Unable to access Windows7 partition after updating Windows

Question

I have dual boot Windows 7 and Ubuntu 16 with grub. They were working very well until I installed the last Windows update. The update had to restart at some point but as Ubuntu is listed first in the grub menu Windows didn't complete the update process. Right now I can neither access Windows partition nor access Windows OS. When I select windows in the grub I get only black screen and when trying to open the windows disk from Ubuntu I got the message in the attached screenshot.

Dialog box showing a long error message titled 'Unable to access "Windows7_OS"' and starting with 'Error mounting system-managed device /dev/sda'

I tried ntfsfix but never succeeded. please advise.

Have you tried the suggested chkdsk /f pointed at the Windows partition, followed by rebooting to Windows twice? If so, what was the result? — Zeiss Ikon, Sep 28 '17 at 11:43
@ZeissIkon if you mean fsck this was the output "fsck from util-linux 2.27.1" — Alnour Alharin, Sep 28 '17 at 12:56
I was copying from the error box image you posted, which specifically says chkdsk /f. I presume you'd have to have at least a DOS command line after booting to the Windows partition (or from a Windows rescue media) to do that. — Zeiss Ikon, Sep 28 '17 at 12:58
Try sudo mkdir /media/windows/ in order to create a directory for mounting Windows partition. Then, try sudo mount -t ntfs-3g -o ro /dev/sdXX /media/windows, replacing XX with your Windows partition. This will mount your Windows partition on safe Read-Only state. — George Mathioudakis, Sep 28 '17 at 13:12
this was the response @GeorgeMathioudakis https://snag.gy/6izRVI.jpg — Alnour Alharin, Sep 29 '17 at 13:15

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 28 '17 at 13:01

1

Based on the image posted, it appears that the (Windows) recommended fix here is to use Windows chkdsk /f and then reboot to Windows twice. It is still recommended to use Windows tools to fix NTFS filesystem problems, even though almost all Linux systems can read and write NTFS without issues.

If Windows won't start at all, you may need to start the machine from a Windows Boot media or Rescue media -- but one with a Windows/DOS operating system, so that you have access to chkdsk. If you don't have bootable Windows media, you may need to remove the HDD and connect it to a working Windows machine to perform the recommended fix.

answered Sep 28 '17 at 13:01

Zeiss Ikon

5,128

I will try to create a Windows Boot media and check if this will work. thanks – Alnour Alharin Sep 28 '17 at 14:15
how to run this command chkdsk /f from a windows bootable flash drive? – Alnour Alharin Oct 02 '17 at 06:49
I'm not a Windows expert -- I switched to Linux in 2011 after using it alongside Windows XP for a couple years. Try asking on Superuser.SE. – Zeiss Ikon Oct 02 '17 at 11:08

Unable to access Windows7 partition after updating Windows

1 Answers1