OS2World OLD-STATIC-BACKUP Forum

OS/2 - Technical => Applications => Topic started by: Dennis on 2010.03.22, 15:06:56

Title: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: Dennis on 2010.03.22, 15:06:56
Yesterday, my laptop booted with no problem. I shut it down properly (ACPI) last night. This morning, the boot process goes so far as showing me that it is archiving and then freezes. I have tried the Alt-F1 to get to the archives so I could boot from yesterdays archive, but when I get the blue screen listing all the possibilities--including yesterdays archive, it won't let me do anything--I try to chose an archive to boot from and the system just beeps (when I push any key) and does nothing!
I'm running ECS 2.0, rc1.6a. (at least that's what the eCs screen tells me...)

Thanks in advance for your help. All my records are on that system!

PS-- It won't even go into the boot sequence now. Shows an exception in Module HPFSMINI. Now what do I do?
      Do you need all the numbers/letters from the Trap 000d?
       Tried re-installing eCs. Won't work--font too large for screen and can't adjust smaller.
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: jep on 2010.03.22, 16:43:49
Hi Dennis,

Can you boot from the installation CD and go to the maintenance console?
Do a check disk?
First without writing corrections to the disk, then use dfsee.
Perhaps check how much data you have left free on the drive?
Is it possible that the disk may be failing?


Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: mobybrick on 2010.03.22, 16:45:39
Also, how big is your HPFS volume?

Quote from: jep on 2010.03.22, 16:43:49
Hi Dennis,

Can you boot from the installation CD and go to the maintenance console?
Do a check disk?
First without writing corrections to the disk, then use dfsee.
Perhaps check how much data you have left free on the drive?
Is it possible that the disk may be failing?



Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: Dennis on 2010.03.22, 17:17:20
 1. Cannot boot from HDD at all, so can't do CHKDSK
2. Cannot boot from Installation CD.
      Both ways go into Exception in Module HPFSMINI  Trap000d
3. Without being able to boot either way, I am not able to do anything else.

I think the HDD failed, since the system won't read it or the installation cd
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: Pete on 2010.03.22, 22:19:14
Hi Dennis

Have you tried looking at the disk when booted using the DFSee bootable CD?

Possibly related: I thought I had a disk fail recently when the system crashed after delivering a series of beeps indicating a possible hardware failure. The system failed to reboot, did not display the Boot Manager screen, and I could not boot from the eCS2.0RC7 CD - until I deselected the disk integrety check option.

Having booted from CD succesfully to a Maintenance Console I ran chkdsk against all drives and could access drive contents without any problem. I then ran LVM and it looked like Boot Manager was still installed so I rebooted from hard drive - and Boot Manager failed to appear.

I rebooted from CD, ran LVM and deleted Boot Manager, reinstalled it and added the bootable volumes to the menu. I then tried rebooting from hard drive and all worked fine.

I do not have any real idea of where the problem came from but it would seem something had buggered Boot Manager - at the time of the crash I was running Seamonkey and wonder if some nasty bit of software had managed to download itself onto my system and attack the Boot Manager partition.

This was about 2 weeks ago so if a disk had been on the point of failure I would have expected it to have failed totally by now.

So, make sure the drive has failed before binning it.

Regards

Pete

Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: Dennis on 2010.03.23, 02:18:18
Pete

Disk integrity option? Is that where it offers to check the cd for read errors? If not, what is it--chkdsk?

I can now get to the Welcome screen of the ecs installer, but the font is too large for my screen. Alt- only beeps. Doesn't make the font smaller. I am unable to see the buttons on the bottom. Using tab, I can get to the 'Next' button and go to the License Agreement screen. Cannot go on from there. All it does is go back & forth between the Welcome screen and the License Agreement screen.
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: Dennis on 2010.03.23, 03:03:26
OK, this is weird...
The system now goes thru the boot sequence from the HDD, gets into the Config.Sys file, and stops. A message box labelled 'Workplace Shell' appears on a gray screen. The message follows:

The program pointed to by the Set Runworkplace= line in Config.Sys, this file, could not be started. WinStartApp returned %1

  OK   Cancel

It doesn't matter if I click OK or Cancel. The box goes away and the system is stuck on a gray screen. To get back into the boot sequence, I have to turn the system off, wait a bit, and turn it back on. When it starts the boot sequence, the same thing happens.  At least it's consistent... :)
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: RobertM on 2010.03.23, 04:31:05
Boot off the eCS disks or OS/2 boot disks, or hit ALT-F1 on the boot blob and select boot to commandline.

Then make sure the line reads:

Set Runworkplace=C:\OS2\PMSHELL.EXE

If it does, then it sounds like there is either a problem with the files on the disk, and/or there are other dependencies that are not loading.

