How to get started?

[Aardvark1]

I have a situation I have never before encountered.
Windows corrupted the MFT on a non-system NTFS IDE disk. So...I would like to recover the files. However, I have plugged this disk into several PCs (secondary controller). Having the disk plugged in causes XP to lock up during boot!!!

So... even though this is not a system disk, merely having it plugged into the machine causes XP boot to fail.

Again, the partition tables are fine, only the MFT on one partition is bad.

I tried putting in an external enclosure w/USB. All of the systems then boot, but Windows behaves badly (locks up erratically) as it automatically tries to mount the partition, over and over.

So... can I use RecoverMyFiles to solve the problem? It seems to me that I either need
1) some way to copy the partition from DOS in such a way that the copy will not cause Windows boot to fail (doubtful, I am thinking)
2) some way to prevent Windows to stop trying to mount the partition so I can use Windows based software such as yours
3) a DOS-based recovery program (I have tried this - the one I have chokes, I am guessing because of the size of the partition - 120 GB).

Thanks!

Jim

[GDH]

Hi,

Recover My Files is a Windows based program, so you need a stable windows running to make it work.

It sounds like a serious error and you run the risk of corrupting the booting drive as well (I wouldnt play to much if you also have valuable data on the booting drive).

Have you tried starting windows and then connecting the USB once the system is running Windows?