Computer Hope
Hardware => Hardware => Topic started by: stringo0 on April 11, 2008, 08:24:23 AM
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Hi,
I just finished repairing windows and ran a full system scan with definitions updated since 7/4/2008, a problem fixed with your help here - http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,54876.0.html
After the repair, things worked fine, but the computer would freeze for a second or so every now and then - so I'm playing Call of Duty 4, and a sudden freeze every now and then, almost not noticeable.
So I figure might as well run a defrag - I analyze the drive, windows recommends a defrag, so I defrag overnight (500gb drive). I come back in the morning, defrag is completed. I click view report, nothing. I can move the mouse, but not click anything.
So I reboot. The initial bios screen listing components takes MUCH longer that usual - listing the dvd drive and hard drive. Then it goes to the next screen, and gives a message along the lines of please attach/insert a boot drive and press a key.
I turn it off, come back after an hour or so, and now the BIOS screen loads sooner, but nothing after.
Few other concerns:
1. The freezing also happened the same night after which I had to repair windows.
2. Windows update failed to install the latest update, which was the new windows update manager (3.1?)
3. The internet connection kept resetting every 30 minutes or so - as in it would be gone for less than a second, but it was long enough to disconnect me from Lord of the rings online. - This did not happen before the windows repair. Internet provided by Rogers cable, through a DLink router.
System Specs:
Windows XP Professional SP2 with all updates. [Legal Tongue]
3 GB of DDR 333 RAM (2x512 and 2x1gb in dual channel mode)
500 GB Seagate hard drive (about half way used)
Asrock 939Dual - http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=939Dual-SATA2&s=n
AMD Athlon 3800+ Dual Core (FX?)
Geforce 8800 GTO 512MB from BFG
Generic DVD writer.
Latest Update:
I ran the Seagate diagnostics which I ran 2 times before, and this time during the short test I got an error message saying failure detected, please run the long test - so I'm running the long test atm, will keep this thread updated.
Any and all help is appreciated, thanks!
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The Seagate long test came up with lots of errors this time - only 2 before - atleast 90- errors this time, with block numbers from 6169220 to 6195829
CORRECTION: I was able to repair 90ish errors, going through the test again to repair the rest.
Do I assume it's the hd then? What do you guys think/suggest
It's a SATA II drive. It has some options in BIOS, like Turbo Drive/Normal Drive, run in IDE mode etc.
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So what is the current situation?
IS SeaTools still reporting errors for the drive?
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So what is the current situation?
IS SeaTools still reporting errors for the drive?
Right after trying those errors, I'm unable to use the tools properly for some reason - it goes to the exit screen after I agree to the agreement, retrying after reboot :|
Update: Able to run it after reboot, running long test now - will keep you all updated.
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With the long test at 0%, I get a lot of errors (91 to repair right now, still at 0%).
I'm thinking something is wrong with then hd, or the motherboard.
This is weird - yesterday when I ran the HD test, 2 errors popped up after 100% of the long test which took hours to complete. I ran the long test twice, and both times only 2 errors popped up.
Any ideas based on this?
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While trying to repair the errors the second time, I did the same as before - repair each one by one (Couldn't select repair all), and after 90 or so were repaired, it automatically exited the seatools graphical interface to the seagate boot Dos prompt - this is what happened before as well, when I fixed the other errors earlier.
Update: Running long test again, now past 0% at one percent - 5 errors so far. I'm thinking it might have been just a cluster between 6million and 7 million (LBA). Right now it's at 13million something, no errors since the 7million ones.
Will keep this thread updated.
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That drive definitely has issues...check your purchase date. Some Seagate drives carry a 5 year warranty.
Start backing up your data.
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That drive definitely has issues...check your purchase date. Some Seagate drives carry a 5 year warranty.
Start backing up your data.
I'm going to wait till the long test completes, unless you recommend otherwise.
I bought this drive recently, so I'm sure it's under warranty still.
Would you suggest the same if I'm able to fix all the errors? Only bumped into 5 after fixing those other ones, at 3% now.
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A new drive shouldn't have a single error, I would return it.
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A new drive shouldn't have a single error, I would return it.
It's been a few months, not sure exactly how many - but definitely less than a year has been completed. I'd rather not return it until I'm sure it's gone or definitely going to be dead, as I probably have to ship it to Seagate or something like that :[
Correction: I think it's definitely been more than 8 months.