I'd definitely back up the drive ASAP and THEN run something like Hitachi Drive Fitness Test on it using the FULL test.
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: Dennis on 2010.03.23, 15:15:03
How do I display the Config.sys file from the command line?
Also, how do I edit the Config.sys from the command line if necessary?

I'm almost sure the files on the hdd are screwed up. I tried going to the maintenance desktop, clicking on the Programs icon, and nothing happened.

I wish I could backup the drive. So far, nothing is working.

Can't even execute a program from the command line. Tried to start DBExpert. All I got was a blinking cursor and no disk activity.
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: jep on 2010.03.23, 16:57:32
Hello,

command you use is TEDIT

Press e.g. Esc to be able to edit the text.
F2 Save changes
F3 Quit
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: Dennis on 2010.03.23, 17:29:47
Thanks
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: Dennis on 2010.03.23, 22:08:35
Tried to get to the command line from the 'blob'. All it did was beep when I pressed F2 to go to the command line.

Will be gone for the n3xt 2 weeks working, but if anyone has any ideas, please keep posting.

Thanks

Dennis
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: RobertM on 2010.03.23, 23:33:57
Quote from: Dennis on 2010.03.23, 22:08:35
Tried to get to the command line from the 'blob'. All it did was beep when I pressed F2 to go to the command line.

Will be gone for the n3xt 2 weeks working, but if anyone has any ideas, please keep posting.

Thanks

Dennis

Alt-F1 at boot blob... F2 at the white on blue menu that comes up next.

Best,
Robert
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: Dennis on 2010.03.27, 16:01:35
Robert--that didn't work. System just beeped.
I think the file system (HPFS) is screwed up on my system drive (C:). Can I just relinstall eCs over the old installation or do I have to fdisk?
If I have to fdisk, can I just do that on my system drive and not my logical (D, E, F, G) drives? They're all on 1 hdd.

Thanks for the attempted help so far.

Dennis
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: Raiko on 2010.03.27, 18:32:43
Suggest you obtain DFSee, create a bootable CD, and boot from it. Just by running
the program you will get a lot of info about you disks and file systems, which will be
helpful for identifying the problem.
DFsee is very advanced so be careful. Support the author by registering it and you will
also get very good help from him.
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: ivan on 2010.03.27, 22:23:36
Hi Dennis,

If you are concerned with getting your data off the hard disk here is the method I use on clients systems.

You need a USB to hard disk adapter - I use the Ultra ULT40112 usb to ide/sata adapter, but a usb external disk unit will do the same provided you can connect your hard disk to it.

Remove your hard disk from your laptop and fit it to the adapter then plug it into a working OS/2 system - I'm assuming your partitions are all HPFS or JFS.  This should allow them to be seen but not necessarily used.  You should be able to run CHKDSK against each partition and then, hopefully, copy your data to a safe place.

I have used this method many times to recover data for clients - usually windows based.  The one time I had to use it on an OS/2 system disk was a case very similar to yours, the the system partition would not boot and the unbacked up data was on the other partitions.  It transpired that the disk was on its last legs with many bad sectors - I managed to move nearly everything from it over to a new disk.

To answer your last question.  If you are certain that it is only system partition that is screwed then you might be able to just reinstall over it but be aware that that might not work which leaves you in the same state as now.  If you have eCS or MCP DO NOT use fdisk unless you want to loose everything.

If you have the facilities for creating an OS/2 bootable CD with DFSee on it you should be able to check the file systems from the 'actions' menu, but as Raiko says - be careful.
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: RobertM on 2010.03.31, 05:39:59
Dennis... it still definitely sounds like the drive itself is going or gone... I'd definitely test and if needed, replace the drive.

Dont think I've ever seen Alt-F1 not work... (though I do suspect I know which files are damaged to cause that...)

I would NOT re-install anything on that drive until you have done a backup first, then a thorough hard drive test to ensure it is still fully operational. Attempting to install anything on it, with the failure I suspect is happening, may result in you losing more data.

Best,
Robert
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: Dennis on 2010.04.02, 17:06:10
Robert
Thanks for your reply. However, I'm wondering how to do a backup if I can't even boot the system? Also, If I have a new HDD installed, how do I move the data from the old HDD to the new one? The computer stores around here don't have a clue about OS/2 and I'm pretty much a non-techie when it comes to most electronics.

Dennis
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: Dennis on 2010.04.02, 17:12:03
Ivan
Thanks for your reply. I'll see what I can do. I might have a bootable cd laying around somewhere (I hope) that i can use. However, as for another OS/2 system, I have one, but it's not in the greatest of condition. Maybe I should install eCs in a seperate partition on my windoze system and use that??
I'm going to print your response--and RobertMs so I can follow the instructions remotely.

