My laptop, a Gateway p705u FX, with a 6 months old Toshiba HDD and Win7 64 is not working. It won't boot from my HDD nor from any recovery/installation/repair disk, it would just go to a black screen with a cursor on it. I was able to use Knoppix Live CD and I did back up my info already (whew)! So I got this UBCD installed on another USB, and I tried to run the toshiba app, which it runs from FreeDOS (which now I know it has problems with USB bigger than 256 mb)... the menu would always show me this.... Whats the difference??

0 Boot Clean
1 Boot UMBPCI (silent)
2 Boot UMBPCI (optimal)
3 Boot UMBPCI (semi-defensive)
4 Boot EMM386 (optimal)
5 Boot EMM386 (semi-defensive)
6 Boot no UMB (defensive)
7 Boot no UMB (ultra-defensive)

I could not load any FreeDOS app, it would only get me to "xxxxx.bat not found on the CD" and I had to reboot it again. It had just worked on the UMBPCI semi defensive on Grub4DOS, but then Toshiba diagnostic tool won't find my hard drive (any other app would find it without a problem - even seagate tools, which told me that it cannot repair it because is not a seagate tools), is it because of the UMBPCI option???

Another thing, always when is loading freeDOS, it cannot load the cd drive: it would say: QCDROM CDEXATA1 not loaded, abort.. and it would continue... is this a problem??

I tried to burn it to a CD (so I would not have problems with the dos apps), I copied all the files to a new data cd (on D2GO) plus FJDT.exe just in case. But it did not boot, it would just boot to the next bootable device, why is that?? could it be the FJDT.EXE file?? or should I do it directly through the ISO??

(would it be bad, if I just wipe-clean-zero my hard drive then install win7 again??)

THANK YOU, hopefull you can answer my 5 answers specially the freedos menu!!!

This options let you load different DOS RAM managers, and different DOS drivers/controllers. For example, if no DOS CD-ROM driver is loaded, you would have more free RAM (essential for some DOS-based programs) but no access to CD media from DOS. The "same" is valid for any DOS hardware (mouse for example).

To answer the rest of your questions, you should provide specific info, or better yet, follow the correct tutorials.

For example, you should follow http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html to:

1_download UBCD;
2_checksum the ISO;
3_expand the ISO;
4_clear your UFD (and have it formatted as FAT32) (beware this deletes you data from your UFD, so have a backup if you need it);
5_run ubcd2usb (which optionally formats your UFD and copies and installs UBCD to your UFD.



Again, you should follow the instructions in http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html to correctly burn an ISO image (which is different from burning a data CD).



Well, you started with: so if you can diagnose your HDD and you system to know what exactly happened that caused your problems, then the answer is "YES", you can reinstall your OS, if you have all your CDs (with the OS and specific tools and drivers for your laptop).

In any case, my best recommendation would be to at least contact with your support service, being a 6-months-old laptop.

Thank ady.

Well, my usb is working fine, is just that FreeDOS app problem which I've read before, it had happened to a lot of people. Meanwhile, I'm going to burn my cd correctly now, see how it works.

About the FJDT, I've looked everywhere, but I cannot find any tutorial nor information about it nor why is not detecting my HDD if all of the others apps could find it.

My laptop is already 2 years old, my HDD is the one that is 6 months old but it came just with 3 months warranty (which it sucks ).. so, in case I cannot diagnose my HDD, can I zero write it? I've read that new-HHDs just overwrite the damaged info and they can work.

Thank you!

Sorry, but what you say is not prove of anything. You don't really say:
_how you know that your UFD is working fine;
_if you really tried correctly using "ubcd2usb" as I described;
_if you connected your UFD to a USB post DIRECTLY connected to your motherboard (PART of the USB ports at the back of a desktop);
_if you tried building UBCD with "ubcd2usb" using another USB port (not paired with the previous USB port);
_if the UFD is FAT32;
_if you cleared/cleaned/format your UFD...

Together with people that failed, there are many others that were successful, including UFD bigger than 256MB (which you have mentioned as somehow "problematic" with FreeDOS, with no background, nor link, no basis).

All this doesn't mean that you are definitely wrong, nor correct. It just means that you haven't provided ANY relevant information for anyone to help you, besides the correct steps to build your UFD that I already posted.



If you think that FJDT has some problem, you could download it and make a customized UBCD to try both versions, the already-included one and your downloaded one. But if you are not following the correct instructions to build your UFD or CD with UBCD, then logically no user would be able to help you.

It may be a limitation of FJDT with your specific HDD, which is a HDD for laptops, and almost all HDD manufacturers have specific tools and instructions for laptops' HDDs. Have you looked at http://sdd.toshiba.com/main.aspx?Path=ServicesSupport/WarrantySupport/SoftwareUtilities for the compatibility of your specific HDD model (which we don't know)?



This is clearly a problem, since the manufacturers (Toshiba in your case) give more than that AFAIK, so, be careful where you buy, and demand what is expected for a NEW HDD.



This is almost correct. IF your HDD is working correctly (which you don't know according to the info you provided), you could "quick format" and reinstall (once again, if you have all the correct/original CDs and DVDs for your laptop and OS).

