Laptop doesn’t boot up (not even to bios settings) and has corrupted partition table

biosboothard drivehardware-failurepartitioning

My laptop fails to boot up. Since it fails even before I could enter bios settings, I thought it has to be a hardware failure. To rescue my data, I removed the hard disk and plugged it to another PC. There I noticed that the partition table is incorrect, but I was able to rescue my data using the testdisk tool.
Is it possible, that it is indeed a software error (meaning I could repair my laptop by repairing the partition table), although it even fails to enter bios?

The laptop is a Samsung Series7 700Z3C.
It doesn't boot up, whether there is a bootable CD in the drive or not and whether the
internal hard drive is removed or plugged in. When pressing the power button, it just shows a black screen and nothing else. I can hear the cd drive running, but the CPU fan isn't moving.

It fails before I could enter bios, so I couldn't change boot priority which is set to hard drive first (I think).
I tried to repair the partition table of the hard disk(see below), but the laptop has a second hard drive (a small SSD) which is soldered, so I can't do anything here.

Repairing partition table

The testdisk utility could recognize the correct partition table, but when I tried to write it to the hard disk, I got a "Partition: Write error". Here the testdisk.log (I didn't log it the first time I ran it, so this probably isn't the log of the correct repair process, but the log of testdisk running later on the already repaired disk)

Fri Jan  4 16:17:33 2013
Command line: TestDisk

TestDisk 6.13, Data Recovery Utility, November 2011
Christophe GRENIER <grenier@cgsecurity.org>
http://www.cgsecurity.org
OS: Linux, kernel 3.5.0-21-generic (#32-Ubuntu SMP Tue Dec 11 18:51:59 UTC 2012) x86_64
Compiler: GCC 4.7
Compilation date: 2012-10-01T13:00:04
ext2fs lib: 1.42.5, ntfs lib: libntfs-3g, reiserfs lib: none, ewf lib: none
/dev/sda: LBA, HPA, LBA48, DCO support
/dev/sda: size       625142448 sectors
/dev/sda: user_max   625142448 sectors
/dev/sda: native_max 625142448 sectors
/dev/sda: dco        625142448 sectors
Warning: can't get size for Disk /dev/mapper/control - 0 B - CHS 1 1 1, sector size=512
Hard disk list
Disk /dev/sda - 320 GB / 298 GiB - CHS 38913 255 63, sector size=512 - TOSHIBA MK3233GSG,     S/N:8027W1BQW, FW:QS002A
Disk /dev/sdb - 750 GB / 698 GiB - CHS 11400 255 63, sector size=4096 - Hitachi     HTS727575A9E364
Disk /dev/mapper/crypt - 287 GB / 267 GiB - CHS 561721336 1 1, sector size=512
Disk /dev/mapper/system-HOME - 263 GB / 245 GiB - CHS 514850816 1 1, sector size=512
Disk /dev/mapper/system-ROOT - 19 GB / 18 GiB - CHS 39059456 1 1, sector size=512
Disk /dev/mapper/system-SWAP - 3997 MB / 3812 MiB - CHS 7806976 1 1, sector size=512
Disk /dev/dm-0 - 287 GB / 267 GiB - CHS 561721336 1 1, sector size=512
Disk /dev/dm-1 - 19 GB / 18 GiB - CHS 39059456 1 1, sector size=512
Disk /dev/dm-2 - 3997 MB / 3812 MiB - CHS 7806976 1 1, sector size=512
Disk /dev/dm-4 - 263 GB / 245 GiB - CHS 514850816 1 1, sector size=512

Partition table type (auto): Intel
Disk /dev/sdb - 750 GB / 698 GiB - Hitachi HTS727575A9E364
Partition table type: Intel

