The standard answer from Symmantec is to run CHKDSK /F after this error. You might also want to eliminate a lot of the *.tmp and *.bak files that are liberally distributed on your disk. And, finally, you might want to defragment the disk. Then, run Partition Magic again.

Well, I ran chkdsk /f and then tried to resize my partition. Now I am really in trouble! When Partition Magic rebooted and started resizing, it completed 1 of 3 operations, briefly gave an error number (that was to quick for me to catch), rebooted to a screen that gave several boot options (safe mode with network, safe mode with command prompt, safe mode, last usable configuration, and normal,). When I try to boot to any of these, I get the WindowsXP splash screen, with the blue line thing moving across, it acts like its trying to boot, and then, it restarts and I am back to the screen with the boot options. This is not good!
 
My best guess at this point, is to run a linux live cd, use gparted to finish the partition job, install a linux system that has a grub bootloader, and see if it will boot then. I suspect the problem is in XP's mbr, but I am not sure.
 
Am I on the right track? Any thoughts?
 
Thanks
Justbill

You might want to look at Winternals ERD Commander also: http://www.winternals.com/Products/AdministratorsPak/Default.aspx

I took a brief look at that website. It looks like it has promise, I am going to try to download the trial version, and use that this evening. Otherwise, I would be willing to purchase it, but so far have not found it in my area. I assume this software is available at places like circuit city
 
Thanks
Justbill

OK, I found a site that I purchased a download of Administrators Pak. It was a .zip file, I downloaded it to my desktop (I am using Ubuntu "Dapper" (linux)) and extracted the file. Would I burn this as an ISO image, or a regular data cd. The system I am trying to repair is not booting, and if I read this correctly, it should auto run when the computer starts, so it seems to me it needs to be an ISO.
 
Thanks
Justbill

I believe that it creates an iso on your hard drive first in a subdirectory of your choosing, then you burn that to the CD. When I used it, I did it on an XP computer and then created the CD and then took the CD to the damaged computer. I booted the damaged computer off of the CD and then was able to get to the damaged C:\. Because that computer was on a network and ERD recognized and utilized the network, I was able to backup the data to other computers before trying to fix the drive.

So, this is embarressing but, I have been using Linux long enough, and not using XP, that I am going to need some direction here. I have the .zip file burned to a cd. How do I now go about doing what worked for you (Sampson)? I guess I can move the .zip file to my desktop, but what then, and how do I burn it using what burnning application that came with XP?
 
Also, using a Linux live cd, I did get this information about the XP partition:
 
Error reading inode 1376
" " " 1381
" " " 1398
1458
1761
2178
2206
2261
2264
2276
2322
2324
2397
2398
2400
2405
2406
2407
2410
2411
2412
2413
2415
2416
2417
2418
2419
2420
2421
2422
2423
2424
 
So I don't know what all that means, but it seems like a start to the possibility of fixing it.
 
Thanks
Justbill

As I said, I used a machine with the XP operating system. When you unzip the ERD Commander, it places an iso into a subdirectory of your choice on the hard drive. Then, using Nero, I burned the iso to a CD. The CD was bootable. I took the CD to the damaged computer and booted from the CD. When the CD comes up there are a number of tools from the menu that you can use. For the most part, however, just like Windows Explorer, I could see the hard drive and could transfer the data from the damaged disk via the network to several other computers. After this, I went through a group of tools provided to see where the hard disk was damaged.

Sorry, I should have mentioned, I have WindowsXP on this computer also (dual boot). So, it looks like all I have to do is unzip it, then get a copy of Nero to burn it. It seems all I have in XP now is either music or dvd burning tools (sonic, real player,etc).
 
Thanks for the help! I did get a bootable cd working late last night (using linux), I'm going to give it a try first on the broken machine (it did boot on one of mine), and see where that gets me before I buy Nero.
 
Any thoughts on all those "Error reading inode" messages?
 
I suppose when I get to the damaged computer, the software will help identify that problem?
 
Again Thanks for all the help, I really appreciate it! Its great to have access to a comunity like this one (and linux compatible)!
 
Thanks
Justbill

Sampson!
 
I tried "Winternals" tonight on that machine that will no longer boot correctly. Winternals booted fine, but I could not repair the machine with it. At one point it asks for a license key, I browsed files, and found something in a folder called crack, and pasted that. Then it wanted me to select an operating sytem, but it would not allow to select the c:\ drive (where winXP is). So when I would try to run repair unbootable system, it would tell me I hadn't selected an operating system. Its like it doesn't see the filesystem on the c:\ drive, in fact when I select the c:\ drive in the file browser, I get a blank page. When I look at c:\ using a Linux live cd, it see's the ntfs file system.
 
