Corrupt files after attempted partition recovery from failed format

roboblawck

roboblawck

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Dec 28, 2021
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My previous partition table was the default microsoft scheme ("a system partition, an MSR, a Windows partition, and a recovery tools partition"). Due to a failed format of the whole disk, the partition table was lost. The format failed very quickly so I expected only a little bit of data corruption.

Main partition and Recovery partition was found and most files looked to appear intact.

Checkdisked both the main partition and recovery partition to fix bad sectors, and reinitialized a new ESP with:

Code: 
bcdboot D:\Windows /s E: /f ALL

Booting into the system was unsuccesful. Specifically of this error:

Code: 
"The operating system couldn't be loaded because a critical system driver is missing or contains errors:
File: \windows\system32\drivers\Wdf01000.sys
Error code: 0xc000007b"

Attempting to boot into SafeMode fails the same, and booting into RE results in:

Code: 
"The Boot Configuration Data file doesn't contain valid information for an operating system.

File: \BCD
Error code: 0x0000098".

Tried a few solutions:

1 -
Code: 
sfc /scannow /offbootdir=d: /offwindir=d:\windows /offlogfile=c:\log.txt
- was unable to fix all errors

2 -
Code: 
DISM /image:d: /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /source:WIM:I:\install.wim:1 /LimitAccess
corresponding to the matching version of my unbootable drive. Source files were not found regardless of /Online, /source, mounted image or live image.

3 - Attempted repair install - Unfortunatly it is not possible to do a repair install unless you can boot into the drive, which I can't

4 - Attempted to replace Wdf01000.sys with a clean file from a verified ISO - both files were exactly the same according to FC (!?)

5 -
Code: 
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /fixos
bootrec /rebuildmbr
- Only the last command, rebuildmbr, has failed and returned "The requested system device cannot be found". I am unsure of this command actually does anything




Code: 
DISM /image:d: /AnalyzeComponentStore
returns that the component store is corrupted, so it is most likely corrupted files are the root cause of failed boot.

I'm in a loophole here because one of the proposals to resolve store corruption via SFC is with DISM, but DISM is unable to process the command due to missing source files, which of course requires SFC to fix?

Booted into Windows Recovery Enviornment and scanned my drive with FRST64.exe. Logs are attached below:
 

Attachments

A problem I see is you have attempted many different repair techniques after the fault first appeared. Sadly, such actions, when they don't work, often make matters worse.

I am a bit confused here, however. You talk about corrupt files but this issue appears to have started when you were attempting to format the whole drive - which of course, would in effect delete all the files on the disk. So I have to assume there are no important files on that drive you don't want to lose, right?

If there are important files you don't have a backup for, then what I think you should have done, and should do now, is pull that drive and install it in (or attach it to) a computer as a secondary (not boot) drive. Then attempt to copy off any data you don't want lost. You may even try to use a file recovery program like Recuva from the makers of CCleaner or Wise Data Recovery.

And if no backup is available, then obviously, hindsight is 20/20. Any time we mess with partitions on any drive, we have to assume something may go wrong and ensure everything we don't want lost is securely backed up before making any changes to the partitions.

If recovery of any files on that disk is not a concern, then the diagnosis steps suggested above would be my next suggestion too. If you are successful in restoring that drive to a functional drive, watch it carefully. This could just be a one-time fluke and the drive works flawlessly for years to come. But this could also be an omen of impending doom. If that drive is starting to fail, more bad sectors may show up. If you do see such signs, I recommend retiring that drive - or at least don't put anything important on it without ensuring you have a good backup.
 
For a drive that is in as bad a condition as this one appears to be, I favor Test Disk for attempts at data recovery.

I'd also use a utility to do a sector by sector copy to a known good drive and try to recover from the known good drive afterward. Failing disks can completely fail at any moment. Better that any "last ditch attempt" to get data be getting it over to another drive that can be hit as many times as necessary trying to recover data than having it die (potentially) as part of the data recovery process.

There is no doubt that the functional life of this drive is now over.
 
Note to all: I have moved this thread (again!) to hardware as it does not appear to be W10 related either, but rather hardware. With two moves, I hope all affected and following are still with us!

****

britechguy said:
There is no doubt that the functional life of this drive is now over.
Click to expand...
I don't go that far - yet. That is why I made a point of explaining "IF" this is a one-time fluke or not, and to be sure to watch the drive for more errors on down the road.

There are any number of reasons the initial event, a failed format, could have occurred that have absolutely nothing to do with the condition, or life expectancy of the drive. A power fluctuation is one, not uncommon, possibility.

So for sure, whenever a drive develops any error, there is doubt. There is reason to be concerned. And there is reason to be watchful. But when it is [thus far] a one-time event, there absolutely is reason to be hopeful that drive is still fully functional, and can remain so for many years.

I would add there is reason to ensure good, current backups - but that is a precautions regardless condition, age, doubts or confidence in our storage solutions.
 
Digerati said:
I don't go that far - yet.
Click to expand...

I would, based on what has been offered. It screams failing drive.

That being said, if you're able to run something like SeaTools or CrystalDiskInfo on it and get a clean bill of health AFTER having copied off the data to another drive, then I agree that there is no reason not to use it. I just don't see that happening based on what has been stated, and that's all I have to operate with.
 

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