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Harddrive Problems


jb5679

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I'm not sure if anyone will be able to help me on this but here it goes.

Lately my laptop has been having hard times booting up. The first problem is starting windows where it says it can't find my harddrive (yah....what the hell)...randomnly it can continue beyond this, and loads windows. At times, while loading windows a random file fails (after several minutes of loading) and I have to restart my computer, resulting in working through the whole situation again. If I make it into Windows, it takes forever to load my startup, and sometimes it doesn't even perform this task and just gives me a blue screen to restart to. If it makes it into windows, random programs seem to take a ridiculous amount of time to process, just as a for instance, Id be typing in Microsoft Word and my computer locks up for about 30-45 seconds before showing all the typing I had done during that time... Anyone have any ideas? I'd prefer not to have to buy a new harddrive. Thanls

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Well, what brand of laptop is it, many brands have a diagnostic partition that you can boot to to run hardware tests.

The next time it blue screens write down the stop code (the 0x057283 ... ...) thing, and goto microsoft and search for that.

Unfortunetly it sounds like a ahrd drive issue, if it ends up being so, then goto www.newegg.com and buy a new one.

WC

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You haven't given enough information to say either way. When I worked at the dell warranty depot, we saw this all the time, it usually ended up a bad harddrive. There is really no way to fix a bad harddrive, you just replace it.

While the computer is starting up, and sending all that text across the screen, start tapping F12. A menu should pop up, pick the one that is the diagnositc menu.

It'll run some quick tests, then if it passes all of thsoe, it will give you options to run more tests, select custom tests and then run a test on the harddrive.

WC

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Ah, I guess I'm computer stupid, I did the computer checklist thing for the most part but never for the harddrive, I guess mainly cuz I'm a drunken idiot, haha.

WC, ya mentioned you worked at a Dell place, did the Dell cd for tech help normally aid in fixing the problem or is it basically a .....f' it, I'm done...thing? hehe

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If your hard drive is bad, you can't fix it, only replace it. Something to keep in mind with Dell Warranty, it only covers hardware. If your software were pooched, then warranty wouldn't cover it, they would charge you to fix it.

As far as I am aware with Dell, the diagnostic cds are just that, diagnostics only. They won't fix anything for you. Not that a cd will ever fix any hardware issues anyway.

But every dell has that diagnositc partition, so it would be well worth it to run any harddrive tests that version of the diagnositcs have. And if it fails, well you know what the problem is, if not, then I would back up all you've got that needs to be saved and try a reformat.

I wish I could give you more pointers over the net, but it is kind of difficult to do.

so lets see...

1) Back everything up you want saved.

2) Boot to Diagnositic parition (while system is starting, before windows starts to load, continually tap F12 and select the diagnostic partition. The diagnositics should have a nice GUI for you to mouse around.)

It may be worth it to run a complete hardware test because it could possibly be your motherboard, maybe... maybe your ram, or some other peice of hardware. (I once had a system refuse to boot because the add in network card was toast)

3) When the system blue screens again, copy down the five numbers that are given at the end, they will be 0x...... (0x....... 0x....... 0x....... 0x....... ) and then search for them at microsoft. (microsoft posts what those errors are and if there is a way to fix them)

4)If all else fails, reformat your computer. Any hardware issues should rear their ugly heads when you reformat the system. Also, if the issues presist after the reformat, you know it's nothing with the software.

If it does end up being the harddrive, it isn't that expensive to replace; $60 for a 40g to about $100 for an 80g. And you can easily replace a dell harddrive yourself, and if it is the harddrive, and you decided to replace it, I will be glad to send you a step by step(believe me it's really easy, it's pretty much step one, replace harddrive... it's just unscrewing two screws, pulling on a surface made for pulling, unscrewing four more screws, switching harddrives, screwing in four screws, pushing in a surface made for pushing, and screwing in two screws.) process to replacing the hard drive. And doing it yourself, you get to pick how much you spend on the harddrive, and don't have to pay for labor, which will run you around $45-100 more, and more money if you want them to install windows for you.

