Is my HDD broken?

I can't get my XPS M1530 to start. Whenever I try to start it, it takes me to the Windows start up repair screen.

I have run Windows start up repair about 20 times but every time that I run it it says either that the OS is starting normally or that it is unable to determine the cause of the problem. I have also tried running CHKDSK and SFC (both with and without my Vista disk) but CHKDSK never finds any errors and SFC refuses to run. I have also tried to restore to a restore point, but it gives me an error about how I cannot create a file that is already there.

I have had problems with corrupt files before. It seems that every week or two since I've had the computer (since May) that I get an error about corrupt files (which prior to this I could fix with Start Up Repair).

However, right now I'm in the process of backing up some of the data on my hard drive (using Linux) and most of it seems intact.

Does it sound like I have a hardware issue with my hard drive or is my Windows installation just corrupt? Should I try reinstalling Windows or should I send my laptop back to Dell? If it is a hardware issue, I would like to fix it before I leave for school in the fall.

 

Yes it definitely sounds like a hdd problem. Try putting your ear against your laptop and see if you can hear any scratching or scraping.

 

I think your harddrive is having write problems. It does not seem that your drive is writing or reading data as it should be.
Have you tried using the dell media direct button to get the system to turn on?
If you can, I would remove the harddrive from your laptop and connect it to a working desktop via an external caddy/adaptor. That will allow you to hook the drive up to a working system so that you can run tests on your drive to verify that it works or not.
You should try running seatools, hitachi tools and the wd tools. (i cant remember what they are called, but they are downloadable from the harddrive manufacturer's website.
You should also run hdtune on the drive to check the drive's smart readings.
If anything has failed, you should replace the harddrive.

K-TRON

 

I'm afraid to take out my hard drive because the computer is still under warranty and I'm not sure I have the skills to take the hard drive out of a laptop. I do have Linux running off of a cd right now; are there any Linux utilities that can check the integrity of the hard drive?

 

Call the technical support and storm them

 

Can you boot from the Dell drivers / utilities CD? Then you should get a menu of diagnostic tests (that was the situation a few years ago when I last owned a Dell).

Or, if in Linux you can see the model number of the HDD then (i) Google to get the make and (ii) check the manufacturer's website to see if they have a diagnostic utility. You can usually download and burn an ISO file to make a bootable CD.

If the Dell or manufacturer's diagnostics report a problem then you have good evidence to give Dell support.

John

 

I used the Dell diagnostics disk and I ran the hard drive tests and none of them showed any problems. Does this mean that my hard drive is definatly not bad, or can the tests be inconclusive?

Is it at all possible that data on the drive only became corrupt after my computer shut down from running out of battery or when it froze and I had to do a hard reset by pulling the battery out while it was on?

 

If the diagnostics say the hardware is fine then maybe it is a corruption in windows or the filing system. If the drive is having write problems then this would be recorded in its SMART data, which I hope the diagnostics would read.

It would be best to do a full format (in order to clear any bugs in the partition tables or filing system) and reinstall Windows. If that doesn't clear the problem then it's time to contact Dell.

John

 

I recall one of the tests it ran said something about SMART and it said that all of the tests passed so it must not have picked up anything.

How do I do a full format? Would restoring to a factory setting image (which is either on the Windows Install Disk or on a separate hard drive partition), which is one of the options given to me when I start up my computer, do this? Also, is it safe to load files that I can recover from my hard disk (emails, word documents, etc.) back onto my computer once it is formatted?

 

First back up your personal files.

Restoring the factory image should reformat the Windows partition. Once you have restored the Windows partition I recommend that you apply the latest service pack. Then test if there are no problems (if there are hardware problems you should see them when trying to restore the image).

I suggest you do a virus scan on your user files before restoring them.

John

 

Thanks, John. My computer is working fine again. It turns out that my computer had a trojan, but it's working fine now.

 

make sure you keep antivirus software installed on your system. Through personal experience, norton and mcaffee do not find anything. AVG is really good, lots of people use it and even the free trial version woks well.

K-TRON

 

I was using McAfee on my laptop and it didn't pick up the virus, but when I transferred the infected file onto my desktop McAfee picked it up right away.

What is AVG? How much does the full version cost, and is it significantly better than the free one?

 

You can also use Kaspersky Internet Security 2007 and activate it with a trial key, it will give you full functionality for a month or so.... (Keys are available for under $20 on ebay)