corrupt this,corrupt that.Is there an end to that?

[ArabGuy]

I KNOW THIS POST LOOKS LONG BUT I MADE IT AS INTERSETING AS POSSIBLE SO PLEASE READ IT..PLZ!
As you may know, people do sometimes get corrupted files every now and then, sadly i get corrupted files everyday, every hour, and god knows, maybe every minute.
So I Need your help ppl, your expert opinion on this. Ill try to make this as small as possible.
In a nutshell My problem is :ANY Data i put on my pc gets corrupted.
...In paragraphs ...hehehe you thought i was gonna let u go with the "nutshell" thing huh?....
Everything, EXCLUDING MOVIE FILES, that ive been downloading for the past year or so gets corrupted. and around 6 months ago I found out that when i move data around (like installing games, moving big files from my old computer to this computer) they ALSO got corrupted. I didnt know about the 2nd part because i never bothered to actually install any games to make sure they work. Now you're thinking ya his problem is simple ITS A VIRUS!. well Im just a little bit more than rookie in computers so i did my part before coming here.
No its not a virus, so far i formated about 8 times or so. You may think that its my windows thats causing this problem, and i can assure you that ive used at least 3 different Operating systems and I still got corrupted files. You may start thinking that its got to do with some software im using like a download manager or internet optimizer and i can tell u that I use the explorer download manager, and nothing else, becides how could those affect my game installation? they dont get downloaded from the internet but the data comes from my cd-rom or dvd-rom. Now you gotta be thinking that My harddrive is all messed up. well I tried my other hard drive from my old pc, i still have the same problem. Same thing goes for the RAM, I got my old pc's ram and installed it, and that didnt work either. Someone suggested that it maybe a videocard ram issue, i dont see how that could be but i tried another videocard and YEP, doesnt work either. I tried updating my bios, and i didnt c no improvments whatsoever.
Its kinda funny when i go into shops telling them what my problem is and them thinking that i was sent by their boss to see if they knew anything about computers.  
But no, im not testing no one here, this is a real problem that i cant seem to figure out, and i went on like 5 different computer help sites and many...and i mean many ppl,shops,technicians who either didnt have time for my pc or didnt wanna fix it or most likly didnt know what the heck is wrong with it
Now there is a "Weirder" part to my problem. the person who i built my computer at really wanted to help me. I had a warranty on this computer and He was putting it to use. He changed the ram and hard drive for me and he also SHOWED ME that when he plugs in his connection to the interenet (T1 connection) he downloaded 4 files ranging from 200 to 500 MB, and they worked fine, they extracted fine. After that he really couldnt help me alot more cuz he saw nothing wrong with it. Now I stopped going to this guy BEFORE my "installing corruption" happend. I never bothered to go to him cuz my warranty was over.
So i am basically in ur hands guys. i cant afford to buy a new computer and i am sure there is a way to solve this
So just to make sure u got everything right:
1)Any data that is copied onto my hdd gets corrupted
2)Changed many things in it and that didnt work
3)I can assure u, there is no virus on my hdd
4)I do not believe there are programs that are messing up my files
5)It is most likly a hardware issue, but WHICH
PC:
intel p4 2.4GHz
512 DDR RAM
DVD-ROM
CDRW
Ati Radeon 9000pro 128mb ddr ram
ECS P4VXASD2+ Motherboard
SoundBlaster5.1 gamer
If I missed anyting ask and ill answer
Please Respond to this post, dont just look and go on to another one. give ur opinion or whatever u have to say about this. Anything can fix my problem

[merlin_2]

hard drive ........have you run disk check....scandisk.....its possible that you have a boot sector virus.......try another brand new hard drive.....

[ArabGuy]

I did say i tried another harddrive.
That didnt work
becides i usually Install operating systems and download stuff right away..so there is no chance of things crashing or programs messing up my harddrive
Im pretty sure that it is not the hard-drive. Dont u think using my older pc's hard drive is good enough? if u think that getting a brand new harddrive will solve this, then plz reply

[merlin_2]

try a scan ......>http://housecall.trendmicro.com/   and disable the system restore feature..  i reason i said try a new hard drive because if the hard drive ......had bad sectors/blocks or boot sector...this would cause corupt files< do any of the hard drives clonk or  make usual nosies> also...if you have also used a floppy boot disk or ..it also may contain a  bootsector ....virus...try the above first.....and re-check your software by getting the anti-virus program to scan all disks.....dvd/cd/fd// before loaded them....