Thanks again.

Dennis
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: RobertM on 2010.04.02, 20:54:20
Quote from: Dennis on 2010.04.02, 17:06:10
Robert
Thanks for your reply. However, I'm wondering how to do a backup if I can't even boot the system? Also, If I have a new HDD installed, how do I move the data from the old HDD to the new one? The computer stores around here don't have a clue about OS/2 and I'm pretty much a non-techie when it comes to most electronics.

Dennis

Dennis,

(1) Install a backup drive
- (1a) If the backup drive had an NTFS file system on it, you may wish to remove it using dfSee first.

(2) Boot off the OS/2 or eCS boot disk(s) and partition & format that drive... use "compatibility" mode and not LVM mode.

(3) Open a command prompt window (either via exiting the installer to it in an OS/2 install, or picking it from the menu in the Maintenance section on an eCS install)

(4) xcopy from old drive to the new one you just installed.

And... that should do it! :)
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: ivan on 2010.04.03, 02:06:30
Robert,

There is only one problem that I can see with what you describe - this is a notebook drive, therefore he needs something to put the old one in (USB drive unit or a USB-IDE/SATA adapter).

If he has access to an OS/2 based computer with an SATA interface, and the notebook drive is SATA, then there is the possibility of doing as you say.  I still lean towards the USB connection method as it does not create problems with chkdsk that could happen if the defective drive is connected at boot.

Obviously once the drive is seen by a working OS/2 system then xcopy of the data is a simple matter.  It is getting to the stage of the drive being seen by an OS/2 system that is the problem.
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: RobertM on 2010.04.03, 19:34:20
Quote from: ivan on 2010.04.03, 02:06:30
Robert,

There is only one problem that I can see with what you describe - this is a notebook drive, therefore he needs something to put the old one in (USB drive unit or a USB-IDE/SATA adapter).

If he has access to an OS/2 based computer with an SATA interface, and the notebook drive is SATA, then there is the possibility of doing as you say.  I still lean towards the USB connection method as it does not create problems with chkdsk that could happen if the defective drive is connected at boot.

Obviously once the drive is seen by a working OS/2 system then xcopy of the data is a simple matter.  It is getting to the stage of the drive being seen by an OS/2 system that is the problem.

Ooops... sorry about that. Didnt remember that part. In that case (had similar situations in the past), I simply:

- stick the new drive in the machine, boot from the install disks, partition and format it, then pull it.
- Attach both machines to an OS/2 or eCS bootable machine (with no other drives connected)
- Boot the second machine from the install disks
- xcopy away...

That of course requires another machine. But only a couple added steps to get it all working.
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: ivan on 2010.04.03, 21:52:48
Hi Robert,

I didn't want to imply your advice was wrong - indeed it is not and is the way I keep my original install between various changes of hardware.

The getting of a desktop machine to read a notebook hard drive is the big problem if you don't have the necessary adapter - 44 pin small socket that carries the +5 volt power to a standard 40 pin IDE cable.  Yes it is much simpler if the drive is SATA and the desktop machine has an SATA interface, though I haven't tried that for recovery yet - only transferring my basic install to a new machine.

As I said before the biggest problem Dennis is going to have is the physical access to the problem drive.  Once he has that access life is simple and xcopy, with all the switches, is the answer.
Title: Re: HELP!!!!!!!
Post by: RobertM on 2010.04.03, 21:55:16
Quote from: ivan on 2010.04.03, 21:52:48
Hi Robert,

I didn't want to imply your advice was wrong - indeed it is not and is the way I keep my original install between various changes of hardware.

LoL! I didnt take it in a bad way. And actually, it was wrong for this specific problem - that's what I get for posting before coffee.  ;D

Quote from: ivan on 2010.04.03, 21:52:48
The getting of a desktop machine to read a notebook hard drive is the big problem if you don't have the necessary adapter - 44 pin small socket that carries the +5 volt power to a standard 40 pin IDE cable.  Yes it is much simpler if the drive is SATA and the desktop machine has an SATA interface, though I haven't tried that for recovery yet - only transferring my basic install to a new machine.

As I said before the biggest problem Dennis is going to have is the physical access to the problem drive.  Once he has that access life is simple and xcopy, with all the switches, is the answer.

Well, we picked up a bunch of the adapters for our tech shop for about $3 a piece. I think we got them on eBay. I think NewEgg sells them too - at a slightly higher (though still cheap) price.

Puts things off for a bit till he can get some, but at least it's not expensive hardware he needs.

-R