I'm always happy to help.

WC

Edit: Oh, and I worked at a Dell Warranty Depot. What this means is I worked at an independant store who dell paid to do warranty work for them. We also were a warranty depot for IBM/Lonova and Apple. All three of those companies would tend not to tell us ****, because we were not their employees and generally would try to screw us. Still I was/am a real certified computer technician with Dell, IBM/Lonova and Apple(apple to a small degree). I'm not saying that makes me instantly right with anything I say about these computers or that it makes me awesome(really, a trained monkey could have done that job), I'm just letting people know that what I say about these kinds of computers are based on a lot of experiance working hands on with these computers.

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Here are some links for you to look through specific to your computer:

Using Dell Diagnostics:

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins8200/en/sm_en/diag.htm#1084976

General Troubleshooting:

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins8200/en/sm_en/solving.htm#1138296

And for removing your hard drive, if it ends up being needed:

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins8200/en/sm_en/hdd.htm#1084976

WC

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Yeah, don't be like the Kids on Star Trek or any of the other Sci Fi shows who are seemingly helpless anytime they have a semi-sentient computer virus or something.

Keep that stuff backed up, so when the pompous SSCV starts controling your transporter and beaming people off the ship and shutting down the life support, what not, you can just laugh at it as you just restore the non-networked backups, and be on your way back to the holodeck to play with the holo girls.

Edit: Hell, why don't these people have non-corruptable firmware? For that matter, I'm in 2006, and my laptop has a physical little switch on the front to shut off the built in network card, why can't they do that when Villian of the Week is sending them computer control codes, or what have you.

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Yeah, don't be like the Kids on Star Trek or any of the other Sci Fi shows who are seemingly helpless anytime they have a semi-sentient computer virus or something.

Keep that stuff backed up, so when the pompous SSC starts controling your transporter and beaming people off the ship and shutting down the life support, what not, you can just laugh at it as you just restore the non-networked backups, and be on your way back to the holodeck to play with the holo girls.

Edit: Hell, why don't these people have non-corruptable firmware? For that matter, I'm in 2006, and my laptop has a physical little switch on the front to shut off the built in network card, why can't they do that when Villian of the Week is sending them computer control codes, or what have you.

I've got to say that is one of the creepiest responses I could have ever imagined to get for my post, haha.

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Yeah, don't be like the Kids on Star Trek or any of the other Sci Fi shows who are seemingly helpless anytime they have a semi-sentient computer virus or something.

Keep that stuff backed up, so when the pompous SSC starts controling your transporter and beaming people off the ship and shutting down the life support, what not, you can just laugh at it as you just restore the non-networked backups, and be on your way back to the holodeck to play with the holo girls.

Edit: Hell, why don't these people have non-corruptable firmware? For that matter, I'm in 2006, and my laptop has a physical little switch on the front to shut off the built in network card, why can't they do that when Villian of the Week is sending them computer control codes, or what have you.

Maybe it is necessary for the computer to keep a constant network connection with its base. Maybe the data drives aren't even located on the ship, but back at the starbase.

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Nooo...that's even worse, then you'd have a whole fleet networked essentially, and then instead of taking over one ship the SSCV (Semi-Sentient Computer Virus) takes over the whole Federation.

You want something that's not linked to anything else, Adama has it right, never network the computers.

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Unless, of course, you believe you have an unbreakable system.

And, I believe, in Star Trek, they did believe they had an unbreakable system.

Doesn't it seem like every time they are hacked or virus'd its a big surprise?

Put them all together you can monitor them more efficiently than if seperate. And I doubt they could be entirely un-networked. Its like a mud server that is not connected to the internet.

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Unbreakable eh? If it were unbreakable, we'd never see them have problems with it, and not be having this conversation.

Even a little "restart Windows" switch on the Captain's Chair, something.

