So my computer crashed... (Help would be much appreciated! ^^)

[Alperoot]

So, hello there!

Today, I was just trying to dual-boot Debian with my Windows 8.1. I was trying to shrink my drive (I needed 100 GB) and even though I had 350 GB free, it wouldn't let me down 35 GB. I tried a defrag software, but it didn't work. So I fired the Internet browser to search for another drive shrinker, and I found a program (I don't remember its name) that said it will shrink the drive no matter what, and move unmovable Windows files safely. I thought that would work, so I used it to shrink my drive. I noticed that my computer restarted, and the screen for the shrinker software appeared. It got stuck on 50%, so I also searched the internet for that. The software's main page said that it is safe to reboot if it gets stuck there (it definitely was not) so I did just that. After doing it, my Windows is not booting up right now. It shows a blue screen, flashes "NTFS_FILESYSTEM_ERROR" for half a second, then reboots. And it goes on like that. I should've used Gparted Fortunately, I had a live Debian stick ready, so I am still able to use the computer.

So, what should I do? I checked Gparted really quick, it doesn't look like the program did anything. I am now copying the files in my computer to a hard drive, but it says "2 days left" so, do any of you guys know a fix? Obviously, this is not a support forum, I just wanted to let people know that this happens

Lol, another reason to use Linux among others

 

[FBnil]

does not sound too good...

 

[Alperoot]

does not sound too good...

Yeah, I'll probably end up formatting my computer and putting the data back in.

 

[FBnil]

If you have access to another windows machine, try downloading rufus, to make a bootable USB stick out of a Linux ISO. From there, you will need to regrow your NTFS to the original size it thinks it should have.
If you have data on the NTFS you want to keep, you will need another disk to save your partition to a file (using the linux command DD). Searching for tools moment...

 

[Alperoot]

If you have access to another windows machine, try downloading rufus, to make a bootable USB stick out of a Linux ISO. From there, you will need to regrow your NTFS to the original size it thinks it should have.
If you have data on the NTFS you want to keep, you will need another disk to save your partition to a file (using the linux command DD). Searching for tools moment...

Uhh. I think I wasn't clear. I am using the same computer right now, from a stick, and also copying all my stuff to a hard drive. I also checked Gparted, it still seems like my hard drive volumes did not change.
Sorry, I am not that good at English

 

[FBnil]

Ok, this is what I would use:

http://www.drwindows.de/datenrettung/64520-boot-repair-disk-rescue-cd-fuer-windows.html
https://rufus.akeo.ie/ (windows application to put an ISO onto a USB stick)

Questions:

1. How important is the data (should you attempt a backup)
2. Why not use something like virtualbox under windows (and in there run Linux)?
[doublepost=1475948595,1475948501][/doublepost]The good thing about boot repair disk (aside from actually being very old) is that it attempts an automatic fix...
[doublepost=1475948729][/doublepost]uh... so your linux is booting at least?

 

[Alperoot]

What do you mean? My Linux from a live USB stick boots just fine.

 

[FBnil]

ah... so you at least have access to it. are you able to run gparted?

 

[Alperoot]

ah... so you at least have access to it. are you able to run gparted?

For the third time, YES I AM! (do not take it too serious )

 

[drock]

Your file system was most likely damaged during the failed resize. Fist thing I would try is to try and check disk your windows volume and see if its repairable. If you have a spare drive handy you might try make a clone so if you mess any thing up you have a backup. If check disk fixes the filesystem but the machine still does not boot you may need to do rebuild BCD. You can do both of these from a bootable windows disk in a command line.

 

[Alperoot]

Your file system was most likely damaged during the failed resize. Fist thing I would try is to try and check disk your windows volume and see if its repairable. If you have a spare drive handy you might try make a clone so if you mess any thing up you have a backup. If check disk fixes the filesystem but the machine still does not boot you may need to do rebuild BCD. You can do both of these from a bootable windows disk in a command line.

Can't I just do something like chkdsk from Linux? I have only 2 flash drives, one is for personal data and the other one for live Linux. I am also copying stuff on a hard drive, but with the looks of it, it will take a LONG time.

 

[PowerGod]

The same happened to me 10 years ago with Partition Magic, but I had Win XP and a NOT-UEFI PC... I just solved by using Knoppix to (double) force mounting the NTFS partition and saving to an external drive all my data... then I GParted from scratch to create all the partitions I wanted, and then I installed Windows on one and Linux on the other...

