Unmountable boot device

[Booldawg]

I'm getting the above message set to a lovely blue screen every time I turn on my PC at home (this is the works one) - an HDD problem no doubt. How do I fix this?

[Brooksy]

Have you previously used the hard disc, and if so, with an operating system such as Windows, or just as a storage/backup facility?

[Brooksy]

Out of curiosity (just in case it happens to me!) I Googled "unmountable boot device" & it would appear to be a known problem with several descriptions of fixes offered. Good luck.

[Booldawg]

I did google it after asking the question on here. The HDD was one I've used just under 2 years. Worked fine on Friday night - turned it on Saturday and got the blue screen.

To compound matters my CD drive isnt working so will need a new one of those before I can run the repair programme from the XP disk.

[Brooksy]

Yes, you will need your Windows installation disc to do a "Repair" or use XP`s "Recovery Console" (to access which you will have to remember your "Administrator Password" entered at initial install) & use either "fixmbr" to repair the Master Boot Record or "fixboot" to write a new Partition boot sector - but I would research use of the latter very carefully on the web first. You can buy an excellent DVD/CD writer/player now for under �30, preferably one that comes with say, Nero`s burning software.