Edit: Oh, yes. "They thought" they had an unbreakable system. Yes, that makes more sense. Riker strikes me as the type who'd have to call Data at 4:30 in the morning because his Console crashed, and he's trying to record one of his first officer's logs nobody cares about. There seems to be a general lack of understanding of the technology which they use,

because it took them a whole episode once to come up with the idea to reformat.

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Not to get TOO back to topic, but I finally have the error!

0x000000F4 (0x000000003, 0x82ED2630, 0x82ED27A4, 0x805F9F88)

was the code given to me. I looked up the first number on microsoft and it gave me this website (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=330100&sd=RMVP)

The website itself didn't help much, either that or I just didn't understand it. This problem has been longstanding with my computer and seems to keep coming back even after reformatting my computer. Personally, I'd prefer not to formate my harddrive or buy a new harddrive if possible. If anyone thinks I'm going to need to do one or the other, let me know...its getting extremely annoying.

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Alright, from the page you gave, did your system come with windows 2k on it? If so, do you still use 2k?

If it came with 2k, and you are running xp then I think the problem is that.

CAUSE

This behavior may occur when you use Windows XP or a later operating system with some motherboards. Microsoft is researching this problem and will post more information in this article when the information becomes available.

Install 2k and see if you still have the problem.

However, I don't think it matters because this is a laptop, and I doubt you have the option for two hard drives in this computer. And since

This problem occurs on a computer in which Windows XP or a later operating system is installed on a hard disk that is configured as a subordinate and no other device is connected to the same IDE controller channel (primary or secondary).
but this could be the case, so maybe your hard drive is listed as secondary in BIOS, so you may want to log into BIOS and make sure your hard drive is listed as the primary drive.

If neither of those check out then I think you have a larger issue here. I would guess harddrive.

Personally' date=' I'd prefer not to formate my harddrive or buy a new harddrive if possible. If anyone thinks I'm going to need to do one or the other, let me know...its getting extremely annoying.[/quote'] I'm sorry if I'm going to come off as a dick here. But if it's not that issue up there, then you need to replace something. If you have reformated the computer before, and the problem continues to happen, then you are either doing something wrong to your computer after every reformat, or something with the hardware is ****ed up.

Did you run the hardware diagnostics? If not, why do you still feel the need to ask the question when you have the means to answer it sitting right infront of you? If you have, what were the results?

If you aren't willing to consider the advice offered, then why are you asking for help online? Take it to a repair shop. Ask them to run a diagnostic on your computer, it will probably cost you $45 for them to do it. They will tell you what is wrong with your computer.

You don't have choice as to how it is, your computer is broke in some way. I don't know how else to tell you. You described the problem, more than one person has told you what the most probable course of action is, just because you don't like the answer doesn't change the solution.

WC

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Ya, you came off harsh but its what I needed, haha. Obviously us college students don't want to spend a dollar more than we have to, which is why I was hoping someone had a non-expense facet. The diagnostics my computer ran (that you recommended) showed nothing wrong (also, my computer came with Windows XP home edition....), but its obviously incorrect. I'm going to go with the idea of just buying a new harddrive after backing all my important information up on a cd or something. Thanks everyone for helping me as much as you could .. Thanks especially to WC for going into the depth that he did, made me realize my harddrive is pretty much shot and I need to get it fixed or shut the F-up. Hollar

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I would strongly recommend running chkdisk (check disk).

Hardware diagnostics rarely check anything except whether your hard drive is seeking, filing, and on, at least from what I've seen.

I have solved a blue screen problem I was sure was software related by running chkdisk and having it isolate a bad sector.

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Something else you can try that's pain-free and most of all, cash free.

If you have a Windows XP cd-rom that came with your system, boot that up and have it try to fix a broken installation.

Problem with the "old" BSOD errors is that's almost impossible to find what causes them because it could be OS software related (kernel problems), it could other software related (conflicts, driver files, etc.) or it could be hardware related (not accessing files correctly on HDD, etc) from what I've seen. More often than not, it's easier, less time consuming and less frustration to simply reformat, reinstall, or re-equip your HDD and that's why most people recommend it.

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