[Jacko_the_Wacko]

You probably have a boot sector virus.

But I can't help you.  

Try to look on the internet for a good online hard-drive scan. I think merlin posted one in this topic.

Jacko

[Neil]

What percisely do you mean by corrupted? In what way do they not work?

[ArabGuy]

K well its nice to see ppl actually thinking about my problem here
k first off lets get the main topic straightened out. I have 2 computers, i have the problem with the new one, NOT the old one. I download fine on the old one, infact all my updates, game demos and other files are downloaded on my old pc and then transfered to here through a network (usually i have to transfer them more than once cuz the first time i transfer the files onto this pc the files are most likly currupted). I am still going to try the website u sent me and ill post the results.

2nd thing..I have a virus scanner (as i said in the begining   ) and i cant find no boot sector virus. but ill still do the online scan thing.

3d thing for Niel and everyone else who is still confused about how the files get corrupted. Lets say we have a zip file with 10 files in it. lets say i extract the files and file #3 is corrupt. I download that same file again and i try to extract the 10 files. NOW its file #7 that is corrupt, #3 extracts fine!. its not always the same file that gets corrupt. it happens randomly out of nowhere[/u]. So when try to install a game for example, sometimes the game says there is a sound file corrupt, then the 2nd time i install it says there is a Texture file corrupt, and so on

[ArabGuy]

BTW, if i formated my hard drive, doesnt that get rid of the virus? cuz i said in my first post that i formated like 8 times

[ArabGuy]

K I scanned and did not find any viruses on the housecall website.

[dl65]

ArabGuy.......LOL......your post is soooooo funny.
First , please state your o/s ....... Then please enlighten us as to which anti virus program you have installed and presumably working on the pc in question.
Now then.......perhaps you would be so kind as to define the "Corupted Files " phrase you keep using . Please provide an example for us ......

dl65  

[ArabGuy]

dl65, thank u for the comment. I know ppl dont like to read and i know that my post was gonna be long so i made it as interesting as possible.
So back to business. I am currently running windows xp Pro. I Also tried my problem on windows 95, 98 SE, WinME, Win2000.. non of them work, so win xp is not gonna be any better

My Antivirus Is currently (and the only one i ever used) norton antivirus 2003

I just scanned also using a website a person posted it 20 mins ago (no virus found)

My corrupted files i kinda explained the post above and im pretty sure u missed it but here it is again

3d thing for Niel and everyone else who is still confused about how the files get corrupted. Lets say we have a zip file with 10 files in it. lets say i extract the files and file #3 is corrupt. I download that same file again and i try to extract the 10 files. NOW its file #7 that is corrupt, #3 extracts fine!. its not always the same file that gets corrupt. it happens randomly out of nowhere[/u]. So when try to install a game for example, sometimes the game says there is a sound file corrupt, then the 2nd time i install it says there is a Texture file corrupt, and so on

So basically all types of data (from exe to rar to bik to rom to iso to etc. etc.) EXCEPT movie files (avi, mpeg, mpg, etc) gets corrupted (as in windows cant open it, as in BIG RED X SIGN lol ,).

Now im not sure why movie files do not get corrupted, but i think they do in a way but Media players just can bypass the corrupted info and replace it with something else. im not sure im not that much of an expert to say anything.

[dl65]

ArabGuy...So if I understand you........its only files which you unzip which may become "damaged".........
What program do you use to unzip these files ?

"EXCEPT movie files (avi, mpeg, mpg, etc) gets corrupted (as in windows cant open it, as in BIG RED X SIGN lol ,). "  What do you mean a big red X ? Dont you have Sun Systems java installed ?
WMP........will open those AVI files  

Re your Norton 2003 AV ..........what is the subscription renewal date displayed ?

let us know

dl65  

[ArabGuy]

Basically ur right, mostly they r zip files (because most files are now zipped) i use winrar and winzip
what i meant about the red big x sign is the error message where it says something like "The installation file you are trying to run is either damaged or corrupt, please optain another copy"

also u know how in winrar if there is a corrupt file it will tell u what file it is and so on, thats also part of "the big red x"

i just used that as an expression..