That was my only choice after trying in every way to just restore the Windows partition with all the linux tools I found at the time...

 

[FBnil]

You might have a fsck.ntfs, which is a symlink to ntfsfix:

# ntfsfix
ERROR: You must specify a device.
ntfsfix v2014.2.15AR.2 (libntfs-3g)

Usage: ntfsfix [options] device
Attempt to fix an NTFS partition.

-b, --clear-bad-sectors Clear the bad sector list
-d, --clear-dirty Clear the volume dirty flag
-h, --help Display this help
-n, --no-action Do not write anything
-V, --version Display version information

For example: ntfsfix /dev/hda6

Developers' email address: ntfs-3g-devel@lists.sf.net
News, support and information: http://tuxera.com

 

[Alperoot]

You might have a fsck.ntfs, which is a symlink to ntfsfix:

# ntfsfix
ERROR: You must specify a device.
ntfsfix v2014.2.15AR.2 (libntfs-3g)

Usage: ntfsfix [options] device
Attempt to fix an NTFS partition.

-b, --clear-bad-sectors Clear the bad sector list
-d, --clear-dirty Clear the volume dirty flag
-h, --help Display this help
-n, --no-action Do not write anything
-V, --version Display version information

For example: ntfsfix /dev/hda6

Developers' email address: ntfs-3g-devel@lists.sf.net
News, support and information: http://tuxera.com

I did just that from seeing it on a tutorial. It says it's finished but Windows is still refusing to boot
[doublepost=1475951018,1475950395][/doublepost]Nvm, I'll just keep my PC opened overnight and wait my files to be copied. Hope something doesn't go wrong

 

[Christoph.Krn]

Yes, complete the backup first before you go about doing anything else to the file system. You can never know which surprise side-effects may screw things up for good.

 

[drock]

You can create a bootable windows thumb drive. You can also create a Windows 8 installer thumb drive and run tools from there. Your BCD is probably damaged. If you are going to dual boot Linux you might be able to just use grub and launch it without repairing.

 

[Alperoot]

You can create a bootable windows thumb drive. You can also create a Windows 8 installer thumb drive and run tools from there. Your BCD is probably damaged. If you are going to dual boot Linux you might be able to just use grub and launch it without repairing.

I will do just that after finish copying all files to a hard drive. Just wanna play safe y'know
[doublepost=1475964200,1475964035][/doublepost]Also, would it damage my files if I try to shrink my files again, but using gparted? I really want to fully install Linux and use it from there, I'm always nervous about using live Linux for a long time.

 

[ible]

running live linux shouldn't be an issue, you're probably mostly safe .

i tried duel-booting windows and linux for a little while, but windows kept shooting itself in the foot (almost) every time it rebooted after updating... i would have to boot linux and run the ntfs-fix or whatever it is.

eventually even that didn't work. so i said goodbye to don't-play-well-with-others OSes. although, the main program i would have run on windows (FL studio) apparently has good wine support. just haven't gotten around to trying. i'd almost prefer rolling my own at the moment, though LMMS was ok (a little clunky at times). but i suppose since i have the code i could go fix it...

 

[Alperoot]

running live linux shouldn't be an issue, you're probably mostly safe .

Wow. It's been running overnight (Although the copying process stopped on a "special file" which I had to continue) and the USB is not even a bit warm.
[doublepost=1476002437,1476002348][/doublepost]

i tried duel-booting windows and linux for a little while, but windows kept shooting itself in the foot (almost) every time it rebooted after updating... i would have to boot linux and run the ntfs-fix or whatever it is.

I don't know. My friend is dual booting Ubuntu and Windows 10 and it's working perfectly. I asked him why he is doing that and he said it's the only Linux distribution which can dual boot with Windows 10. Should I try that?

 

[TeDaDeS]

I would use boot-dvd/usb of windows and start in recovery mode, let it repair your windows installation. See if that helps, if it does you can boot linux via usb again and repair the dual-boot.
Currently I have Ubuntu running with win10 as dual-boot, I did install win10 first and use the Ubuntu special win10 dual-boot option, as manually making partitions didn't work.
You can get win10-upgrade for free here: https://www.microsoft.com/nl-nl/accessibility/windows10upgrade