If your HDD is working correctly, and you "quick format" it, you don't need to "zero-fill". But, I would strongly recommend both testing/repairing and "zero-filling" your Windows partition before reinstalling.

I would test the whole HDD, but I wouldn't "zero-fill" a so-called "recovery partition", if you have one.

If you can't get assistance from your warranty, my recommendation would be to try to at least evaluate your HDD before spending so much time reinstalling everything and "trusting" your luck.

BTW, being a laptop, you should test/work/evaluate/install with a correct power supply plugged in all the time until you finish, not only with the laptop's battery.

Well

Well, I said that I'd read it, why am I gonna make that up? ... Well... so this is in detail what happened:
When I tried to open a FreeDOS application, in UBCD (which I had installed as you said, and in three different USBs and plugged it in different ports) , I would get this message:
Bootdrv: a:
Ramdrv: q:
UMBCD: error!! Missing xxx.bat (check CD)
The xxxx would be the application that I’m running, if is Fujitsu = fjdt.bat if is MBR = mbrtool.bat, or mbrwork.bat, and so on. I had tried most of the modes (from MemDisk), from UMB to no UMB.
I looked through the web, to see if there was any way to solve this, and I saw some USB problems,:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=2632
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2221&start=20
http://genetikayos.livejournal.com/43998.html
and I quote: “The reason for this change is to allow FreeDOS-based apps to work even on systems where FreeDOS has problems recognizing/mounting the source CD or USB memory stick.”
Is not that I’m saying that is not working in an USB, probably is just my case. And I found a website which said that FreeDOS had known problems with USB bigger than 256mb, I’m not saying that as a fact, just what I have read.



AWell I followed your steps, in two different USBs and all my ports, and is the same problem. But… Some applications had worked with Gru4Dos, I don’t know if it was made to work with FreeDOS application, as I’m not an expert in DOS, nor with the MemDisk menu, but it did worked, which you answer before, but is still no clear for me what are the specifics differences on the menu (UMB –defensive, ultra defensive, silent and so), and if that can be a determinant in finding the HDD or no.

My HDD is a Toshiba MK5065GSX HDD 500 Gbs (ATA), and in the Toshiba/Fujitsu website, it does not show a compatibility table, just the specifics drive (ATA-SATA),




I keep my laptop without my battery. But thanx for the advice

And thank you!

I did not checked (yet) the links you provided about similar problems with FreeDOS.

But, still, I may have an answer why the Fujitsu tool does not recognize your Toshiba HDD.

Toshiba owns Fujitsu HDDs, but...

MK5065GSX is a 2.5" 500GB SATA 3Gb/s ( SATA II ). "Limited Warranty 3 years (from date of purchase)"



From http://sdd.toshiba.com/main.aspx?Path=ServicesSupport/FAQ



Now, you said that so maybe the Gateway tool included in UBCD can help you. You should pay attention to use the correct version of the 2 included.

About the FreeDOS options, although it is possible that there are some compatibility problems (specially when using UBCD from UFD instead of using optical media), other tools can at least recognize you HDD, so my guess is that the FreeDOS options are not really the problem here (but, I could be wrong, of course).

Let us know if the Gateway tool helps (or not), so your problem can be useful to other users too (or so we can keep looking for a solution).

BTW, can you check / verify that the CD was correctly burned (for example, with the "verify" function of ImgBurn)? Can you check the checksum of the UBCD503.ISO file against the official one published at http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html?

You said in your last post:



Well, you are right, but I'm not living in the US, Toshiba gives 3 years warranty. I'm in another country, and we don't have a Toshiba Dealer here, we have to buy it from a regular pc seller, which it gave me 3 months warranty ( :/ )



I have tried Seatools, which it says that my HDD cannot be repaired because is not a Seagate. FJDT cannot find my HDD and TestDisk (parted magic) it finds the two partitions and the boot sector fine. I have to try deeper in Hitachi (which it stoped the time I tried) and I'll post what it tells me!



You are right, I read that before, but I did not pay atention to the "fujitsu branded" :/ .. I quote from this link: "Toshiba does not provide diagnostic tools for hard drives, currently.":
http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287



I will try tonight the Gateway tool and Hitachi, and I'll post what it tells me and I will burn again another cd and check it with ImgBurn see what happens. BTW, what's the difference between ISOLINUX and GRU4DOS, is one of them made specially for FREE DOS

Thank You again!

ps: I already checked UBCD503.ISO

Since other tools (not FJDT) *can* find and identify your HDD, then I am guessing that UBCD boot options are not the real problem here (still, this *is* a possibility). You coould try with the "clear option (number zero) and run FJDT from there (if you can; I did not test this).

In general, the tools are specific for the manufacturer's HDDs. In the same UBCD section (and in other sections too) there are more general diagnostic tools, but they are also usually a little bit more complicate.



I don't know if that statement is completely true (though, probably is), but I do know that the link you provided is old. Your HDD is much newer than that, so you should not take the info there for your case.



About Hitachi, I guess the same as with the Seagate tool could happen. You should go with the correct Gateway tool.