[ArabGuy]

Oh and about the nav, the subscribtion is not old, i just formated a couple of days ago and i installed nav when i installed windows

[dl65]

ArabGuy......So whats the subscription date on your Norton AV......?

dl65  

[dl65]

ArabGuy......So you just formatted 2 days ago and already all your files are damaged or corrupted?

dl65  

[ArabGuy]

Oh simpilest question yet
Yes
they are corrupted. and i got proof
hey Btw u dont happen to use any chatting program like MSN ..or maybe we can use IRC

[ArabGuy]

12/12/2005 for my subs.

[ArabGuy]

Something weird just happend
I just saw that my computer is only recognizing 31.4gb of my 80gb HDD.
Why is that? is it because i formated too many times?

[merlin_2]

maybe you need one of these>http://www.handyarchive.com/free/lost-disk-space/

[ArabGuy]

What the....
Ok That doesnt Make sence, ive never seen this b4
You guys know how u can check the actual folder size and the folder on the HDD ? Isnt the actual size supposed to be equal or smaller than the size of the folder on the hdd?
Well in my Windows folder, the actual size of it is 2.25GB but the size of the folder on the hdd is 1.76 GB
how could that be?

[ArabGuy]

all those programs posted there are just to clean up the unwanted files...ahh god why are u doing this to me

[ArabGuy]

Melin_2 Can u maybe go to irc chatroom that computerhope has and we can chat live?

[merlin_2]

I just saw that my computer is only recognizing 31.4gb of my 80gb HDD.  
Why is that? is it because i formated too many times
------------------------------------------------------------------------
yes ...and now we no what has caused file coruption??
have a look at this>http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/format_XP.htm

[ArabGuy]

I dont understand..
I kinda know how to install a fresh copy of win xp..i did do it on my old pc and my old pc is working fine

[Computer_Commando]

This sounds as if it's a memory problem.  Are you using the proper DDR memory?  Check all BIOS memory settings, i.e. CAS timing, etc.

[dl65]

ArabGuy......For some reason you dont like to answer the questions asked.......Either you are yanking our chains or you have invoked the wrath of Allah.......No one could have all the problems you describe ........
My advice to you is to take the newer pc outside and put a bullet through its CPU ......and then use the old pc...........LOL

dl65  

[ArabGuy]

for computer commando:
I thought that it was My ram... Yes it is DDR ram...how do i make sure that my setting are correct? I did go into bios and made my pc "optimal" insted of default.

For dl65:
U dont know How many times i thought about taking out my gun and testing it on my new pc.
Also, I DID answer allllllllllllllll of ur questions and everyone else's questions, just read the above posts. u asked me what antivirus i had and its subscribtion date and i answer that, u asked me something else and i also answered it
I answerd all questions, and lets just hope Allah isnt doing this to me cuz i angered him..

[merlin_2]

Sent by a camel with the hump lmao>yes ...and now we no what has caused file coruption??
have a look at this>http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/format_XP.htm
{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{ did you follow the above

if you dont format your drive..winxp will continue to load.......and you may find loads of files on the hard drive.like 3.1g.....try disk inspector to find...out<software>or has the pc got sand ..in the case....

[ArabGuy]

Merlin
I formated So many times..i just formated 3 days ago installed win 98 and then installed winxp upgrade.
I formated so many times that 1 of my friends told me that my HDD will get messed up if i formated it again

[2k dummy]

Suggestion:
Start with a new, fresh, clean bootdisk. DO NOT create the boot disk from the machine that is giving trouble. If necessary, go to your good machine and download a boot disk from bootdisk.com. Make sure the boot disk is write protected BEFORE you attempt to use it. Boot up the problem machine and fdisk and format from the new boot disk. Reinstall Windows from an original Windows CD (no copied CD). Scan for viruses on any and all disks you are using to install or restore progams from.

