Windows corrupt, main hard drive partition not detected

I have Windows 10-64 bit (version 1607 build 14393.1944). Upon starting my pc, I am getting the following error on a blue screen in white font.

Recovery
Your PC/Device needs to be repaired
A required device isn't connected or can't be accessed.
Error code: 0xc000000e
You'll need to use recovery tools. If you don't have any installation media (like a disc or USB device), contact your PC administrator or PC/Device manufacturer.

Press Enter to try again (Pressing Enter merely refreshes the screen (i.e. does nothing for me)
Press F8 for Startup Settings (Pressing F8 also merely refreshes the screen (i.e. does nothing for me)

I made a bootble usb for windows 10 and tried:
- startup repair - 'startup repair couldn't fix your pc'
- system restore - 'system restore couldn't find the offline boot volume'
- go back to a previous build - 'we ran into a problem and wont be able to take you back...try resetting your pc'

When I checked in the bios boot device priority, my hard drive (500 GB) was not listed. I had attached an old SATA internal hard drive (10-11 years old) of 80 GB capacity which was being used just for storage purposes. This 80GB hard drive was being listed in BIOS boot priority settings.

This hard drive was also listed when I pressed the F7 key and got a menu to choose boot device and chose windows 10 bootable usb to initiate the advanced settings menu.

When I began with windows 10 installation and chose the upgrade option , I got the message “The upgrade option isn’t available if you start your computer using windows installation media”.
Then I chose the clean install option. In the menu I was getting the following partitions

C: drive – 100Mb system reserved
E: drive – (The 80 gb hard drive, i.e. the old hard drive)

That’s it. My system is not recognizing the partition of the 500GB hard drive. It had two partitions


C: partition was used for software instllation
G: partition was used for files and folders storage.


I also interchanged the cables of my two hard drives and started my PC, but the same issue was being observed.


I hope that if this 100mb system reserved is showing, my 500gb hard drive is not damaged. What should I do to boot my system normally?


I don't want to reformat and lose all my files and programs so please do not suggest that.

dalchina said:

Hi,
1. I'm guessing your disk may be a bit elderly, so need to do basic checks.

Please download and create Kyhi's bootable disk from the top of the Software and Apps section here. This boots to a special version of Win 10 and offers a range of utilities as you can see in the screenshot there.

Boot your PC from that, and run HDTune from that disk. Post a screenshot showing the Health tab.
To post a screenshot please use the icon to the left of the video icon above your post)
- I note you say that- we don't know how you established that.

2. Then run Minitool Partition Wizard and post a screenshot of that showing all disks, and expanding all columns as necessary so all text is visible.

3. I also note your Windows build is 2 major builds out of date. Have you disabled Windows update, or has it just been broken for a long time, or have upgrades failed?

4.

One excellent way to reduce the probability of that is to routinely use disk imaging. E.g. Macrium reflect (free) + external storage for disk images. We repeatedly recommend that and all regular contributors here do this.

Do you have any disk images?
If so, that would probably be the easiest way to restore your system - maybe the only one.

Finally, if partitions are missing, this suggests either
- your disk is irretrievably damaged or corrupt
or
- maybe you need to use a utility program to rebuild your partition table.

I had disabled automatic updates. The last update did not occur and was ending in failure. The last I restarted my pc, it downloaded the update and I kept postponing it. I just used to hibernate my PC for fast reboots.


The reason I said that my 500gb hard disk isn't damaged because 100mb partition is a system partition and this 500gb hard disk was being used as a system partition only. (i.e. the c partition of it).

Therefore, I believe that 100mb partition is a part of this hard disk only.


I don't have any disk images. I am attaching the screenshots. Both minitool and hd tune could not identify my hard drive partition at all.

Not clear what your doing the 500gig was the one with windows on it correct? It's not showing in the bios so it's dead if you tried different cables port. So the 80 gig what are you trying to do with it? It's drive doesn't show in the bios nothing can be done to recover it other than sending it to a recovery firm

Assume that the cables have actually been checked? they do on occasions come loose, the solder joints on the circuit board on old drives sometimes fail as well, PATA power connectors are a favourite failure spot.
If it's an old PATA drive, sounds like it may be, check any jumpers are present and haven't dropped off.
Not recommended but the freezer trick does sometimes work but only if there is an overheating chip problem, however I prefer finding the offending chip, if that is the cause and temporarily clamping a heat sink on it, gives you a bit more time to get any data off. However if cables are OK and the Bios is failing to detect it and or the drive isn't spinning up, nothing you can do yourself is going to work.

Okay, I took out my hard drive and saw the ports are blackened out. I had ordered a hard drive case from Amazon 4 days ago which arrived today. I plugged my hard drive into it, connected the USB and powered on the adapter, the hard drive wasn't moving at all.

This is the condition of that hard drive. Its ports are blackened out. Now what should I do?

Put it in the bin something has burnt out it's not worth repairing