disk boot failure insert disk and press enter

Running XP. My daughter was doing her usual stuff on the computer and it
unexpectedly restarted. when it came back on it said system disk failure,
insert system disk and press enter. I put in the CD that came with the
computer and hit enter. I got press 1 for system restore and 2 to boot from
disk. I don't want to restore without trying to save some of her school
files, so I pressed 2 to see if I can get into the computer and back some
stuff up to a CD for her. However, when I press 2 it displays A:\> and
nothing else. I don't know what to do next. Restoring all of the original
software is okay, but I'd like to try to save some of the files. Is there
anything that I can do?

You need to find out if the hard drive has failed. Go to the hard drive
manufacturer's website, look for their diagnostic tools, make not of their
instructions for creating a diagnostic boot disk using their tools. Then
follow their instructions for using it.

If the drive has failed, that's likely why it is unbootable. You can try
connecting the drive to another computer and see if you can access your
daughter's files; these files are clearly important and should have been
backed up.

If you have no backup and are unable to access the disk even when connected
to another system, there are no Windows XP utilities to handle this as it is
a hardware problem. However, if you search Google, you may find various
utilities that can recover the files or you can try a file recovery service.
Many such services advertise in the back pages of PC related magazines such
as PC Magazine and Computer Shopper, both available at most newsstands.

--
Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

"Susiequs" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:C56DCFFC-76FF-4400-8EF6-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Running XP. My daughter was doing her usual stuff on the computer and it
> unexpectedly restarted. when it came back on it said system disk failure,
> insert system disk and press enter. I put in the CD that came with the
> computer and hit enter. I got press 1 for system restore and 2 to boot
> from
> disk. I don't want to restore without trying to save some of her school
> files, so I pressed 2 to see if I can get into the computer and back some
> stuff up to a CD for her. However, when I press 2 it displays A:\> and
> nothing else. I don't know what to do next. Restoring all of the original
> software is okay, but I'd like to try to save some of the files. Is there
> anything that I can do?

This is gonna sound a bit silly, but check the floppy drive...might be a disk
is in there (that is not an OS boot disk, hense the system disk failure
message). Pop it out and see if you can get on the HD by booting from the CD
(just in case).

Good luck!

"Susiequs" wrote:

> Running XP. My daughter was doing her usual stuff on the computer and it
> unexpectedly restarted. when it came back on it said system disk failure,
> insert system disk and press enter. I put in the CD that came with the
> computer and hit enter. I got press 1 for system restore and 2 to boot from
> disk. I don't want to restore without trying to save some of her school
> files, so I pressed 2 to see if I can get into the computer and back some
> stuff up to a CD for her. However, when I press 2 it displays A:\> and
> nothing else. I don't know what to do next. Restoring all of the original
> software is okay, but I'd like to try to save some of the files. Is there
> anything that I can do?

Nope, doesn't sound silly at all. I've done it myself and I should have
included it as a suggestion at the beginning of my response.

--
Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

"Matrix" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:BB40E1E4-9636-4BCA-ADE9-(E-Mail Removed)...
> This is gonna sound a bit silly, but check the floppy drive...might be a
> disk
> is in there (that is not an OS boot disk, hense the system disk failure
> message). Pop it out and see if you can get on the HD by booting from the
> CD
> (just in case).
>
> Good luck!
>
> "Susiequs" wrote:
>
>> Running XP. My daughter was doing her usual stuff on the computer and it
>> unexpectedly restarted. when it came back on it said system disk failure,
>> insert system disk and press enter. I put in the CD that came with the
>> computer and hit enter. I got press 1 for system restore and 2 to boot
>> from
>> disk. I don't want to restore without trying to save some of her school
>> files, so I pressed 2 to see if I can get into the computer and back some
>> stuff up to a CD for her. However, when I press 2 it displays A:\> and
>> nothing else. I don't know what to do next. Restoring all of the original
>> software is okay, but I'd like to try to save some of the files. Is there
>> anything that I can do?

Hi Susiequs,

If you still get the A prompt, there's still a chance to save your
daughter's files. First go to your harddisk by typing C: (press enter).
If you see C:\> instead of A:\> your computer recognizes there
harddisk.

You can search files in DOS by typing these commands:

DIR /S /P (enter)
Will give a list of every file of the harddisk. Press any key to see
the next screen.

DIR *.DOC /S /P (enter)
Will give a list of very word document of the harddisk. Press any key
to see the next screen.

DIR SUZ*.* /S /P (enter)
Will give give a list of every file that begins with SUZ. Press any key
to see the next screen.

If you see the lost documents on the screen, please post again or
e-mail me.

Greetz,

Jo

Hi Susiequs,

If you still get the A prompt, there's still a chance to save your
daughter's files. First go to your harddisk by typing C: (press enter).
If you see C:\> instead of A:\> your computer recognizes there
harddisk.

You can search files in DOS by typing these commands:

DIR /S /P (enter)
Will give a list of every file of the harddisk. Press any key to see
the next screen.

DIR *.DOC /S /P (enter)
Will give a list of very word document of the harddisk. Press any key
to see the next screen.

DIR SUZ*.* /S /P (enter)
Will give give a list of every file that begins with SUZ. Press any key
to see the next screen.

If you see the lost documents on the screen, please post again or
e-mail me.

Greetz,

Jo