Unmountable Boot_volume

[mdolls68]

My question is what is this? I bought a new Compaq Presario 2.8G P4 Laptop last week. It has XP Home on it. This morning when I went to turn on the laptop, it didn't turn on. The AC adapter was plugged in. Switched outlets. Both outlets had been working fine. Adapter cable is like new. Nothing spilled on the computer. Didn't have time to fiddle more with the laptop, but it wouldn't turn on at all. No lights. Nothing. Laptop was not dropped or anything.

Anyway, later this morning, my husband said it did turn on and he got a blue screen and it said, "UNMOUNTABLE BOOT_VOLUME" and had some other instructions with it.

What is this? The laptop is only a week old. Is this an XP problem? a Hard drive problem? Other problem?

For those responding, please respond in easy layman's terms. I'm not savy on all the technical jargon that may exist.

Thanks,
Molly

[Ya_know]

Have you tried Compaq Tech support? If it's a week old, you need to contact them right away for warrantee support...

[DocPC]

In laymans terms if it is indeed new, it should under warranty.....call Compaq.

Seems it can't find the MBR. I doubt if you have the proper CD to go to the repair console and repair it as you usually get recovery cd's or none at all.

[geoscomp]

Call the place where you bought it immediately...some stores..such as best buy for example..warranty things themselves and offer only a 90 day warranty unless you pay extra..

[NooNoo]

Welcome to Windrivers mdolls68!
Sorry to here about that, but the advice is good, don't go tinkering with it when its only a week old, it could be anything from a hardware fault to a virus.

[ScorpioIlya]

Like DocPc said..its an MBR problem most likely..........since the only other time that happens is when u move a windows install to a completely different type of system..and it can't mount the drive because it lacks the drivers. In that case its also an MBR problem actually

My advice, if you want to avoid warranty..in order from FASTEST/EASIEST, to longest: ....is to

1. Run fdisk /mbr from a windows 98 boot floppy

if that fails:
2. Download Bootmaster freedos from nonags.com in the disk utilities section.

3. Boot from the floppy, and then rewrite the MBR

4. Use a windows xp home cd, boot from it, and run a fast repair on it. If that fails....run a 'repair install'. (I think actually windows will choose which one to run).

-This is all assuming that the bios recognizes the drive, and the partition info is intact..because otherwise windows wouldn't even GET to that point. That's just my 2 cents.

[Ya_know]

In laymans terms, don't listen to ScorpioIlya .

[slgrieb]

Ya_Know is 100% correct! If you have WinXP DO NOT attempt any fix with Win98 utilities. XP has got its own repair utilities, but really, you need to make the vendor fix this. Don't accept no for an answer if they give you any crap about an issue that isn't covered under warranty, either.

[Escape_Driver]

I know ScorpioIlya means well but I think the right command is fixmbr in the window repair console (correct me if I'm wrong) .... But if you were my customer I would just take the laptop back and repair or replace it.... Thats my 0.02$

[eurobyn]

just boot with youre xp cd and choose R fot repair (follow on screen )
then you will enter the recovery console
once you are in the recoverey console just type in
chkdsk /r
then press enter
after that have finisched just type exit en restart youre computer
and let it start windows normal.

now youre problem is solved.

my 2 cents
eurobyn

[geoscomp]

Of course, none of this will fix whatever problem caused the power supply to malfunction in the first place..just take it back and get it replaced or repaired

[Ya_know]

just boot with youre xp cd and choose R fot repair (follow on screen )
then you will enter the recovery console
once you are in the recoverey console just type in
chkdsk /r
then press enter
after that have finisched just type exit en restart youre computer
and let it start windows normal.

now youre problem is solved.

my 2 cents
eurobyn

I had a dell that would require this fix once a week. I was not going to buy a new hardrive to try to figure out why it kept happening, or whether it was even the drive itself...it was out of warrantee, and a company PC...a company that went out of business. The point to be made...if there is something wrong with the machine, why should she fix it, if it is under warrantee? Additionally, as many here have pointed out, because it is a Compaq, she probably doesn't have an XP install CD, just a restore, therefore she can’t use the recovery console.

Judging by her expression of “layman” I have to guess she doesn’t want to deal with this for very long on here own. Hence, everyone has already given her the best advice…let the manufacturer handle this.

[eurobyn]

if they accept this as warranty !!

because soft does not get warranty
it could be the lang way

if they use warranty
back to dealer , then back to compaq ,then after a restore set used
back to dealer and then back to customer..

i think 8 day's

running the recovery console could fix the problem....

if it isnt working then warranty repair

(it could be the harddisk that fails but it could be anything ! )

what they deside
the pc is under warranty,try to make use of it...
or help yourself.

[NooNoo]

We are debating in a vacuum, let us wait for a reply from mdolls68 and then we will find out what they decided to do.

[Ya_know]

Compaq support will walk her through a restore over the phone; she doesn't have to take it in. However, the issue will be documented, and if it happens again, it can be sure that they will have to address the potential of a hardware problem.

I don't see the vacuum analogy. I was thinking more of an empty paper bag.