Hard Drive Headache

Harrisonaviator · 11-13-2007, 07:38 AM

Hi there.

I recently brought a new computer and it was working fine for a week but then it froze and crashed. After restart Windows would not load and I got a message saying "disk read error". Bios was also not regonizing my Hard Drive.
Then after a couple of attemps it restarted it again and it worked fine. It has now been doing this on and off for weeks.

Recentley it stopped working for about a day. Then I tried it the next day and it worked again.My O.S is Win Vista Ultimate. Does anyone know what is wrong.

Many Thanks for your help.

**simpswr** · 11-13-2007, 07:53 AM

Welcome to the forum . .

First thing to do is backup any data you cherish . . then Suggest you start talking to the manufacturer support . . they will probably have you run a diagnostic to check the drive, which may be failing.

If you want to do it yourself, you can download a diagnostic from one of these:

Samsung http://www.samsungelectronics.com/hd...ies_index.html
Seagate http://www.seagate.com/support/seatools/index.html
Maxtor/Quantum http://www.maxtor.com/en/support/products/index.htm
Western Digital http://support.wdc.com/download/
IBM/Hitachi http://www.hgst.com/hdd/support/download.htm#DFT
fujitsu/Seimens http://www.fcpa.fujitsu.com/download...es/#diagnostic
IBM/Hitachi http://www.hgst.com/hdd/support/download.htm#DFT

**Deleted090308** · 11-13-2007, 07:55 AM

Hi, welcome to TSF.

It could be the power supply or the motherboard.
If the computer is new I think you should send it back.
You'll probably void the warranty if you open the case.

**Didn't see simpswr's reply. I was typing.

Harrisonaviator · 11-13-2007, 08:30 AM

Thanks for the quick reply's and welcomes.

Ok I think I will try the diagnostic checks. If it has a problem I will send it back.

Thanks.

dai · 11-13-2007, 11:28 AM

it also could be a loose or faulty cable to the hard drive

Harrisonaviator · 11-13-2007, 01:53 PM

Ok installed and ran the full Diagnostics checks and Hard drive passed them all. It must be a faulty cable or power supply problem.

I dont know if this is relevant but my computer crashes when trying to do a clean install of Win Vista. Only when I install Xp first and then choose upgrade does it work.

Anyway thanks for all your help. I wish I knew about this forum before!

dai · 11-14-2007, 08:30 AM

if you have problems installing,just have one stick of ram in for the install

~~IAmNutsAboutPCs~~ · 11-14-2007, 08:35 AM

Check the SATA cable (red think wire from hard drive to motherboard), my sister accidentally snapped hers and it showed the exact same message.

11-13-2007, 07:38 AM	#1 (permalink)
Harrisonaviator Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 3 OS: Win Vista	Hard Drive Headache Hi there. I recently brought a new computer and it was working fine for a week but then it froze and crashed. After restart Windows would not load and I got a message saying "disk read error". Bios was also not regonizing my Hard Drive. Then after a couple of attemps it restarted it again and it worked fine. It has now been doing this on and off for weeks. Recentley it stopped working for about a day. Then I tried it the next day and it worked again.My O.S is Win Vista Ultimate. Does anyone know what is wrong. Many Thanks for your help.

11-13-2007, 07:53 AM	#2 (permalink)
simpswr Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: May 2007 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 9,009 OS: XP, Vista	Re: Hard Drive Headache Welcome to the forum . . First thing to do is backup any data you cherish . . then Suggest you start talking to the manufacturer support . . they will probably have you run a diagnostic to check the drive, which may be failing. If you want to do it yourself, you can download a diagnostic from one of these: Samsung http://www.samsungelectronics.com/hd...ies_index.html Seagate http://www.seagate.com/support/seatools/index.html Maxtor/Quantum http://www.maxtor.com/en/support/products/index.htm Western Digital http://support.wdc.com/download/ IBM/Hitachi http://www.hgst.com/hdd/support/download.htm#DFT fujitsu/Seimens http://www.fcpa.fujitsu.com/download...es/#diagnostic IBM/Hitachi http://www.hgst.com/hdd/support/download.htm#DFT __________________ Rich MemTest86 \| BenchTest \| Virus/Trojan/Spyware Help \| How to Post a Screen shot \| PC running slow?]

11-13-2007, 07:55 AM	#3 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,277 OS: Xp	Re: Hard Drive Headache Hi, welcome to TSF. It could be the power supply or the motherboard. If the computer is new I think you should send it back. You'll probably void the warranty if you open the case. **Didn't see simpswr's reply. I was typing.

11-13-2007, 08:30 AM	#4 (permalink)
Harrisonaviator Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 3 OS: Win Vista	Re: Hard Drive Headache Thanks for the quick reply's and welcomes. Ok I think I will try the diagnostic checks. If it has a problem I will send it back. Thanks.

11-13-2007, 11:28 AM	#5 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 53,771 OS: vista 32x 64x ultimate retail	Re: Hard Drive Headache it also could be a loose or faulty cable to the hard drive __________________

11-13-2007, 01:53 PM	#6 (permalink)
Harrisonaviator Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 3 OS: Win Vista	Re: Hard Drive Headache Ok installed and ran the full Diagnostics checks and Hard drive passed them all. It must be a faulty cable or power supply problem. I dont know if this is relevant but my computer crashes when trying to do a clean install of Win Vista. Only when I install Xp first and then choose upgrade does it work. Anyway thanks for all your help. I wish I knew about this forum before!

11-14-2007, 08:30 AM	#7 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 53,771 OS: vista 32x 64x ultimate retail	Re: Hard Drive Headache if you have problems installing,just have one stick of ram in for the install __________________

11-14-2007, 08:35 AM	#8 (permalink)
~~IAmNutsAboutPCs~~ Troubled Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: In Front of PC, UK Posts: 744 OS: Windows XP SP2 Build 2600 My System	Re: Hard Drive Headache Check the SATA cable (red think wire from hard drive to motherboard), my sister accidentally snapped hers and it showed the exact same message.