XP and HD problems

Chr15_2

I've been having problems with my PC and the appearance of the BSoD recently so did a fresh install. I've had the same again after a short period of time and am starting to wonder if its an HD problem. I've now started to get the boot up scan appearing which identifies problems, does the 100% scan and then gets 'stuck' at 16% trying to verify free space. I have tried the chkdsk facility but this doesnt help. I'm just getting ready to help the thing leave the building unless anyone has any ideas? I am starting to be confident that the HD is problematic but wonder if there is any free software that can maybe repair it?

aliEnRIK

just change it mate
Its obviously on its way out

fwor

One of the HDD manufacturers (Seagate as was, IIRC) suggests that you can ~sometimes~ recover a failing drive by formatting and then doing a "write 1s to the whole disk" operation, such as the primitive disk wiping utility on some versions of Seatools.

This is supposed to reset and then recreate the bad sector table on the drive. I suspect it only works if a drive has taken a slight knock while running, as only a relatively small part is damaged and the rest may be in good shape.

I tried it on a (very) old drive and it didn't help at all - so unless I wanted it for something where I didn't care about the data, I'd go with the last suggestion and just bin it...

vyseyboy

Check manufacturer's site for low level format tool.

Get up close to the drive when it fails. Is there audible noise / clicking.

Also consider other possibilities... are you using an orginal (genuine) windows install? (some non-genuine ones can be dodgy / rootkitted.) Are you running up to date antivirus / antispyware regularly?

Are your IDE / SATA cables ok? Look for missing pins on the motherboard and on the back of the drive (easily missed, can produce bizarre symptoms.) Is the PSU definately ok?

Then throw it out

DatabaseError

bin it, buy a new one.
before it fails completely you may be able to copy documents, photos etc.. to the new drive

Conor_3

Just to add...

Run memtest on the PC memory. If your RAM is going bad, this can corrupt data written to the HDD which is held in a cache before being written.

As tonyhague says though, back up whilst its still running just in case. If you've not got a windows install on it that works, download ubuntu and burn the CD, boot the computer from the CD and you'll be able to run Ubuntu without installing it. It'll give you access to the HDD and a memory stick if you have one so you can copy stuff off.

Chr15_2

thanks for the advice, gonna get a new HD now when I work out which one to get and what type etc. Is it easy to install a anew one? How 'plug and play' is it? I will probably boost the RAM up as wellk as it's only got 512.

aliEnRIK

Chr15 wrote: »

thanks for the advice, gonna get a new HD now when I work out which one to get and what type etc. Is it easy to install a anew one? How 'plug and play' is it? I will probably boost the RAM up as wellk as it's only got 512.

Well you really need more ram.
Ive just realised though. You never specified what TYPE of format you did before you installed XP
It REALLY needs to be a FULL format (NOT a QUICK format). Ive tried quick formats twice before and BOTH times I ended up having to do a FULL format.
If you HAVE done a full one, then its obviously time for a new hard drive.
Im 90% sure it will be an IDE drive
http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/img/16837_hard-disk.gif
How olds the computer? Its just, it may be the OLD IDE type (different number of 'pins' on the drive) ~ though I doubt this very much.