Analyse Disk /dev/sdb - 750 GB / 698 GiB - CHS 11400 255 63
Geometry from i386 MBR: head=255 sector=63
check_part_i386 failed for partition type 07
check_part_i386 failed for partition type 07
check_part_i386 failed for partition type 07
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=255 nbr=1
get_geometry_from_list_part_aux head=255 nbr=1
Current partition structure:
Invalid NTFS or EXFAT boot
 1 P HPFS - NTFS              0  32 33    12 223 19     204800
 1 P HPFS - NTFS              0  32 33    12 223 19     204800
Invalid NTFS or EXFAT boot
 2 P HPFS - NTFS             12 223 20  8802 254 53  141213337
 2 P HPFS - NTFS             12 223 20  8802 254 53  141213337
 3 E extended LBA          8803   0  1 87913  48  7 1270905181
Invalid NTFS or EXFAT boot
 4 P HPFS - NTFS          87913  48  8 91201  52 51   52822016
 4 P HPFS - NTFS          87913  48  8 91201  52 51   52822016
No partition is bootable

test_logical: 
Partition sector doesn't have the endmark 0xAA55
Computes LBA from CHS for Disk /dev/sdb - 750 GB / 698 GiB - CHS 11401 255 63
Allow partial last cylinder : Yes
search_vista_part: 1

search_part()
Disk /dev/sdb - 750 GB / 698 GiB - CHS 11401 255 63
NTFS at 0/4/5
filesystem size           25600
sectors_per_cluster       1
mft_lcn                   8533
mftmirr_lcn               2
clusters_per_mft_record   -10
clusters_per_index_record 1
     HPFS - NTFS              0   4  5     1 155 26      25600 [SYSTEM]
     NTFS, 104 MB / 100 MiB
NTFS at 1/155/27
Warning: Incorrect number of bytes per sector 512 (NTFS) != 4096 (HD)
filesystem size           141213337
sectors_per_cluster       8
mft_lcn                   786432
mftmirr_lcn               2
clusters_per_mft_record   -10
clusters_per_index_record 1
     HPFS - NTFS              1 155 27  1100  95 39   17651667
     NTFS, 72 GB / 67 GiB

recover_EXT2: s_block_group_nr=0/111, s_mnt_count=72/4294967295, s_blocks_per_group=32768,     s_inodes_per_group=8176
recover_EXT2: s_blocksize=4096
recover_EXT2: s_blocks_count 3662080
recover_EXT2: part_size 3662080
     Linux                 1100  96 21  1328  84 36    3662080
     EXT4 Large file Sparse superblock, 14 GB / 13 GiB
     Linux Swap            1328  88 41  1510 177  9    2929406
     SWAP2 version 1, 11 GB / 11 GiB

recover_EXT2: s_block_group_nr=0/4646, s_mnt_count=71/4294967295, s_blocks_per_group=32768, s_inodes_per_group=8192
recover_EXT2: s_blocksize=4096
recover_EXT2: s_blocks_count 152271104
recover_EXT2: part_size 152271104
     Linux                 1510 181 16 10989  37 56  152271104
     EXT4 Large file Sparse superblock, 623 GB / 580 GiB
NTFS at 10989/37/57
Warning: Incorrect number of bytes per sector 512 (NTFS) != 4096 (HD)
filesystem size           52822016
sectors_per_cluster       8
mft_lcn                   786432
mftmirr_lcn               2
clusters_per_mft_record   -10
clusters_per_index_record 1
     HPFS - NTFS          10989  37 57 11400  38 30    6602752 [SAMSUNG_REC]
     NTFS, 27 GB / 25 GiB

Results
     HPFS - NTFS              0   4  5     1 155 26      25600 [SYSTEM]
     NTFS, 104 MB / 100 MiB
     HPFS - NTFS              1 155 27  1100  95 39   17651668
     NTFS, 72 GB / 67 GiB
     Linux                 1100  96 21  1328  84 36    3662080
     EXT4 Large file Sparse superblock, 14 GB / 13 GiB
     Linux Swap            1328  88 41  1510 177  9    2929406
     SWAP2 version 1, 11 GB / 11 GiB
     Linux                 1510 181 16 10989  37 56  152271104
     EXT4 Large file Sparse superblock, 623 GB / 580 GiB
     HPFS - NTFS          10989  37 57 11400  38 30    6602752 [SAMSUNG_REC]
     NTFS, 27 GB / 25 GiB

interface_write()
 1 P HPFS - NTFS              0   4  5     1 155 26      25600 [SYSTEM]
 2 P HPFS - NTFS              1 155 27  1100  95 39   17651668
 3 E extended LBA          1100  96  1 10989  37 57  158863124
 4 P HPFS - NTFS          10989  37 57 11400  38 30    6602752 [SAMSUNG_REC]
 5 L Linux                 1100  96 21  1328  84 36    3662080
 6 L Linux Swap            1328  88 41  1510 177  9    2929406
 7 L Linux                 1510 181 16 10989  37 56  152271104
write!

write_mbr_i386: starting...
write_all_log_i386: starting...
write_all_log_i386: CHS: 1100/96/1,lba=17677548
write_all_log_i386: CHS: 1328/87/1,lba=21339801
write_all_log_i386: CHS: 1510/180/1,lba=24269490

Partition: Write error

TestDisk exited normally.

