How to identify Sata HDD Toshiba L500 1XJ

sprob

I may need to replace the HDD in the Toshiba, I am trying to sort it out for a friend, it has had continuous BSOD's with different errors messages on start up each time.

They are not tech-savvy so I have been working from very limited info from them, system restore did not work, no viruses etc.

As a last resort W7 was installed from an ISO file, everything ok so far, windows updates done and installed, device manager checked for latest drivers all ok, reinstalled progs.

Everything worked fine for 2 days turned on today back to BSOD - with a new message not seen before.

I think it is pointing to either a bad memory module or a HDD gone kaput.

My first thing in the morning is to take out the battery, discharge the residual power with the on/off button and check that the ram modules are seated correctly, as a last resort I can only think that the HDD is failing, how do I identify what I need to replace the existing one without disturbing the one that is in it at present beforehand.

Has anyone any other ideas as to what could be the problem, I have seen at least 6 different BSOB error messages before the latest ones, how many they may have seen ?? before I got it as I don't think they realised what it was.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Steve

closed

the bsod says what?

sprob

That's the problem, each time its a different one and I am not aware of any content of the error messages before they gave it to me.

They live in France are completely non-techie, I asked them before I took it away "what were you doing just before it went BSOD", I ended up giving up, I've tried to work my way through in a logical way from the limited info they could give me that made sense.

They were transferring photos to the laptop using a "stick" - probably a flash drive? no idea of the program they were using to open it and it crashed with a BSOD, I think what they did was just pull out the flash drive without using the "remove safely" facility and this has maybe corrupted something and caused the initial BSOD, every time it has been restarted there is a different error message, I am not new to sorting problems out but am finding it difficult to determine what caused the crash in the first place.

As I said system restore did not work and because of the persistent BSOD's and the different error messages each time it is confusing the issue.

I have cured a BSOD problem before on a different laptop by following the same procedure I outlined above with success.

So far I have seen 8 different BSOD error messages, but have not been able to capture the details, I have seen a windows box asking to find an online solutions (it showed a C/ ----/minidump/fileno????, which I clicked on with no success.

Sorry to be so long winded but I have tried to give info I am aware of.

Thanks
Steve

sprob

Daft question could it be something as simple as the CMOS battery

Steve

bluesnake

get them to take photos of the BSOD

However at a guess sounds like the disk surface is worn - loosing its magnetism, since it only works for 2 days and then goes bad.

All disk manufacturers supply diagnostics for their drives.

They should have made a linux boot cd/stick, as that way they could still surf the net, bank, and do most things. Yes it is annoying to configure wifi every time you boot and takes 3 mins extra. Also they can run teamviewer and a virus checker too, so you can do your stuff

To debug your own BSOD http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/hardware/ff551063%28v=vs.85%29.aspx

droopsnoot

Can't you get the drive model number (if that's what you want) from device manager? It's a while since I looked at a 7 machine, but my XP gives enough info on the drive to get the make and model from Google if you want to match the exact same thing, if the same thing is even still available.

closed

just one of the bsod messages would be a start, most bsod's are software,

so backup, reinstall, put avast free on, disk image backup using macrium, see what happens, suggest you don't go randomly buying new disks and ram to diagnose the fault.

forgotmyname

Have you actually tested the memory or hard drive for errors?

Surface scan and full read/wrote check on the drive and memory and then run a burn in test on them.

Installed from an ISO so not a legit version? There maybe the problem.

sprob

Hi forgetmyname the ISO file was downloaded from digitalriver (a recommended source from Microsoft), I don't really see that as being the problem.

The BSOD is still there when i start up the laptop it goes through the usual cycle, the latest issue is when i move the cursor over to the search box and click on the line to type in device manager it freezes.

I have done a clean install of Windows7 and it was activated at the end of the install, the BSOD was there before the clean install and is still there now, my main problem now is the laptop will start even right through to the windows screen but as soon as I try to click on any function (Computer, Control Panel etc) it goes straight to another BSOD mostly with a different error message, effectively blocking me from any system info.

I managed to write down some of the error messages - page fault in none paged area, driver irql less or not equal, system service exception, bad pool header - and that's just some of them, any ideas as to if they are related issues caused by one source?

I am in the process of checking out whether the ram is seated properly just in case, as you never know.

Thanks for all the help so far.
Steve

forgotmyname

Possibly faulty memory. But instead of guessing. Test the memory and a full scan of the hard drive.

Driver conflicts or outdated drivers.

sprob

Hi forgotmyname,

Sorry I am not guessing, but trying to work through the possible causes in a logical manner.

Your comment following that is now were my problems start as when I fire it up I get to the Windows screen which when I try to go any further locks up and then goes to BSOD, then goes back to cycle again reopens Windows and promptly crashes again, a virtual vicious circle.

I am reluctant to use safe mode as I have had too little experience with it, but it remains an option as I don't suppose it will make it worse, can you confirm to your knowledge that using SM will let me perform a memory test and a full scan of the hard drive.

I have given up for tonight but first thing in the morning I will check out if the ram is seating correctly, if it is secure I will then test the memory, followed by a full scan of the hard drive - as I said it is problematic until I can get to the stage were it no longer crashes before I can access anything on it.

Thank you for your help.
Steve