PC Problem - Hard Drive??

[MattW]

Ok, been trying to sort an Advent PC for a mate. All started with some random Blue Screens i think, then got to point where it would just re-boot virtually as soon as it started.

So, he tried to run the recovery application (without format), with recovery partition. That wouldn't work, kept erroring when it tried to copy certain files. Not always at same time/same files. Then i tried the format option, same problem - but then it blue screened during trying to recover.

As a kind of last resort, thought i's try a full format, and installing a fresh copy of XP from a genuine disk - kind of wasn't worried about serial number, initially just to see if it would work.

Did the full format on the partition that his operating system was on before (took an age!!), then it ran the copy files part of setup. Got about 60% through, and said it couldn't copy certain files (3 or 4 i think) - allowed me to skip. Then it ran the main (more graphical) part of setup, and again got so far and blue screened.

I can't quite get my head around it, kind of seems like HD is partially dead, and yet it kind of seems to partially work. Tried a different CD just in case it was that, identical.

Any ideas??

 

[JackoR26]

Have you tried a different CD drive?

 

[Jun]

I'd run a memtest for a couple of hours to rule out either bad RAM or RAM slots on the motherboard.

 

[MattW]

Jacko, not tried a different drive. Surely would be unlucky to fail at same point on 2 different disks?? and the recovery partition won't work either.

Jun, yeah sounds like a plan - what's easiest way to do that with no valid OS running?

 

[Jun]

Download the memtest86 iso and then burn it onto a CD, which you can boot off before the OS loads. Make sure that the CD drive is first in the boot order in the BIOS.

http://www.memtest.org/

 

[Darren S]

Ok, been trying to sort an Advent PC for a mate. All started with some random Blue Screens i think, then got to point where it would just re-boot virtually as soon as it started.

So, he tried to run the recovery application (without format), with recovery partition. That wouldn't work, kept erroring when it tried to copy certain files. Not always at same time/same files. Then i tried the format option, same problem - but then it blue screened during trying to recover.

As a kind of last resort, thought i's try a full format, and installing a fresh copy of XP from a genuine disk - kind of wasn't worried about serial number, initially just to see if it would work.

Did the full format on the partition that his operating system was on before (took an age!!), then it ran the copy files part of setup. Got about 60% through, and said it couldn't copy certain files (3 or 4 i think) - allowed me to skip. Then it ran the main (more graphical) part of setup, and again got so far and blue screened.

I can't quite get my head around it, kind of seems like HD is partially dead, and yet it kind of seems to partially work. Tried a different CD just in case it was that, identical.

Any ideas??

I'd be inclined to say that the HDD is shot. Taking absolutely ages to reinstall an O/S usually points to a knackered hard drive. Not always, but its the most likely cause.

D.

 

[Mike_182]

That or a boned optical drive. If you've got a USB optical drive (CD drive) and it will boot from that, there's an excellent starting point.

However 9/10, I'd say HDD.

 

[shadowsun]

Had this problem with an Acer machine - kept rebooting and BSOD'ing for no reason what so ever. Thought it might be the hard drive because it was unusally noisey but it turned out the motherboard had given up. Only lasted 6 months - needless to say I sent it back.

 

[KDF]

I'd run a memtest for a couple of hours to rule out either bad RAM or RAM slots on the motherboard.

That or a boned optical drive. If you've got a USB optical drive (CD drive) and it will boot from that, there's an excellent starting point.

However 9/10, I'd say HDD.

Pretty much exactly what I was thinking...

Try Memtest first (probably not as faulty ram would probably cause random failures at different places)

Then different optical drive and if you can different optical media

then do a full drive test.

 

[MattW]

Well, looks like it's Memtest FTW. Ran it this morning, and load of errors, on all tests, at same positions - between 640mb ish and 740 ish. Luckily Ram was split on 2x 512 sticks, so took 2nd one out and re ran tests, no errors. Could still be mother board slot i guess.

Haven't tried re-install yet, that's tomorrow's job!

 

[Darren S]

Well, looks like it's Memtest FTW. Ran it this morning, and load of errors, on all tests, at same positions - between 640mb ish and 740 ish. Luckily Ram was split on 2x 512 sticks, so took 2nd one out and re ran tests, no errors. Could still be mother board slot i guess.

Haven't tried re-install yet, that's tomorrow's job!

Good test, Matt. Are you replacing the 2nd stick straight away or making do with 512MB to see if it throws up any more issues?

D.

 

[Jun]

Put the RAM stick in the other slot now to check whether it's the RAM or slot that's faulty.

 

[MattW]

Not got round to doing any tests with the RAM, but did install Windows today with no problems, so it's definitely either stick or slot. Potentially tomorrow's job to go further with the RAM tests!