But although it always reports this error, I noticed after a few runs, that the partition table now seems to be correct. But the laptop still doesn't boot up.

I ran fdisk and noticed that it reports a wrong logical sector size. I can check that, because I have a second laptop that has exactly the same hardware, which should also have exactly the same partition table. This second laptop is still working perfectly well.
Here the fdisk output of the harddisk of the first (broken) laptop:

Hinweis: Die Sektorgröße ist 4096 (nicht 512)

Befehl (m für Hilfe): p

Disk /dev/sdb: 750.2 GB, 750156374016 bytes
255 Köpfe, 63 Sektoren/Spur, 11400 Zylinder, zusammen 183143646 Sektoren
Einheiten = Sektoren von 1 × 4096 = 4096 Bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
Festplattenidentifikation: 0xfabded4a

   Gerät  boot.     Anfang        Ende     Blöcke   Id  System
/dev/sdb1             256       25855      102400    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdb2           25856    17677523    70606672    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdb3        17677548   176540671   635452496    f  W95 Erw. (LBA)
/dev/sdb4       176540672   183143423    26411008    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdb5        17677568    21339647    14648320   83  Linux
/dev/sdb6        21339904    24269309    11717624   82  Linux Swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb7        24269568   176540671   609084416   83  Linux

If you're not familiar with german, the first line says "Notice: Sector size is 4096 (not 512)". Another noteable thing is, the line

Sector size (logical/physical): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes

Here the fdisk output of the correctly working laptop:

The device presents a logical sector size that is smaller than
the physical sector size. Aligning to a physical sector (or optimal
I/O) size boundary is recommended, or performance may be impacted.

Befehl (m für Hilfe): p

Disk /dev/sda: 750.2 GB, 750156374016 bytes
255 Köpfe, 63 Sektoren/Spur, 91201 Zylinder, zusammen 1465149168 Sektoren
Einheiten = Sektoren von 1 × 512 = 512 Bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
Festplattenidentifikation: 0xfabded4a

   Gerät  boot.     Anfang        Ende     Blöcke   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *        2048      206847      102400    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2          206848   707418111   353605632    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3      1412325376  1465147391    26411008   27  Hidden NTFS WinRE
/dev/sda4       707420158  1412323327   352451585    5  Erweiterte
Partition 4 does not start on physical sector boundary.
/dev/sda5       736716800   760152063    11717632   82  Linux Swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6       760154112  1412323327   326084608   83  Linux
/dev/sda7       707420160   736716799    14648320   83  Linux

Partitionstabelleneinträge sind nicht in Platten-Reihenfolge

The last line says "Partition table entries are not in the order of the hard drive".
As you can see, the logical sector size here is different. Is this important?

What could be the reasons the laptop doesn't boot up? What would be the next steps to solve the problem?

edit:

First occurrence of the problem

The laptop has installed the original Windows and an additional Ubuntu. I tried to upgrade Ubuntu 12.04 to 12.10.

After upgrading it, grub reported an error. So I booted it up from a live cd, entered the ubuntu system via chroot and then reinstalled grub. I installed it to both the installed hard drives – /dev/sda (the hdd) and /dev/sdb (the SSD).

After that, I rebooted the laptop without the live cd and it started up. Everything seemed to work well, but then I tried to reboot it again and the error was there. From then on up to now I wasn't even able to enter the bios settings.

Best Answer

Have you tried resetting the BIOS ? If altering partition table of hard drives didn't work then the problem may not be with hard drives. BIOS contains initial instructions for the system, so this might indicate that the laptop failed to initialize in the first place. here is a link. You can skip to step 3 because getting into BIOS is not available.