[ArabGuy]

thx 2k for the suggestion, but believe me i did exactly what u did, and that did not fix it.
a comp technitian told me to do that, and then the 2nd time i went to his shop and we did what u said together...nothing near good news

[Computer_Commando]

for computer commando:
I thought that it was My ram... Yes it is DDR ram...how do i make sure that my setting are correct? I did go into bios and made my pc "optimal" insted of default...

Does memory speed "match" FSB speed?  Try "Default" instead of "Optimal".  With all these problems, I still think it's a memory issue.

[ArabGuy]

Computer Commando,
The thing is I a starting to believe that the problem is coming from the motherboard and the cmos setup. even though I did update my cmos recintly, and the setup went back to default (manufature settings).
so Im not sure. I did once a test and tried 2 sticks of 256mb SDRAM, and i was disappointed as i found out my pc is reading 449mb insted of 512. i tried the 2 sticks on another pc and that pc reported 512 fine.

[Computer_Commando]

...I did update my cmos recintly, and the setup went back to default (manufature settings)...

Your motherboard.

A recent BIOS update:  030117 01/17/03 AMI® BIOS. Adjust timing for stability and compatibility

Latest Version:  030310 03/06/03 AMI® BIOS. Patch code for 'auto power on' issue
http://www.ecsusa.com/downloads/p4vxasd2_5x.html

[ArabGuy]

Yep thats the version i have

[Computer_Commando]

Your motherboard says Award BIOS.  BIOS updates say AMI BIOS.  Which one is it?

Award BIOS Settings

[ArabGuy]

ah man...
this is weird. u just got me confused, but ur right
I got the only update they had..i set it up to default and i left it like that
*censored* too many things can go wrong...i hate this
im getting fed up with the bs
the cheapest motherboard that i can find is like 400 dollars, i cant pay that for a motherboard. Im a broke Arab guy, for now

[Computer_Commando]

...u just got me confused, but ur right
I got the only update they had..i set it up to default and i left it like that
*censored* too many things can go wrong...

It's printed right on the BIOS chip, AMI or Award.  It's probably AMI even though data sheet says Award.  It's a timing problem, in Windows hard drives uses DMA (direct memory access).  If timing is a little off, symptoms are exactly as you describe.  Previous BIOS update fixed a timing problem, so I am pretty sure that's what's wrong.

Maybe time to contact ECS?  Maybe they'll just send you a new mobo, could be something they know about.

[ArabGuy]

Commando
I think u have my problem's solution, i think it would be great if we were able to chat live, thats better and faster way to get this problem solved
whatever communication tool like MSN, IRC, aim, whatever u have i will get the program and try to chat with u My email is [email protected] if u want to keep whatever info private from forums

I cant figure out how to get the timing to be correct so i dunno, i checked out those websites but they just give general info

[merlin_2]

have you recieved any checksum errors>http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/sys/booterrGBER08-c.html

i still go for a boot sector or bios virus on this one .......have you tried taking out the cmos battery fro five minutes and replacing it......**caution is needed**.....if unsure dont do it.... and the hard drive saga   if you have re-installed winxp on top of win98 thats where the drive space has gone......use a fresh boot disk and fdisk/format the drive.......and i think you have not done any of the suggestions made !!!like i have tried this and that...........

[Neil]

Format the harddrive and use it on your good computer. Make sure your good computer harddrives are removed to prevent infection. Try it. Then we will know once and for all if it is a virus or motherboard problem.

[ArabGuy]

Ya i tried that Suggestion...
I put the hard drive that is in the problem computer ON my good computer.
It works perfectly, thats why i know its not the harddrive

[ArabGuy]

Merlin_2
when i say my computer reads 31.4GB, and that 50 GB is gone and the win xp cant recognize (but some program i think it was norton doctor did recognize that all space is 74.soemthing equaling 80 gb) that means that there is something other than files taking up space...i dont think windows files will take 50 gb of space if i installed win xp over win 98 from what i understand...maybe it would but i highly doubt it

[Computer_Commando]

Questions:

1.  Are you overclocking?
2.  I assume you have motherboard manual?
3.  CPU adjustment voltages are proper?
4.  Is DDR memory DDR200, DDR266, DDR333?
5.  What are BIOS settings for DRAM Clock/Drive Control?

