Computer slowing/freezing.. is my HD dying?

Dell Precision M4400, Win 7 Pro.

for the past half year or year I've been getting this annoying problem of my computer slowing then freezing.
When this happens things slow down
file transfers between drives takes forever (for example moving a 1gb file between c: to d: may take 20 hours)
I can't save documenents because of some kind of I/O error
I can't reboot because the computer will take forever
I have to force shut down holding the power button

I noticed a pattern in the following instances:
when downloading torrents, its fine for a while but either in the next two days, or if i download too much large data.. I begin getting I/O errors and the torrent can't complete
I also notice this when installing games, after a day or two of playing..the game runs slower, hiccups, then freezes
Last night I only played a little bit of games then spent most of the day out leaving my computer idle, I return, the whole thing is frozen
Some other applications like installing WinRAR would say I need to reboot.
I use deep freeze so I'm constantly installing re-installing stuff too.

I ran a dell diagnostics test on my cpu, hard drive, ram.. they all check out okay.
anti virus up to date, defrag often..etc

what is causing this?

 

What you describe sounds like more of a motherboard failure. The only thing I can recommend is for you to try and do a clean install of Windows. You would need to backup all your files from your drive, and you need the Windows disc that came with your M4400. If you don't have it, you can call Dell and get one provided you are still under warranty. If you have access to another Windows PC, and the cables, you can take the hard drive out of your M4400 and plug it into the other PC and use the other PC to run checkdisk. If you run checkdisk, don't let it try and repair the bad sectors without backing up your data first.

 

hard drive bad sector.
run HD Tune (in sig below) and run a full sector scan. will take quite a few hours but will show if any bad sectors. just 1 can cause all the problems you have got.
me been there and got the tee shirt
what make of hard drive is it? some are covered for 3-5 years even when your normal warranty has ended.

 

thanks guys for the suggestions.
Before wiping out my hard drive and re-installing things.. I'll try HD tune.

While that finishes, I ran the dell diagnostics again and everything passed:


Device Type
Device Name
Test Name
Test Result
Message
CMOS
CMOS
Checksum Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
CMOS
CMOS
Pattern Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
PCI Bridge
Intel(R) ICH9 Family PCI Express Root Port 4 - 2946
PCI Express Status Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
PCI Bridge
Intel(R) ICH9 Family PCI Express Root Port 2 - 2942
PCI Express Status Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Keyboard
USB Input Device
USB Status Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
PCI Bus
PCI Subsystem
Configuration Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Mouse
USB Input Device
USB Status Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Network Card
Dell Wireless 1397 WLAN Mini-Card
PCI Express Status Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Hub
USB Hub
USB Status Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
HD Audio Controller
High Definition Audio Controller
PCI Express Status Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
USB Composite
Laptop_Integrated_Webcam_0.3M
USB Status Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
PCI Bridge
Intel(R) ICH9 Family PCI Express Root Port 1 - 2940
PCI Express Status Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Battery
Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery
Battery Life Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
PCI Bridge
Intel(R) ICH9 Family PCI Express Root Port 3 - 2944
PCI Express Status Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Hard Drive
ST9160411ASG
SMART Status Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Hard Drive
ST9160411ASG
SMART Thresholds Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Hard Drive
ST9160411ASG
Targeted Read Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Hard Drive
ST9160411ASG
SMART Short Self Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Hard Drive
ST9160411ASG
Random Seek Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Hard Drive
ST9160411ASG
Funnel Seek Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Hard Drive
ST9160411ASG
Linear Read Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Hard Drive
ST9160411ASG
Linear Read Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Video Card
NVIDIA Quadro FX 770M
Video Memory Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Video Card
NVIDIA Quadro FX 770M
Primary Surface Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Video Card
NVIDIA Quadro FX 770M
Wireframe Line Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Video Card
NVIDIA Quadro FX 770M
Fixed Transformation and Lighting Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Video Card
NVIDIA Quadro FX 770M
PCI Express Status Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Memory
System Memory
Advanced Pattern Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Memory
System Memory
Bit Low Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Memory
System Memory
Bit High Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Memory
System Memory
Nibble Move Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Memory
System Memory
Checkerboard Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Memory
System Memory
Walking One Left Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Memory
System Memory
Walking One Right Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Memory
System Memory
Auxiliary Pattern Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Memory
System Memory
Address Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Memory
System Memory
Modulo20 Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Memory
System Memory
Moving Inversion Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
Memory
System Memory
Windows Memory Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
System Board
System Board
RTC Accuracy Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
USB Composite
USB Receiver
USB Status Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
PCI Bridge
Mobile Intel(R) 4 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port - 2A41
PCI Express Status Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T9400 @ 2.53GHz (CPU:0)
Register Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T9400 @ 2.53GHz (CPU:0)
Level 2 Cache Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T9400 @ 2.53GHz (CPU:0)
Math Register Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T9400 @ 2.53GHz (CPU:0)
MMX Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T9400 @ 2.53GHz (CPU:0)
SSE Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T9400 @ 2.53GHz (CPU:0)
SSE2 Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T9400 @ 2.53GHz (CPU:0)
SSE3 Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T9400 @ 2.53GHz (CPU:0)
SSSE3 Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T9400 @ 2.53GHz (CPU:0)
SSE4.1 Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T9400 @ 2.53GHz (CPU:0)
Prime Number Generation Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T9400 @ 2.53GHz (CPU:0)
Floating Point Unit Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
DVD-RW Drive
MATA DVD+-RW UJ862A
DRAM Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
DVD-RW Drive
MATA DVD+-RW UJ862A
Flash ROM Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
DVD-RW Drive
MATA DVD+-RW UJ862A
Main IC Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
DVD-RW Drive
MATA DVD+-RW UJ862A
OPU Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
DVD-RW Drive
MATA DVD+-RW UJ862A
Spindle Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A
DVD-RW Drive
MATA DVD+-RW UJ862A
Tray Out Test
Check Alert Icon Passed
N/A

