Ever seen this error message- "C:/$mft"

My home PC keeps coming up with the DOS screen reading “C:/$Mft is damaged or unreadable”. It gives me the option of restarting Windows or of “return to an undamaged configuration”, and I’ve selected both but neither works. I have McAfee Virus and regularly update it. I began getting this error message after downloading and installing a very large program from HP.com to replace the installation CD for a digital camera (the camera’s drivers had been removed when I had some work done to the PC a while back after a virus attack- it’s worked fine since then).

Does anybody know what this message means and anyway around it? Much appreciation-

J

$MFT is the NTFS Master File Table. It’s supposed to correct itself, using a second copy, in case the primary copy is damaged. You shouldn’t see that error message unless both copies are damaged. In which case, you can try suggestions on this page:

http://www.ntfs.com/quest14.htm

It doesn’t look too promising, but you might get lucky. Good luck!