You said:  "...I did go into bios and made my pc "optimal" insted of default..."  Try loading Fail-Safe Defaults instead of Optimized Defaults.

Try this free diagnostic tool Click here.

[ArabGuy]

Computer Commander,
Questions:

1.  Are you overclocking?
2.  I assume you have motherboard manual?
3.  CPU adjustment voltages are proper?
4.  Is DDR memory DDR200, DDR266, DDR333?
5.  What are BIOS settings for DRAM Clock/Drive Control?

Answers:
1. No
2. Yes
3. I believe so
4. I think its DDR333
4+1. not sure i will try to find out, would be nice if u told me where to go though

Now about that diagnostic tool u sent me (thx btw)  ill list everything that it lists here
CPU-Z Report

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CPU-Z version 1.26.


CPU(s)  
Number of CPUs 1

Name Intel Pentium 4
Code Name Northwood
Specification Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.40GHz
Family / Model / Stepping F 2 7
Extended Family / Model 0 0
Brand ID 9
Package mPGA-478
Core Stepping C1
Technology 0.13 µ
Supported Instructions Sets MMX, SSE, SSE2
CPU Clock Speed 2400.1 MHz
Clock multiplier x 18.0
Front Side Bus Frequency 133.3 MHz
Bus Speed 533.4 MHz
L1 Data Cache 8 KBytes, 4-way set associative, 64 Bytes line size
L1 Trace Cache 12 Kµops, 8-way set associative
L2 Cache 512 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64 Bytes line size
L2 Speed 2400.1 MHz (Full)
L2 Location On Chip
L2 Data Prefetch Logic yes
L2 Bus Width 256 bits

 

Mainboard and chipset  
Motherboard manufacturer ECS
Motherboard model P4VXASD2+, 1.0
BIOS vendor American Megatrends Inc.
BIOS revision 07.00T
BIOS release date 04/02/01
Chipset VIA P4X266 (VT8753) rev. 1
Southbridge VIA VT8235 rev. 0
Sensor chip IT 0

Graphic Interface AGP
AGP Status enabled, rev. 2.0
AGP Data Transfert Rate 4x
AGP Max Rate 4x
AGP Side Band Addressing supported, enabled
AGP Aperture Size 64 MBytes

 

Memory  
DRAM Type DDR-SDRAM
DRAM Size 512 MBytes
DRAM Frequency 133.3 MHz
FSB:DRAM 1:1
DRAM Interleave 4-way
CAS# Latency 2.0 clocks
RAS# to CAS# 3 clocks
RAS# Precharge 3 clocks
Cycle Time (TRAS) 6 clocks
# of memory modules 1
Module 0 Jade Star Technologies DDR-SDRAM PC2700 - 512 MBytes

 

Software  
Windows version Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)  
DirectX version 9.0c

[Mac]

Does your computer have flat IDE cables or round IDE cables? Many of the round IDE cables are prone to cross-talk which gives rise to data corruption.

The cure? Fit flat IDE cables and keep them short.

[ArabGuy]

ya i got flat IDE cables
so the cure isnt that ...i wish it was man...seriously i wish it was

[Mac]

Have you tried re-seating your RAM modules & Processor?  Heat sink OK, temperature OK, fans OK?

Run DocMemory on the RAM to check for errors.

I was hoping you had round cables!

Are the flat cables OK?

Are you running on FAT32 or NTFS? Are your Master File Tables big enough?

Try using Diskeeper 9 Professional with Frag-Shield to check their size and run chkdsk.

There is a 30-day evaluation trial period for DK9.

Which Anti-Virus scanner are you using? Are any files excluded from scanning? Have you tried on-line scanners from Symantec, Trend-Micro & Panda?

I use all of them.

Anti-Trojan scanners: SpyBot SD, AdAware SE, SpywareBlaster.

Selling the computer to someone else like the Government? They like a bit of corruption so they say. ;-)

[Mac]

OK, run chkdsk and check the free-space on the drive(s).

