Acer Aspire 5532 - PQSERVICE - HELP!

I recently have had some trouble with my laptop, where my operating system was extremely slow when loaded up, opening folders or a window would take several minutes to complete. After a short while, my operating system would freeze before load up, and give the error:

"Windows has encountered a problem communicating with a device connected to your computer.

This error can be caused by unplugging a removable storage device such as an external USB drive while the device is in use, or by faulty hardware such as a hard drive or CD-ROM drive that is failing. Make sure any removable storage is properly connected and then restart your computer.

If you continue to receive this error message, contact the hardware manufacturer.


Status: Oxc00000e9

Info: An unexpected I/O error has occurred. "

After some research on the internet, I was told it could either be between two problems, my hard drive has failed or is failing or the operating system is the problem and clean re-installation should get everything running again. After trying to re-install windows 7, my system would get stuck and ask for drivers, so I decided to downgrade my laptop down to Windows XP to try load the disc through the operating system however throughout the installation it froze when it got to the 39 minutes remaining screen.

I heard that a factory reset can be done using the PQSERVICE partition which is on my hard drive but I was told you would need to press F10 or ALT F10 at the start up screen however, when I turn my laptop on, the only option I get is to change my BIOS settings.

At the current moment, I have a half installed windows XP operating system on my laptop, the recovery partition and the PQSERVICE partition. Is there anyway I can access this partition to try and reset my laptop to factory settings or would it be more likely to be a HDD failure, and I should replace the HDD?

My Laptop specifications -

Acer Aspier 5532
AMD Athon TK-42 dual core 1.6ghz processor
3GB RAM
160GB HDD
ATI Radeon HD3200 Graphics

I have no actual way of getting onto the operating system as it wont install. I can only access the BIOS and the partitions through an XP installation disc.

Thanks.

 

I don't know of any way to access this partition but it seems like if windows will not install then you have a failing HDD.

 

I spoke to some technicians, they suggested that using a new HDD would be the better solution. They could find a way of accessing the partition any other way, so I've got a new HDD and installed my operating system.

A Failing HDD seemed the more logical answer to the problem.