Unable to see C: from boot disk

[GeneralMandible]

I am working on a friend's 98 machine and it has tons of viruses and spyware. I am unable to remove WTOOLS and I believe TBPS.

When I use a 98 boot disk or the Windows Ultimate Boot CD, I can't see the C: drive.

Anyone have some suggestions?

[prathapml]

Try checking if fdisk (or partition magic) can see the partition from DOS.

Next, if it still is problematic to see the C: drive, using a bartPE (with XPE plugin) bootable CD would be in order. It will give you a winXP-type interface, and if you still can't access C: drive from bartPE there's got to be something horribly wrong there (because the PE will allow you to easily read FAT16/32 and NTFS partitions).

Then afterwards when you boot into normal windows, of course... its the standard drill with Ad-Aware, HijackThis, and virus tests, etc.

[Tarun]

Then afterwards when you boot into normal windows, of course...  its the standard drill with Ad-Aware, HijackThis, and virus tests, etc.

Now, etc. included SpyBot S&D and Spyware Blaster right?

[cyberthug]

is your c: NTFS? if it is, u won't be able to see it.

I think UBCD has NTFSpro or something to be able to read ntfs partitions.

but if u got Bart's PE on CD, try that, u should be able to see it. if not, it's something else. partition magic as mentioned above should be able to tell u more.

[GeneralMandible]

I figured it out. It was Norton GoBack. Apparently it changes the files system to Type 44 Hex for some stupid reason. This is the second time I've seen an issue with GoBack. It sucks.

To fix it, I used PTEdit from Partition Magic and set it to FAT32. Then I used the "fdisk /mbr" command to fix the master boot record. Then I removed GoBack from the Autoexec.bat file.

After that was off, I could use the WUBCD and remove files and reg entries.

[prathapml]

Oh well, good for you.

I had a similar problem with GoBack (3 years ago when it was still with Roxio) on WinME. I did not know what to do back then! Lost all files and re-partitioned.

And from all accounts, GoBack still hasn't become useful by much - giving headaches to all and sundry.

[tarquel]

****....

wasnt quick enough to help with this one - **** GoGack is sooo annoying isnt it?

I didnt realise you could alter/edit the C partition like that in order to "unhide" it GeneralMandible - one of the reasons it does it is to protect it from viruses and the like.

hmmmmmm..... more like "helps them" hehe

prathapml - I was under the impression that they've stopped supporting it for the past year - maybe longer.

I wonder why.... lol

Regards,

N.

[Tarun]

Oh well, good for you.

I had a similar problem with GoBack (3 years ago when it was still with Roxio) on WinME. I did not know what to do back then!   Lost all files and re-partitioned.

And from all accounts, GoBack still hasn't become useful by much - giving headaches to all and sundry.

Use Gateway (Adaptec) Goback 2.22 and never had a problem with it, on a WinME machine too.

[Dr. Mac]

Ah! ha! I wonder if anybody here has GoBack 2.1e ???

That was WAY back in the 1997's when it was owned by a company called Wild File.

Never EVER had any problems with that on Win98 SE ...

But ... then I "upgraded" to version 3

Hooooo boy !!!!

After having to eventually do a complete "nuke" and then the Maxtor low-level format, I installed my O/S again ... and went back to good old 2.1e

Dr. Mac