backup of the old registry files, repair them and again place them in the registry folder. These are the steps to be followed:
• Try inserting the Windows XP CD and restart the computer. Prior to this, inside BIOS, change the boot device as the CD-ROM drive.

• Go to the Recovery Console command prompt and enter the following lines:
• md tmp
copy c:\windows\system32\config\system c:\windows\tmp\system.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\software c:\windows\tmp\software.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\sam c:\windows\tmp\sam.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\security c:\windows\tmp\security.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\default c:\windows\tmp\default.bak

delete c:\windows\system32\config\system
delete c:\windows\system32\config\software
delete c:\windows\system32\config\sam
delete c:\windows\system32\config\security
delete c:\windows\system32\config\default

copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system
copy c:\windows\repair\software c:\windows\system32\config\software
copy c:\windows\repair\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam
copy c:\windows\repair\security c:\windows\system32\config\security
copy c:\windows\repair\default c:\windows\system32\config\default
• The above step takes the temporary registry that is generated during system start-up. This process may start the system, however data may remain inaccessible. Hence, you need to go to the previous restore points and copy the registry from there.

The above steps may resolve the issues, however, sometimes unavailability of restore point or recent backup, leaves the data inaccessible. This situation has only solution, which is to recover the data by using powerful Windows data recovery software.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Recover windows files using windows data recovery software

In this computer age we are all surrounded with computer files. These may be spreadsheets, documents, and even videos or some important mails that we always try to preserve for some future reference. The problem lies in the fact that a simple touch of a button could render all of these files lost and useless.

It can happen to anyone as it happened to me. It was the month of January when I was clearing all my junk items using ( Shift + Delete ). Unknowingly, I selected the folder having all my childhood photos, and deleted it along with other junk items. Later when I realized my mistake, it was too late.

It was really a great loss to me. After too much of googling I came to know that my photos were recoverable untess the folder was overwritten by some other data. Also , I should stop working on my hard drive , else, the chances will will keep reducing. I found various hard drive recovery software available to retrieve my data and I found the Stellar Phoenix Windows data recovery software.

How does it work?

This data recovery software would scour the hard drive for traces of the file that I have deleted. These little traces may be scattered all over the drive and would then be pieced together by the software so as to give it original form.

Scouring the hard drives for the pieces or the traces of the file can be quite time consuming, as the computer would often scatter them and bury them underneath other types of data. As such, the hard drive recovery software need a special algorithm so that they would be able to give you your files back. This algorithm makes the scan more reliable and secure as to follow the read only process.

However, It can recover all the data , deleted through any possible mean unless you are using some special software to erase data from hard disk.