If this helps any, the Drive Information from Seatools says "SMART Has NOT Been Tripped"
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In the end it is your choice to replace or not. I'm just saying I wouldn't trust a drive that SeaTools can't give a clean bill of health.
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In the end it is your choice to replace or not. I'm just saying I wouldn't trust a drive that SeaTools can't give a clean bill of health.
Roger that - can a faulty drive cause the freezes? I'm going to try to fix all these errors, and try to call Seagate about this.
Will keep this thread posted, thanks for the help and tips.
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Yes.
A faulty/failing HDD can cause all kinds of issues.
I'd get an imaging program such as DriveImage or Acronis and create an image of the Data and burn it to CD/DVD.
I'd then format the drive and send it back for replacement.
But as Deerpark says that is your choice...
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If this helps any, I was running the SATA 2 Drive under IDE mode, not SATA mode - this was during the entire repair process.
I forgot to reset it after.
Also, before the repair/defrag, there were only 2 errors. After I fixed the 180 errors that popped up after, only 7 errors showed up after a full long test.
Could the symptoms be caused by anything else?
What is Turbo driving for the Hard Disk? In the BIOS there's an option for Normal or Turbo driving - it's currently at Normal.
Thanks again.
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Where can I check jumper settings for the hard drive? The diagnostics tool said no hard drive recognized, check cables etc. and jumper settings.
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Most SATA drives do not have jumpers.
I wouldn't recommend the Turbo setting in the BIOS.
Where was it set to run in IDE Mode ? ?
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Most SATA drives do not have jumpers.
I wouldn't recommend the Turbo setting in the BIOS.
Where was it set to run in IDE Mode ? ?
The IDE mode was set in BIOS - the options were SATA or IDE.
I tried to connect the drive to the regular SATA slots on the motherboard - but it wasn't recognized, so I plugged it back into the SATA II slot. The computer booted into Windows this time, and I'm using this time to backup data just in case - I called Seagate and they said I can send in the drive for a new one, so I'm planning on doing that once I'm sure.
Seagate suggested a zero clean - wiping the drive with zeros, fixing any bad sectors. What do you think of that?
I'm using about 250GB of the drive, which is hard to back up without losing something :|
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It seems to boot into windows, but Seatools cannot detect the drive :[
Do the backup programs you mentioned compess the data? (DriveImage XML and Acronis). I don't have anything that I can backup 250GB on. I do have a 60 GB External drive though - I can backup crucial files, but games, videos etc. can be reinstalled.
The windows CHKDSK came on this time, and said the following many times for different segments:
Deleting corrupt attrobute record (128, "")
from file record segment 402349
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.
Deleting corrupt file record segment 80474.
File record segment 393028 is unreadable.
(Said the above for segments 393028-393035)
Deleting orphan file record segment 200.
.
.
Verifying indexes (Stage 2 of 3)
Deleting an index entry from index $0 of file 25. (Will post rest in the next post, it's currently running).
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After the CHKDSK Procedure, I seem to be able to boot Windows fine.
However, The Seatools boot disc cannot recognize the drive. Seatools Windows can't seem to recognize the drive either.
Any suggestions?
I'm going to see if I face any other problems, or else I'll keep using the pc as is after backing up data - any more guidance on the backup tools would be great.
Update:
BIOS seems to recognize the Hard Disk, but tools from the Ultimate Boot Disc don't seem to recognize any drives connected.
This seems weird to me as the pc continues to load into windows :[
Seagate Tech Support said the drive is probably bad, but can you give an explanation as to why windows seems to be booting fine, I can access data and install things but the dos tools can't detect the drive :[ ?
I don't want to be annoying/arrogant - it's just that I want to avoid having to backup and restore 250GB of data if i can.
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Additionally, Right after the install I was unable to install the Windows updates. Only one update was found, Windows Update 3.1, which fails every time, and it keeps trying to install it.
I manually downloaded the file(KB893803v2), but it doesn't install with this error:
Access is denied.
(Then it undoes changes, and restarts the computer)
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Latest update: Windows is loading fine, I'm able to play games for hours with no problems.
But - no hard drive tool detects the hard drive properly. It simply shows up as ST350063 0AS SCSI Disk Device
Seems to be working fine :[
Any idea what could be causing this? Maybe some weird access feature on the hd is broken?