What do you see when you open, Administrative Tools, Computer Management, Disk Management? Is there an un-apportioned, unformatted, drive-space there?

80Gb = 80,000,000,000 Bytes. Divided by 1024 three times gives:

78125000 Kb
76294 Mb
74·51 Gb

So start over. Partition the drive so you can service it easily and can image the C: drive easily for restoring in future. Delete the old ones first!

8192Mb for drive C: (8·0Gb) Operating system and programs.
8192Mb for drive C: (8·0Gb) Move the My Documents folder to this drive.
3072Mb for drive E: (3·0Gb) Move the Email folder to this drive.
The rest for drive F: For Music & Video. (Large files.)

Format all drives to NTFS. Put in 1024Mb of RAM.

That is my layout as I have an 80Gb drive as well.

"Something weird just happened.

I just saw that my computer is only recognizing 31.4Gb of my 80gb HDD. Why is that? Is it because I formatted too many times?

>>>See if your drive manufacturer has a low-level formatter and drive diagnotic bootdisk.

I thought that it was my RAM. Yes it is, DDR RAM. How do I make sure that my settings are correct? I did go into BIOS and made my pc "optimal" instead of default.

>>>Go back to the Default settings.

I answered all questions, and let's just hope Allah isn't doing this to me cuz I angered him. (Him)

Al 'Illah, El Shaddaï. The Effective Cause, Effendi!

He will, if you are using the computer for the wrong purpose. All-Seeing, All-Knowing.

The Eye of "Horus" shall be upon you and "Thot" shall KNOW you, you shall turn to water and flow away into the Sea of the Nun from whence you came.

It is the curse of the Mummy for raiding the Tombs of the Kings.

Dire!

IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIO it's off to work we go! Binary, don't you know.

Io orbiting Jupiter, with the Sun God RA/RE and the satanic Saturn with "his" mad "hat", the rings of Saturn!

One more thing. Ditch Norton and try AVG 7 Free Edition.

[ArabGuy]

lol dude, this is turning to a "religion Lecture"
is this supposed to be good? im not sure..Ill try out the disk management thingy and ill reply back

[ArabGuy]

K, what i have in the disk management is as Follows:
Volume: C,  Layout: Partition, Type: Basic, FS:NTFS, Status: Healthy(system), Capacity 31.49 GB (THATS WHATS BUGGING ME!!), Free Space: 7.01 , Free %: 22%, Fault Tolerance: no, Overload: 0%


Thats Crazy, thats all i c, the rest of my drive (yes 74.something but it is easier just to write 80 ) IS no where to be seen, as if my pc is stealing my space and thinking i DID NOT NOTICE THAT!
stupid pc's ...u c what happens when u spoil ur pc with too many good parts? its starts wanting more new parts and i am not getting it new parts NO WAY...hehehe

[Mac]

Just back-up your data and delete the partition and then start over.

Ist time make one drive so you see the full 80Gb (Decimal.) and FULL format it to remove any data.

At this stage you can run your drive diagnostics and see if there is a drive problem which can be handled within any warranty period you may have left.

Then delete that drive and re-partition.

Again FULL format all drives.

Quick formatting is a waste of time.

[Mac]

Lol dude, this is turning to a "Religion Lecture"
is this supposed to be good? I'm not sure. I'll try out the disk management thingy and I'll reply back.

The joke is, it depends on whether you want to be mummyfied by your mummy (Mother) ...

Curses!  

Shhhh, Jesus Wepped for a tonic.

[ArabGuy]

Alright Im gonna do a full format, ill still be contacting u guys through my other computer if i cant see the full drive in DOS
Ill do the format As soon as i finish writing this message, which is about....NOW !

[Mac]

OK, we'll then need a résumé of what has been done.

Where are you living as regards temperature?

Is data being corrupted via the modem connection, or is data copied from computer, to CD, to computer also getting corrupted?

[Cezar]

Well hi!
All I can think about is may be the IDE interface bacause
All the rest you have checked...
May be the PCI IDE card can fix your problem ...
Otherwise it`s something I can`t imagine to myself ...
....

[merlin_2]

Maybe stuck in the chimney with a camel:) old post:(