Latest Windows Update has killed my hard drive. Disc is corrupted and unreadable.

Latest Windows Update has killed my hard drive. Update did not install properly. When rebooting would go through a cycle telling me it was configuring updates three times and then finally allow log on screen to load. Tried system restore and went back before the update. When I powered off it downloaded and installed the update again. Same thing happened with the configuring updates on loading. So I did another system restore to get rid of the update. I left it on the log on screen while I had to go out. About an hour later I get home to see a message that Windows couldn't start because the drive is not accessible. I booted from the disc and tried start up repair, nothing. Tried system restore and it can't find any info on the disc. Sees the disc, knows there is a windows installation, but reads partition as 0MB. I have even tried pulling the drive and placing it in another computer to try and retrieve all my data. Can't access the drive, get message "The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable." Is there a way to access the drive so I can get my stuff before I have to wipe it and start all over?

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Hi,

The update was probably incidental to the drive failure which was probably going to happen on what
ever was the next intense disk access. Would likely have happened on a download, even saving a large
file, using disk cleanup or a disk defrag.

If you can't access the drive by putting it into another computer its likely not accessible without professional
help. Check with your local real computer shop (one that does in house servicing and not leeks and peeks
at a Best Buy or other Big Box Stores) or the System Maker's Support. Professional Recovery Services may
be able to recover you data though it is expensive.

Try these in the original computer :

Boot from a Windows 7 Installation or Repair Disk and use the Command Prompt. Enter
each command and ENTER after each.

bootrec /fixmbr

bootrec /fixboot

bootrec /scanos

bootrec /rebuildbcd

How To: Repair And Restore Windows Vista Master Boot Record (MBR)
http://www.tomstricks.com/how-to-repair-and-restore-windows-vista-master-boot-record-mbr/

This KB tells how to use /FixMbr and /FixBoot and other options

How to use the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to troubleshoot and repair
startup issues in Windows. This also applied to Windows 7
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392

How to repair MBR on Windows 7 - also check this after the above two
http://www.ehow.com/how_4836283_repair-mbr-windows.html

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

If you regain access you may need to run chkdsk from the Command Prompt of the boot disk.

chkdsk /f /r

=================================================

If you do not have a Windows 7 disk you can borrow a friends as they are not copy
protected. Your System maker will also sell the physical DVD cheap since you already
own Windows. Also you can make a repair disk on another computer.

If you need to make repair disks - these help repair Windows not re-install.

How to Create a Windows 7 System Repair Disc
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html

Hope this helps.


Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP <- profile - Windows Expert - Consumer : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.
Rob Brown - past Microsoft MVP - Windows Insider MVP 2016 - 2021
Microsoft MVP Windows and Devices for IT 2009 - 2020

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MVP'er you're missing the point. "Windows updates" killed this mans drive. Smart drive reads bad!

Same thing happened to my client, twice! We replaced the drive the first time after a corrupted Windows update killed the hard drive. One week later and this 64 bit Toshiba system receives a Windows update that browns out the smart drive sectors of the laptops hard drive.

Own up buddy!

Your proud company has a rogue update that is killing hard drives!

 

Contact me!

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Why didn't Microsoft remove this patch if they new they were corrupting the C: drives this is an old issue that I now have to deal with, I find this to be irresponsible I can't even get on to my home page or install windows 7 to "fix" this problem. Also as a student I didn't have the funds to back up all my important files so thank you Microsoft  you ruined my computer and i have to go out and get it fixed. 

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I have a Toshbia C655 series and it was only 13 months old and I just replaced the Hard Drive after down loading the update from windows. I have replaced it and used the back dvd's I made and needs to download the updates I am afraid to now as I dont want another crash and I have having problems getting updates.

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  I have lost two drives to this problem. I took the first one as just bad luck and timing but put in a new drive, reloaded windows 7 and after updates another unusable hard drive. Please! I have been a IT professional for many years and blame faulty hardware. These were both high end Seagate drives. I am sorry but I cant believe that is just dumb luck!
Brad

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I currently have 26 Windows 7 computers in my network On April 9th, 20 of those 26 computers reported:

Log: System

Type: Error

Event: 55

Alert Time: 2013-04-11 08:35:28Z

Event Time: 01:33:18 PM 11-Apr-2013 UTC

Source: Ntfs

Category: (2)

Username: N/A

Computer: xxx

Description: The file system structure on the disk is corrupt and unusable. Please run the chkdsk utility on the volume OS. 


After running chkdsk, 1 machine failed to start windows and requested a system repair be ran.  All other computers still report the corruption after running chkdsk /f /r.

Eric Maynard

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My update got to 30%, after an hour I had no choice but to turn the computer off, now I get no hard drive found. I'm sick and tired of ms killing my computers
Carol

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Ditto kepela! My recent update for my VISTA OS was probably about 60%. Computer/HDD was running fine until the update killed it. And I am diligent with maintenance to my modestly used computer. Not happy with this at all.

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Ditto kepela! My recent update for my VISTA OS was probably about 60%. Computer/HDD was running fine until the update killed it. And I am diligent with maintenance to my modestly used computer. Not happy with this at all.
If your mother in law dies and your car has a flat tyre on the same day, did your mother in law cause the puncture? It's the same with an automatic update (or with any software, for that): It could damage the disk's file system but it cannot possible "kill" the disk itself. The two events are as coincidental as the passing away of your mother in law and the flat tyre.

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mine can't open windows store anymore until it gives me the blue screen with smiley

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Last updated April 10, 2024 Views 10,551 Applies to: