Faulty Hard Drive?

Iconic

I have a Dell Dimension E520 running Vista that had a start up failure.

Vista tried to repair it 5 times without success and then shut the computer down.

After that all I got at start up was a loop 'A disk read error has occurred; press Ctrl-Alt-Del to restart'

I then went into the BIOS and was able to do a factory reset and it took me all day to update Windows. Why do MS let you download all updates to SP1,then SP1,then all updates to SP2,then SP2 and then all the updates after it? I thought SP2 included all the updates before it!

I am now worried the hard drive might be faulty. From what I have read the problem could have been a problem Windows or software update rather than hard drive failure. Is there any way I can check the condition of hard drive? It seems to be ok at the moment!

Although I have never used it, should I get some image software that will let me save the hard drive as it is now to a portable hard drive?

CoolHotCold

you can check using Dell Diagnostics (If you hold down the FN key then turn it on and when the loading bar is halfway on the Dell screen release the FN key) or press F12 when the dell screen appears and choose Diagnostics.

Iconic

Thanks for the advice about Dell Diagnostics. I ran it from F12 and it passed!!

I am still a little worried though and have found that Macrium image software has been recommended here so I will give it a try.

Could someone please advise when you do a Vista factory reset you can download SP2 separately so as to stop having to download over 100 updates prior to SP2?

CoolHotCold

The Point of the SP updates is it rolls all the security and performance updates into one package.

THEORETICALLY you should just be able to restore back to factory settings and update to SP1 (if the restore isn't a SP1 updated) then update to SP2 then update the rest of the updates which should be released after SP2.


EDIT

To clariffy, you can download it from the built in windows updates or through

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=891ab806-2431-4d00-afa3-99ff6f22448d&displaylang=en For 32 bit
and
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=8ad69826-03d4-488c-8f26-074800c55bc3&displaylang=en for 64 Bit

GlynD

Have you updated the disc firmware?

Iconic

CoolHotCold wrote: »

The Point of the SP updates is it rolls all the security and performance updates into one package.

THEORETICALLY you should just be able to restore back to factory settings and update to SP1 (if the restore isn't a SP1 updated) then update to SP2 then update the rest of the updates which should be released after SP2.


EDIT

To clariffy, you can download it from the built in windows updates or through

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=891ab806-2431-4d00-afa3-99ff6f22448d&displaylang=en For 32 bit
and
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=8ad69826-03d4-488c-8f26-074800c55bc3&displaylang=en for 64 Bit

Thanks for the links. I have done quite a few complete XP reinstalls using Nlite but this was the first time I had done a factory restore. From your links I assume that you can install Vista SP2 separately and then let Windows Update do the rest .

CoolHotCold

Yup, thats right

Iconic

GlynD wrote: »

Have you updated the disc firmware?

Thanks for your help.

I have just put the Service Tag in the Dell Drivers and Downloads page for SATA drives and there is an upgrade for the Intel Application which applies to Matrix Storage Manager. I don't know how this applies to the Samsung Hard Drive but I will update it.

Toxteth_OGrady

Download and install the free version of HD Tune from here:

http://www.hdtune.com/

Once installed, click on the health tab and it will give you detailed (S.M.A.R.T.) information and whether the status is OK or not.

Iconic

Toxteth_OGrady wrote: »

Download and install the free version of HD Tune from here:

http://www.hdtune.com/



Once installed, click on the health tab and it will give you detailed (S.M.A.R.T.) information and whether the status is OK or not.

Many thanks for the link Toxteth

It looks like I need a new HD:(:( It failed on the Spin Up Time. 5.9 seconds.'Threshold Reached. Replacing the Hard Drive is recommended.'

It doesn't say much for the Dell Diagnostics but at least it will make me get on with doing an image with Macrium.

Iconic

Never bought a HD before. The old one was a Samsung 250GB hard disk drive SP2504C SATA II 300 7200rpm 8MB cache.

Would this one be ok as a replacement? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Seagate-ST3250312AS-Barracuda-7200rpm-Buffer/dp/B004HB8C5S/ref=dp_ob_title_ce (the user doesn't need any more than 250gig!)