Disk Read Error

[Ben Clarke]

Hey guys,

This morning I restarted my computer, and got this message:

A disk read error occurred.
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart.

Am I correct in thinking the harddrive has failed? I've tried reseating it, checked connections etc, and I got a normal POST beep. Do I need a new harddrive, or is there a way I can fix it?

Ben.

[AsRock]

You been able to get back in to windows ?. if so check the event viewer as that might tell you some more on the error.

Maybe windows found a bad sector and you might want to check for bad blocks with chkdsk. Bad block are normal if there not increasing at a very high rate.

[thoughtdisorder]

Hey Ben, Doesn't necessarily mean your HDD is dead. Usually it's a boot error, etc.

Have you run chkdsk?

[Black Panther]

If he's only got one HDD I don't think he managed to get to Vista with that error, and probably neither run checkdisk...

I had a similar problem quite recently. (http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=60627)

Click maybe you can get some help?

Only in my case it happened only once. :confused:

[modder]

Hey guys,

This morning I restarted my computer, and got this message:

A disk read error occurred.
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart.

Am I correct in thinking the harddrive has failed? I've tried reseating it, checked connections etc, and I got a normal POST beep. Do I need a new harddrive, or is there a way I can fix it?

Ben.
hi,
look into the bios "hard disk boot priority" and check your first hd.

[Ben Clarke]

hi,
look into the bios "hard disk boot priority" and check your first hd.

I only have 1 HDD installed.

@AsRock + thoughtdisorder: No, I havn't been able to get into any OS to run a scan.

[Laurijan]

Maybe you could install the "defect" HDD in another computer and start an error check for it in windows - the error check is in the same page as windows defrag.

[spearman914]

Run chkdsk: Start > Run > Chkdsk > Enter. This checks for errors.

[thoughtdisorder]

You don't happen to have any old Win 98 CD's hanging around do you?

[Ben Clarke]

Maybe you could install the "defect" HDD in another computer and start an error check for it in windows - the error check is in the same page as windows defrag.

Can't. There's only one other computer in the house, and I'm not allowed within 5 meters of it with a screwdriver.

Run chkdsk: Start > Run > Chkdsk > Enter. This checks for errors.

As I said above, I can't get into Windows.

[mikek75]

Take off the overclock if you haven't already done so.

[Laurijan]

Do you have a windows installation cd (XP?) If yes you can use it to make a chkdsk. First start from the CD the in the first screen select "repair windows" then there you can type chkdsk or was is scandisk.. :toast:

[spearman914]

Try putting an older hard drive an boot. If you still get error this means its not the HD, if you don't this means your HD is failing/dying.

Do you have a windows installation cd (XP?) If yes you can use it to make a chkdsk. First start from the CD the in the first screen select "repair windows" then there you can type chkdsk or was is scandisk.. :toast:

Scandisk is the name while chkdsk is the path to run scandisk. Just like IE7: Internet Explorer 7 is the name, Path is: C:\Windows\System32\IE7\IE7.exe whatever....

[modder]

[QUOTE=Ben Clarke;813509]I only have 1 HDD installed.

your hd is it plugged correctly ?

[spearman914]

And try replacing/using the SATA cable with another one and/or replacing/using the 4 pin connector.

[Black Panther]

Maybe you can download Damn Small Linux (http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/download.html) on USB, boot off it, and check into possible HDD problems from there?

Also, you can do a Windows Repair, maybe some file got missing from your boot.

[modder]

buy an other hd !
2 hd is better than 1 hd

[spearman914]

buy an other hd !
2 hd is better than 1 hd

Just like 2 heads is better then 1. But the problem is not about buying a new hd. He wants to solve the error.

[Ben Clarke]

Ran chkdsk from XP CD in recovery mode. Said it appeared in good condition, ran with /p flag, still said it was fine. Any other suggestions?

[modder]

change your conductor IDE cable.
HD is it hot ?
try this: at startup,push F8 key ,select ''last known good configuration''.

[Ben Clarke]

I have no idea what a conductor IDE cable is... The HDD is SATA... and yes, the HDD is hot... they usually are when the system has been powered on for 10 minutes.

[mikek75]

Have you returned your clocks to stock yet?

[modder]

I have no idea what a conductor IDE cable is... The HDD is SATA... and yes, the HDD is hot... they usually are when the system has been powered on for 10 minutes.
shut down your pc and wait ! when your hd it's cold try if is possible to boot.

[thoughtdisorder]

Ran chkdsk from XP CD in recovery mode. Said it appeared in good condition, ran with /p flag, still said it was fine. Any other suggestions?

/p flags good, I'm still thinking it's something in your boot sector and not hardware related.