I'm quite sure I am doing something wrong here, I am just at a loss as to what it may be. Any thoughts?
 
Thanks much!
Justbill
[Edited by Justbill on 2006-08-09 06:14:48]
 

Justbill, I used Winternals ERD commander back in April 2005. I booted from the CD. I went into BIOS and had it to default to the CD as the first drive to boot from. I do not recall having to input a license key. Microsoft has since acquired Winternals so they may have added this bit to make sure that this was not a pirated XP version. If that is so, you would want to put into the licence key the number that is found in your XP CD case.
 
Actually, after it came up, there were a number of Menu's on the left side of the screen. I worked my way through them. Since XP was the only operating system loaded on that computer, it had no trouble finding the C:\ drive.

Yeah, Thats what I used. I also booted from the CD, I changed the boot order in the BIOS early on in this project. This is a friends computer, it was given to them with XP on it, they don't have a disc, so............who knows. I have XP on my computer, I also have a Belkin router that I use to connect a few computers to the internet. So, I believe that means I have a network. Can I bring there machine to my house, connect it to my Belkin, and somehow use my network (XP on my personal machine), to repair there system?
 
XP is the only operating system that is on there computer at this time. I wish I had written a few more things down as I tried to repair it last night. One of the things I recall ERD Commander telling me, at one point it told me c:\ was not mounted. When I looked at the partitions,using disc manager, it saw c:\, said it was "healthy", but did not recognize a file system (ntfs). This machine does have a partition d:\ , that one says system recovery, so far I have not been able to access it. On d:\ disc manager "see's" the ntfs file system.
 
Another question. I burrned my CD (Winternals) using K3B, in linux. It boots fine, the thing I was wondering is this, you said that you unzipped Winternals, it installed into a subdirectory, and you burned it from there. Is it possible that, because Winternals was not "installed" on my system, that it did not pick up something it needed? I realize that that whole thought is kind of desperate, but I burned it using open source software, and obviously, MS windows, and Winternals are proprietary. Just a thought.
 
Anyhow, I truly appreciate all the help you have been on this! They really will not be losing alot if we have to reformat, really just a few pictures, and some music, its just the idea of not being able to fix it, or recover those pictures, and that music.
 
Again, thanks for all the help
Justbill

I have another quick question on this. I extracted the .zip file on my desktop in WinXP. So now I have another folder with the extracted files. Was I supposed to install this in XP, and then copy the installation to a disc? I tried just copying the file to a CD, but all I got was a data disc, not an image.
 
Thanks
Justbill

To answer your second question - yes.

Thanks!
 
I'll give that a try!
 
Justbill

Well, first off Thanks for the Help!
 
I did finally get "Winternals Administrator's Pak" installed on my xp partition. Also the cd image on my desktop. Successfully burned the image. The disc booted fine on there computer, but same problem as befor, it didn't see anything on partition 1 (C: ).
 
We have given up on this and wiped the drive. We are going to go with a Linux solution for this and install "Freespire", and see how that goes.
 
Again, Thanks for the Help, I really appreciate it!
Justbill

I got the same error message trying to resize a partition , not on C: drive fortunately. The partition (D:) disappeared, even when I explored 'my computer'. I tried CHKDSK, but WinXP would not open the drive. I solved the problem the following way... Opened PartitionMagic, Operations, Advanced, Change Drive Letters... I put a "D" in the text box and my partition reappeared!!! All the data is there, and it's accessable. If you made the PartitionMagic "rescue disk" -- which looks like a dos-style PM --, you may be able to solve the issue that way. Best Luck, Fossil's Friend

2 days ago, I had the same problem when I used Partition Magic 8.0 to resize my C drive, I got the ERROR 1655, FRS not in any directory, File #####-#####. The problem is in the Partition Magic installation file BUT NOT CAUSED BY Partition Magic. A few days before installing Partition Magic, I had used an anti-virus program to remove any viruses it detected. It found a "trojan virus" in my Partition Magic installation file and I removed the virus. It deleted a small portion of the installation file. Partition Magic still installed fine except for the FRS (File Replication Service). Fortunately, I had a BACKUP of the installation file which performed the resizing operation flawlessly. Hope this helps