hd issue - "error loading operating system"

[dillybacon]

my system is a p4 2.6GHz (800fsb) 1gb ddr400 on an Intel D875PBZ board....i've had my HD for about 3 years, its a western digital 120GB 7200rpm drive (WD 1200)....

so the other day whlie i was trying to connect my computer to my HDTV, i randomly get the blue screen......i turn the computer off, and when i power it back up, i get "error loading operating system".....so, first i tried to get into safe mode.....but i never even get the abililty....that message pops up immediately.....so, next i tried to run the XP install cd, to repair my copy of windows.....when i get to the screen that shows you the partitions, it shows i have NO previous copy of windows on my drive, and it reads it as totally empty.....

i had a really old 2GB HD sitting around, so i threw it in, installed XP to it (barely fit!).....and used the 120 as the slave....when i look at the 120GB drive, it says....this drive is not formatted, do you want to format it now?....next, i found a program called HDD Regenerator which ignores whether drives are formatted or not, and any file system....i scanned the entire drive, all sectors, and it found no errors on the drive......what happened?? obviously if its giving me "error loading operating system", THEN IT KNOWS I HAVE ONE ON THE DRIVE! LOL......otherwise i would be getting the check disk message when the drive isnt formatted and has nothing on it.....

i've tried resetting the BIOS, updating the BIOS, changing jumpers......and always get the same message.....i have some projects on the drive i need to turn in so i can graduate in May! i appreciate the help.....

[SickPup404]

Sounds like toast to me without a big $$$ investment with a pro data recovery consult.

[dillybacon]

to anyone who ever gets this error message and thinks their HD is done.....boot off the windows xp install cd.....do the recovery from the first options screen.....at the dos prompt, type fixboot, and then you will probably have to repair your copy of windows but IT WORKS!!!