Well, a more knowledgeable answer will be appreciated - however, at least I found how to avoid this problem, while writing the OP. Btw this is TestDisk 6.11, Data Recovery Utility, April 2009 on Ubuntu 11.04. After the disk is blank, re-start the sudo testdisk and follow the trace in the OP to get to the same screen (the one you get after you:

hit l for L: load backup;
choose Disk /dev/sdc - ... for Choose the backup you want to restore: and then hit [ Load ]

)

Here, go to the second entry, and: Use Left/Right Arrow keys to CHANGE partition characteristics: until you get D=Deleted for that partition; it looks something like this:

testdisk-screenshot-2

Now, obviously, no more "bad structure" is reported, and everything is green; interestingly, only this partition reacts like this (the first one, for example, induces no change even if it is set to D).

Now I just press Enter: to continue; get this on next screen:

     Partition                  Start        End    Size in sectors

 1 P Linux                    0   1 32 10244  36 26   20980827
 2 E extended LBA         10244  38  1 57231  63 32   96230208
 5 L Linux                10244  38 26 40962  39  6   62910477
 6 L Linux                40962  41  6 49151  63 26   16771797
 7 L Linux                49152   1 26 53246  44  4    8385867
 8 L Linux Swap           53246  46  4 57231  35 32    8160957

At it, choose [ Write ] Write partition structure to disk; and

answer y to Write partition table, confirm ? (Y/N)
get You will have to reboot for the change to take effect., hit [Ok]
choose [ Quit ] Return to disk selection on next screen
choose [ Quit ] Quit program on next screen

Now I can do this:

$ sudo fdisk -lu /dev/sdc

Disk /dev/sdc: 60.0 GB, 60011642880 bytes
64 heads, 32 sectors/track, 57231 cylinders, total 117210240 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000c0705

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdc1              63    20980889    10490413+  83  Linux
/dev/sdc2        20980928   117211135    48115104    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sdc5        20980953    83891429    31455238+  83  Linux
/dev/sdc6        83891493   100663289     8385898+  83  Linux
/dev/sdc7       100663353   109049219     4192933+  83  Linux
/dev/sdc8       109049283   117210239     4080478+  82  Linux swap / Solaris

... and nearly everything is the same as in the original partition table in the OP - except here I have "f W95 Ext'd (LBA)" while above it was "5 Extended" for the second (sdc2, "extended") partition.

If someone can point out what am I doing wrong, and what should I do exactly to reconstruct the exact same partition table even after a deletion, I'd appreciate it.

EDIT: I think I got something more; the difference is not only in "f W95 Ext'd (LBA)" vs "5 Extended"; but also, from fdisk - in first case:

255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 7296 cylinders, total 117210240 sectors
/dev/sdc2        20980890   117210239    48114675    5  Extended

... and in second case:

64 heads, 32 sectors/track, 57231 cylinders, total 117210240 sectors
/dev/sdc2        20980928   117211135    48115104    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)

So, the CHS geometry - and the region of the extended partition - is wrong; that is probably the meaning of the Warning: the current number of heads per cylinder is 64 but the correct value may be 255. obtained in the OP. So once we get to the main menu in testdisk we can change geometry:

[ Geometry ] Change disk geometry
[ Heads ] Change head geometry
- Enter the number of heads: 255
[ Sectors ] Change sector geometry
- Enter the number of sectors per track (1-63): 63
[ Cylinders ] Change cylinder geometry (no change here):
- Enter the number of cylinders: 7296
[ Ok ] Done with changing geometry
[ Analyse ] Analyse current partition structure
[Quick Search] Try to locate partition
n to Should TestDisk search for partition created under Vista ? [Y/N]
testdisk now finds the partitions that were deleted; hit L: load backup
Disk /dev/sdc - to Choose the backup you want to restore: then [ Load ]

Again Structure: Bad. and duplicated partitions; set every second one to D - bad structure clears:

testdisk-screenshot-3

Finally:

Enter: to continue
[ Write ] Write partition structure to disk
y to Write partition table, confirm ? (Y/N)
[Ok] to You will have to reboot for the change to take effect.
[ Quit ] Return to disk selection
[ Quit ] Quit program

Now fdisk will report the same geometry - and the same range for the extended partition:

255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 7296 cylinders, total 117210240 sectors
...
/dev/sdc2        20980890   117210239    48114675    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)

/dev/sdc2        20980890   117210239    48114675    5  Extended        # first
/dev/sdc2        20980928   117211135    48115104    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA) # second

... and comparing to previous reports, now we have the same range as the first, but still not the same filesystem type (f W95 Ext'd (LBA) instead of 5 Extended); but it looks much better like this, at least.

Repairing partition table

First occurrence of the problem

Best Answer

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