 

ok ran HD tune, I think these results are normal

 

pics blocked at work
did you run the full test or the short test. think it needs the long/full test.

 

I don't see an option for full or short test, but I do see an option for error scan and regular start or quick scan. I chose the regular one. Took about 45 minutes to do. All green.

 

HD tune is fine for checking for bad sectors, but it won't tell you if there is mechanical failure. Perhaps the motor is getting tired? How long have you had the drive?

Might work, but with OP using Deep Freeze I have a feeling it won't resolve the problem.

 

its the stock HD for this computer so its about 4 years old. I had a 3 year warranty but that ended last year. During that time I had the mobo (due to fan noise), screen, keyboard replaced.

 

I doubt it's the motherboard then. I would call attention to the drive first; it may be failing, just not on a magnetic level (which is why HD tune or other utilities will show the drive is in good health; they're scanning the platters' integrity).

 

is there anyway to test/find out if its a mechanical issue?

 

There might be software out there for benching purposes that could inform you, but to be honest I don't know of anything really robust that would tell you definitively whether or not it is.

CrystalDisk Info might be of some help here; if your sequential read + write speeds seem egregiously poor, then that could be an indication of failing mechanics.

 

Thanks prostar!

I downloaded the program as you suggested but it said my computer is in good health.
I noticed that today while downloading a 4gb world of tanks update.. the computer started freezing. I tried to access crystaldisk program, but that too froze. ctr alt del didn't work either, nor did shutting it down. had to force it off via power button.

 

Prostar is right. There really isn't any software for analyzing a failure in the hard drive's controller. The only reason I suggested the motherboard is because you are exhibiting the same symptoms with your system and I saw with my parent's desktop some years back. But it was self-evident their motherboard had gone bad cause I could physically see there were several caps that had blown. This wouldn't be the case with a laptop. The only thing I can recommend to you at this point is to swap out the current hard drive with one you know works (or a new one) and clean install Windows on it to see if the issues go away. If they do, you have your answer. Getting a replacement notebook hard drive will be cheaper in the long run than taking your notebook to any computer repair shop since that's what they'll do anyway. But I recommend you try and use (or borrow) a spare notebook hard drive first to install and test it first just to be sure.

 

Oh no, no. I'm not talking about the controller or platter integrity. "Health" would imply the S.M.A.R.T readings, including sector integrity. The mechanics won't be taken into account with S.M.A.R.T data. If a motor is getting old and tired, the only way to really determine that with CrystalDisk Info is to look at the read + write benchmark. If they steadily or progressively drop, but your sectors are in good health and there's no excessive heat, then the motor for the actuator arm might be getting old and tired.

Motherboard is quite possible too. Hard to diagnose (the only program I know that tests the motherboard is PC Doctor, and it's not cheap).