Windows Vista Hangs at Black Screen

TxF or Transactional NTFS is a unique component included in Windows Vista that allows you to perform different file operations on NTFS file system volume in the form of transactions. Thus, using Transactional NTFS, you can atomically create, modify, delete and rename files and folders. Additionally, Transactional NTFS ensures that all the operations performed are correct and will be committed only if all operations complete successfully. While the TxF process is running, no other process should interrupt it or else will cause a deadlock condition. Such conditions usually occur due to file system corruption issues and to solve them, you will need to reinstall the operating system. You should use your backup to restore the lost data. However, in case of any backup issues, Data Recovery Software can be used for complete data restoration.

You might observe following symptoms with your Windows Vista-based system:

When you try to start your Windows-Vista based system, it doesn't boot and hangs displaying a black screen.
Attempting to restore the system using WinRE (Windows Recovery Environment) doesn't help as it also stops responding
You fail to start the system in Safe Mode
The system is unresponsive even if you use Windows Vista installation disc to try repairing the system

Cause

A Windows Vista system exhibits the above behavior if a deadlock condition occurs between Windows Vista Autocheck and TxF (Transactional NTFS) processes. It primarily occurs if file system gets corrupted within $TxF directory.

Solution

To resolve this issue, you need to perform clean re-installation of Windows Vista. You can also opt for performing parallel installation of system. The former method causes complete data loss. So, use your latest data backup and restore the entire information.

Sometimes, the data backup cannot restore the required information as it damaged or incomplete. To cope up with such situations, you require using Data Recovery tools. These utilities use safe scanning algorithms to scan the logically crashed media and recover all the data, unless it has been overwritten. Data Recovery Software are built with superior technology to provide graphically rich user interface, complete results, secure scanning and more.

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Terrific Free Software to Rescue Data for You

Whether you have such painful experiences that you accidently deleted important files from your computer, memory card, USB flash drive, or virus/malware attacked your PC and deleted some data? Or have you emptied the Recycle Bin or trash? You can rescue data by using data recovery software. This article lists some of best data rescue software to quickly and safely undelete data without specialized skills needed.

1. Recuva
Recuva is light-weight yet powerful data rescue software with wizard-driven interface. It enables you to recover data from hard drives, external drives and memory cards, even your iPod. It supports Windows 7, Vista, XP, Server 2008/2003, and older Windows versions like 2000, NT, ME, and etc.

2. Glary Undelete
Glary Undelete is very easy to use for you if you just want to do simple data recovery. With the easy "Folder" view, a Windows Explorer-style view of recoverable files, and a "State" indication for each file, it increase the simplicity for you to rescue files from hard drive, and any portable media including memory card, USB drive, and so on. One of its disadvantages is that you are asked to install a toolbar (of course, you can decline). It doesn't works well in Windows 7.

3. PC Inspector File Recovery
PC Inspector File Recovery is another good free data recovery program to recover most hard drives, external drives, memory cards. I list it here because it recovers files with arguable "deeper" search than any other similar free software. However, it is not so easy to use and takes a long time to scan. Moreover, it doesn't support Windows Vista.

True, sometimes free data recovery programs can resolve your basic file recovery requirements, but almost all of them have these or those limitations. What if you need to enjoy other functions? Tenorshare Data Recovery is the very data rescue program that enables to recover data from any hard drives, external hard drives, memory cards, and any other storage devices. It can rescue files, photos, videos, audios, and even partitions in Windows 7, Vista, XP, Server 2008/2003 and Mac 10.3 OS X and above, including the latest Mac mountain lion 10.7 operating systems.

Well, let us to see how this data recovery software works:

Firstly, choose your recover mode based on your practical need. (Here, we take "recover deleted files" for example).
Secondly, choose the partition where your lost files located before. And then click "Scan".
Thirdly, the lost files will be listed after a while. You need to tick the files you want to recover.
Fourthly, click "Recover" and specify the location you need to save your recovered file in.
Fifthly, hit "OK" to confirm your actions.

It is not difficult for us to conclude that Tenorshare Data Recovery is the most features-rich program for every level of computer user to undelete data. What are you waiting for? Just try it.

For more information:
http://www.any-data-recovery.com

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Fix 'Problem ejecting removable Device' Using an Advanced Utility

Sometimes, you may found difficulties while safely removing the removable media as it forcibly stops you by saying 'problem removing mass storage device'. Moreover, the error also dictates that there might be some other programs or system utilities that are using the removable media and you need to close it before removing the media. Though, you couldn't able to locate any open program that is using the media, as you have already closed all the open programs and utilities. Isn't it so ridiculous that even after doing every attempt, you couldn't able to safely remove the USB.   