Try this:

Insert your XP disk and boot from the disk
Select recovery console
follow the promts until you are in DOS
C:\windows
at the above prompts type FIXMBR

Why?
This will fix the Mater Boot Record for Windows it will ask you if you are sure and follow the prompts

once complete type CHKDSK /r
that is CHKDSK space /r
this will check the disk and repair any bad sectors

once complete type exit

[modder]

i'm ok with thoughtdisorder !

[panchoman]

its your boot sector, do the fixmbr method that thoughtdisorder has suggested, and if you cant do that, install grub..

[Ben Clarke]

fixmbr didn't work. It did say something about being invalid, though it didnt fix it. Chkdsk hangs at 50% after doing it.

EDIT: Cancel that. It does go, just very slowly. It's still running.

[Ben Clarke]

OK, FIXMBR didn't work. What now?

[modder]

at start up ,press "F8 key" , select "last know good configuration".

[Rurouni Strife]

attempt to use nother SATA socket on the mobo? I've had issues like that and it worked. My mobo was kinda wack.
after chkdsk runs, throw your HDD in a freezer and see if that works. if it does, back up what you can your HDD is dead.

[Ben Clarke]

attempt to use nother SATA socket on the mobo? I've had issues like that and it worked. My mobo was kinda wack.
after chkdsk runs, throw your HDD in a freezer and see if that works. if it does, back up what you can your HDD is dead.

Yeah, I've tried 2 different SATA ports on my board, neither work.

@modder: As I've said about 3 times before in the thread, I can't do anything with the disk. That includes anything to do with Windows.

[thoughtdisorder]

@modder: As I've said about 3 times before in the thread, I can't do anything with the disk. That includes anything to do with Windows.

No Ben, actually modder's got a point.

Power down your system completely. When you power it back on immediately hold down your F8 key until a screen appears. Hopefully the screen will have the option to boot to "last known good configuration" - (something like that). Highlight it and hit ENTER key.

[Ben Clarke]

Nope. Didn't work.

[Black Panther]

Some stuff to try:

1. Boot with XP CD.

2. Press R to load the Recovery Console.

3. Type bootcfg.

This should fix any boot.ini errors causing setup not to see the XP OS install.

If it doesn't work.................

Reboot, this time taking the immediate R option and if the CD letter is say K: give these commands

copy K:\i386\ntldr C:\
copy K:\i386\ntdetect.com C:\


1. Type: attrib -h -r -s C:\boot.ini del C:\boot.ini

2. Type: BootCfg /Rebuild

which will get rid of any damaged boot.ini, search the disk for systems and make a new one.

If that still doesn't work...
Did you try a normal Windows Repair, not through the console?

[Ben Clarke]

OK, I tried all of that, it didn't work... would now be a good time to give in and get a new drive? I can order one tonight and have it here by tomorrow if so... I'm fairly sure it's not the mothebroard because it POSTs fine, normal beep and everything, just this that doesn't work. Memtest86 is fine, can boot from CD, just nothing to do with the drive... would a new drive just be easier? I think it's physically damaged, my dad put a new door on my room while I was out, so some wood dust may have got in and damaged the circuitry? Or a mechanical failure because it's a 4 year old drive? Any more suggestions, or new drive time?

[modder]

4 year old ,new drive time !!!

[thoughtdisorder]

Hate to say it, but maybe it is new HD time. If that's the case, once you get your new drive you may be able to use the freezer trick to get your data off the old drive......

[AsRock]

Hate to say it, but maybe it is new HD time. If that's the case, once you get your new drive you may be able to use the freezer trick to get your data off the old drive......

Well maybe he could boot it up as NOT a bootable drive it's happened to me before..

[thoughtdisorder]

Well maybe he could boot it up as NOT a bootable drive it's happened to me before..

Yep, any and all suggestions are appreciated! As you can see from above, we've tried about everything.............

[Ben Clarke]

OK, thanks for your help guys. Ordering a 160GB drive in a few minutes, it'll be here tomorow (hopefully).

[agm_ultimatex]

yeah definatly time for new hard drive. Why not get bigger than 160gb though? Can get a lot better for your money. My friend showed me a 750gb for $100 on NCIX.

[Ben Clarke]

yeah definatly time for new hard drive. Why not get bigger than 160gb though? Can get a lot better for your money. My friend showed me a 750gb for $100 on NCIX.

Can only afford a 160GB. Anyway, just got here, installed Ubuntu, working fine. Going to install Vista, as soon as I find the disk.

Cheers guys.

Ben.

[thoughtdisorder]

Can only afford a 160GB. Anyway, just got here, installed Ubuntu, working fine. Going to install Vista, as soon as I find the disk.

Cheers guys.

Ben.

Let us know how you make out mate! Cheers.:toast:

[Ben Clarke]

Running fine. Previous HDD score in Vista was 5.2, now it's 5.6 (I'm putting that down to my outdated chipset though.) And, I don't have to wait 5 minutes for a map in Crysis to load anymore! YAY!

[modder]

happy end!