About ImgBurn, you don't need to reburn a new CD. ImgBurn can "verify" your CD already burned, against your ubcd ISO image.

BTW, you should use CD-RW or CD+RW with UBCD. They are recommended over CD-+R (not re-writable) and over DVDs (again, when talking about UBCD).


Those are 2 different methods of booting and showing a boot menu. You may try Grub4Dos if Syslinux/Isolinux is not working in your system. Since FJDT is not currently working, you don't have anything to loose.

My first try would be using the Gateway tool.

Ok, so here I am again!

Something new happened, now the pc won't stop at the black screen with the cursor when I boot from the HDD, it would go to the error screen:

"Windows failed to start. A Recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem:

1. Insert your windows installation disc and restart your computer.
2. Choose your langugae settings, and then click next
3. Click "repair your computer."

Status: 0xc000000e
Info: The boot selection failed because a required device is inaccessible"

Another thing happened, as I told you before, even If I loaded a repair/installation Win7 DVD or CD it would go to the black screen too... BUT NOW, is booting, I mean, it loads the files and it did open the options. I got the two options, and when I press repair windows, and it gives me the option to fix the start up, and when I press Start Up repair, it would said that it cannot fix it and this is what it shows me:

StartupRepairOffline
Problem Firms
01: 6.1.7600.16385
02: 6.1.7600.16385
03: unknown
04: -1
05: externalmedia
06: 1
07: noosinstalled
OS version: 6.1.7600.2.0.0.256.1
Regional ID config: 3082

I was gonna look for other options and when the DVD was looking for a bootable drive (C:), the first time it told me that it was gonna fix this:

Windows 7 Ultimate,
Windows recovery
Recoveru\87194dZ-8feb-11df-8b80-be6f5d343935\Winre.wim

And it restarted. Then, at the same part it was looking again for the bootable windows drive, it told me that it was gonna fix this other thing:

Windows Boot Manager
9D2EA862C - 5CDD - 4E70 - ACC1 - F32B344D4795

And it restarted. Now it would find the drive and the hdd capacity, but when I press the C: HDD it said that I need to load a DVD with the same OS than the one installed ... BUT, is the same I used the time I installed Win7 Ultimate x64 (I tried loading through a repair USB but is the same)... so I got stucked there.

----------------------------------------

Anyway... I tried GATEWAY diagnostic tool as you said! It finds my HDD, and Quick Scan, it says that everything is fine, but when I run the Extensive Test, it says:
GATEWAY
Sector Relocation Error
Error Statys Code 0226.

Soooo.. that's where I am right now :/ ... but at least Win DVD is booting.

Thank you

Run GsmartControl from Parted Magic, to see the healt of your HDD:
http://gsmartcontrol.berlios.de/home/index.php/en/About

_________________
Download Ultimate Boot CD v5.0: http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html
Use Parted Magic for handling all partitioning task: http://partedmagic.com/

Well, YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, darklinjk986.

I'm not going to get into the specifics of the Windows Seven recovery process. (you can find much more info and help in other forums that are dedicated specifically to Windows recovery, if you want).

Moreover, if I remember correctly, you already have a backup of your important data, so that is the most important thing.

I *DO* want to comment about your other comments/discoveries.

First, power off your laptop. Let it cool down, and, if you can, you should take out your HDD. When I say here that you "should", I mean if it is even possible for you. If it is, then I strongly recommend disconnecting your HDD immediately (after cool down).

After disconnecting your HDD, disconnect also your power cord (and no battery either, but you said you don't use one anyway).

You should double check that all your connections are correct, including your BIOS battery (if you can, also take it out) and your RAM modules.

Re-insert your RAM modules, your BIOS battery and your power cord. Leave disconnected your HDD. Reset your BIOS options to whatever is correct to your system, and use memtest (and/or other memory tester tools) from UBCD.

If your memory results are OK, then you MAY start all over again in regards to your HDD (testing it).

Why all this trouble? Because, from a simple (meaning, non-technical) user's point of view, such error ("sector relocation error 0226") usually means that your HDD is dying and is not reliable anymore.

The only thing I can think of is that your connections or electronics are not correct, hence the Windows recovery problems and the "sector relocation errors". If the connection is the problem (or the RAM), then maybe the error is a false message.

Now, even if the error is indeed correct, there is still a possibility to recover the drive, with more complicated tools. Part of these tools are included in UBCD (like, for example MHDD). The problem is that the user needs much more knowledge than what I can share with you using a forum.

In any case, if the "sector relocation error" is actually true, even a good tool as MHDD or others can't make this HDD really reliable. It MAY be OK for a while, but in the not-so-long time, this HDD will fail you with no possibility of backup-recovery at all.

I hope for you that the real problem would be solved with resetting your BIOS and reinserting all the connection anew.

For more "deep" help with this kind of problem, you would need a more experienced user/technician than what a simple forum can help you with.

At least, this is my opinion. Maybe someone else has a different one.

If you find out that the problem was a connection and you test again your hardware, including your HDD, and the "sector relocation error" does NOT come back, then don't hesitate to come back here to feedback report, and maybe we can continue the troubleshooting process.