However, While digging some deeply, I've came across an amazing utility entitled 'unlocker', an open source application for Windows XP, Vista and 7. It can automatically remove all the application and handles attached to your USB at one click. As a result, you may become able to safely remove the media without any troubles. So let's explore the detailed steps:

1. You can find & download 'Unlocker' from this download link, as well as explore other similar applications to Unlocker.
2. Though, downloading and using unlocker is completely free, it may try to install some bogus applications to your system. However, you can simply uncheck the box to prevent installing crappy toolbar or applications. See in the figure below:
                
   
   
3. After successfully installing unlocker, you have to go at the explorer window and right click on the problem removable media & select 'Unlocker' from the drop menu.
   
                                
   
   
4. A process explorer Window will open where the list of active programs can be found. Simply press on 'Unlock all' to remove all the open handles and application using removable media resources.              
   
   
5. Follow the same steps as before to remove the USB storage device. Now this time, you won't get the error message as mentioned above.

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How to Recover Data after 'Unmountable Boot Volume' Error

Windows users are facing dreaded computer problems and error messages related to hard drive, computer software, virus attack etc. Some errors are complex and crucial to fix even after trying very hard and putting all efforts onto it. One such error is 'Unmountable boot volume' occurs in XP, Vista, 7 and prevents access to important files.  At last, to fix this issue you have to format the hard drive while knowing that it will permanently erase the existing hard drive data.

When booting up to Win XP you may get a error that reads "Unmountable Boot Volume".
Ref – Microsoft KB

Why we are getting this error?

Several factors are responsible for this and if you are a hardware geek, it's most probably that you can fix it on your own. So, before heading to solution, let's look at some key factors which may cause this:

1. Damaged or unknown file system: Any hard drive can have 2 or more partition, labeled with any specific file systems like FAT or NTFS. These file system are responsible for normal read/write operation and performing functions. when file system become damaged or corrupted due to missing important files, virus attack, removed booting files from boot volume or any other, your computer become unable to start and you could lose access to your whole important data.
   
2. BAD Hard Drive: Hard Drive may become faulty due to various factors like bad equipments e.g. platters, heads, spindle motor etc. which makes hard drive data unreadable. There are two major types of hard drive failure: Physical and logical; both can results complete system inaccessibility or 'Unmountable boot volume' error.
   
3. Missing boot.ini Files: The booting partition (partition into which the Windows is installed for e.g.; C:/ Drive) contains some important files like boot.ini, which is used to determine the existing as well as previous Windows installed. In case, if the boot.ini file is missing, modified or deleted, the system will become unbootable. Though, the simple solution to fix boot.ini problem is by replacing it using Windows installation Disc. However, if you don't know how to do this, Tim Fisher from about.com has explained well about replacing the boot.ini file in Windows XP.

How can we fix 'Unmountable boot volume' Error?
In some cases, this error stays very short and automatically removes after restarting the system. So, if you are facing this problem, try to start your system again and see if it occurs again. Otherwise, reading the following explained points will helps you to fix it manually:

1. Restore your BIOS settings to default or load system in 'Fail-safe' Mode. Sometime, the modified BIOS settings throw this error but can be restored using restore button.
   If that didn't help proceed to step second
   
2. Get your windows installation disc and insert it into CD ROM. After which, Follow the below steps:
   a) Press 'R' to enter recovery console, when 'Welcome to Setup' screen appears
   b) Choose the existing Windows installation and enter administrator password when asked. If the password is blank, press enter.
   c) Type chkdsk /r when command prompt window appears
   d) Type 'exit'. This will restart your system and most probably, your problem can now be fixed.
   
3. To fix any missing or deleted bootable files, follow steps of 2, 2 (a) and then perform the below operations:
   a) Enter chkdsk /p and hit enter. This will check errors and bad sectors on your hard drive.
   b) When the process completes, type fixboot and hit enter. Doing so will repair and replace any damaged or corrupted boot files.
   Note: Type Y when asked to say 'yes' or 'no'.
   c) Type exit and hit enter.

In some cases, this error keeps coming due to seriously damaged hard drive and the only possible solution is to replace it with new hard drive. But, you can't get the data stored on the drive. Though, there is some recovery software available to recover data from unbootable system or damaged hard drive. So, you could give a try to any standard  data recovery software for getting back all your inaccessible files and folders.
Note: If recovery software doesn’t show unmounted drive in drive list, data recovery not possible in that case with the help of software, you need to send your drive to any data recovery company for recovery.

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