Toshiba Laptop - Disk Read Error

-F*Dragonfly-

Hi.

The laptop was freezing off and on a few weeks ago, someone said the CPU was hotter than normal, since the really warm weather has calmed down it hasn't froze as much. It did freeze this afternoon and I got this message 'A disk read error occurred, press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart' I've done this numerous times and it does nothing, I've unplugged and left it for over two hours still the same message.

People I've asked have said all technical things the first being to download something to the computer - how can I do that when I can't get past the black screen and above message!

The guy advising me says I have to:
Run hard drive diagnostics from: http://storage.toshiba.com/storage-services-support/warranty-support/software-utilities#diagnostic

I think I have:

Hard drives
'149GB FUJITSU MHZ2160BH G1 (SATA)

However, I've downloaded it and think I've burned it to my disk - but it's not in IOS (i think that's what he said) format if that matters and when I put it in the laptop it does nothing.

I need to make a boot disk I think, but how? I just want the laptop working again, if I can do it without doing a factory restore then great.

closed

iso format - did you choose the dos diagnostic?

you need to use something like imgburn to burn an iso disk image to cd/dvd, write image file to disc option

http://www.imgburn.com/


http://download.cnet.com/Rescue-Kit-Free-Edition/3000-2094_4-10910591.html



this will create a rescue disk, which may enable you to recover data if it's working at all, but the message isn't good, a new hard disk is around £40, but you'll need a windows disc to reinstall

backup by doing disk image backups in future http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx

-F*Dragonfly-

I haven't got a clue as to what I'm doing, which link on that Toshiba thing do I need to download and put onto a disk please and I'll try again now?

I chose this link: but it didn't download it as an ISO


Software Name Description
Windows Diagnostic Tool Ver. 1.12
(For IDE/ATA/SATA Hard Drives)
ZIPfjdtwin.exe [464KB] This diagnostic tool is available for use by customers who feel their Fujitsu Branded Toshiba hard drive may not be operating normally. It is only designed for use with Fujitsu Branded Toshiba ATA/IDE hard drives.
There are 2 diagnostic modes:
Quick Test
About 3 minutes, does random seek/read tests.
Comprehensive Test
About 30 to 100 minutes, also performs surface scan.

*Supports Windows 2000/XP/Vista



I picked the above one because the laptop is windows vista.

The one below says '* Runs only under DOS from a bootdisk'

I don't know what that means should I be downloading that one? i've just installed Imgburn.

We do have PC world Whatever happens care insurance thing, but that would be a total last resort after factory restore (if that would even work) as i really need the laptop.

closed

Presumably you are installing these on a different machine?

you need a boot disc if it won't boot, so the dos one, or if it won't boot, try to rescue your data using paragon rescue (which automatically creates the correct bootable cd you need, without the need for imgburn)

-F*Dragonfly-

Yes I am on another laptop, the laptop I'm on is an E-Machine.

Right I'm trying to download the DOS one, it's a zipped file do I need to unzip it before I try to burn it to the disk? is it just the application file I need on disk? there's a text document in there as well.

Sorry for being un technical.

closed

you may not get very far with the dos one, as you need a dos environment to use it properly, ie a dos boot disk, or possibly freedos.

I'd concentrate on trying to get your data off first.

-F*Dragonfly-

So i won't be able to use any of the ones on the Toshiba site link?

Would the paragon one work to get it back on? I want to know if the hard drive is gone or the computer can be brought back.

Right I'll download the paragon one, so that will go on my disk and I put it in my broken laptop?

I just got this when I tried to download it:
Insufficient Permissions Cannot save due to insufficient permissions. Please save to another location. You may not have the necessary permissions or some other application, typically antivirus software, was accessing the downloaded file at the same time as Google Chrome. Try again later or try saving to a different location.

will try again.


It did the same again wouldn't download. Do i need to turn off my antivirus or something?

closed

Try the paragon, and see what happens, the message you are getting (disk not disc?) suggests it's faulty.

have you got the windows reinstallation dvd?

unless the toshiba windows diagnostic gives you the option to create a boot disc, it's useless in this scenario

-F*Dragonfly-

Haven't got any disks no or if I did have I don't know where there are since we moved.

the paragon one isn't downloading :

Insufficient Permissions Cannot save due to insufficient permissions. Please save to another location. You may not have the necessary permissions or some other application, typically antivirus software, was accessing the downloaded file at the same time as Google Chrome. Try again later or try saving to a different location.

Would factory restore work do you think?

closed

probably not, if your disk is faulty, it's faulty.

use IE http://download.cnet.com/Rescue-Kit-Free-Edition/3000-2094_4-10910591.html

supermarkets sell discs.

-F*Dragonfly-

someone said to use http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/ to create a bootable CD.

and the diagnostic tool will be on there? should I try that first?