[SOLVED] A disk read error occured - Can't Boot

zer0ness · 09-10-2008, 03:25 PM

Alright well I had to do a parallel install on my harddrive a while ago and I did, got my files successfully from my broken drive and deleted that windows folder. I searched a bit and found that this might be the cause, but I doubt it.

I can't boot up because it boots to a black screen then says "A disk read error occured press ctrl+alt+del to restart". I got my win xp cd and it says my partition is unknown - 57 gigs available (which is my HD space). I go to recovery console and try fixboot and chkdsk /r but says it's unavailable. After I put my CD in, I got the "Windows did not start successfuly etc..." screen.I try safe mode and it reboots. Last known config takes a long time to load and then just restarts as well with "UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME". Starting windows normally lags a bit and then it loads but then I get BSOD saying PAGE_FAULT or something like that. Now I get boot.ini is missing, starting from c:/winxp and it restarts. Recovery console doesn't recognize my installation now.

I really do not want to reformat because I'd like to keep my files. I believe it is my HD or BIOS, I heard I might have to update it but how can I do that? I am willing to open up my laptop and take a peek at the cables but I'd need to be guided as I'm not good when it comes to internal parts of a laptop. When I do a harddisk check with my BIOS it starts and then stops and says unable to continue.

Any and all help is appreciated... thanks!

zer0ness · 09-10-2008, 05:16 PM

Well, I tried holding the battery button at the back of my laptop for 30 seconds, I took out the RAM and switched slots, and took out the HD from the compartment and slipped it back in. Now I start up with a black screen (No HP welcome) and have 4 beeps. I have a pheonix BIOS so it might mean something different than usual? I tried putting the RAM back to the other slot and I still get the beeps. Tried putting the harddrive out and back in again, and still the same 4 beeps.

I appreciate any help. Thank you!

**TriggerFinger** · 09-10-2008, 07:30 PM

From the description, it looks like you have a bad HDD. Try using a bootable CD first (use BartPE/XP or Linux live CD). If it works in that environment, then consider reinstall of Windows or if the problem is worse then an HDD replacement may be required.

zer0ness · 09-11-2008, 01:30 PM

Well, the CD drive worked before, but ever since I took out the HDD and RAM and put them back in, I've been getting a black screen with 4 beeps every time I turn it on. Tried putting both back in together properly but still get the beeps.

**TriggerFinger** · 09-11-2008, 02:23 PM

Correct me if I understand this wrong... so you mean you cannot even get into BIOS now? You just get 4 beeps then it shuts OFF?

I may have missed it in this thread but what is the brand/model of this laptop anyway?

zer0ness · 09-11-2008, 02:42 PM

Nope, it turns on and beeps 4 times then just stays turned on with a black screen. I don't know if I broke the RAM chip or didn't insert the HDD back properly.

I have a HP Pavilion ze 4900

thanks for your help!

**TriggerFinger** · 09-11-2008, 03:05 PM

Try using a good working RAM stick for testing purposes only.

To know if it is the HDD, remove it before powering ON. Boot from CD drive using XP installation CD or BartPE/XP or linux live CD.

zer0ness · 09-11-2008, 03:25 PM

I don't have a spare DDR strick, my desktop is SD so I can't check unless I buy a new stick.

I tried booting it with the XP CD in and the HDD out and still got a black screen and the 4 beeps.

**TriggerFinger** · 09-11-2008, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zer0ness

I don't have a spare DDR strick, my desktop is SD so I can't check unless I buy a new stick.

I tried booting it with the XP CD in and the HDD out and still got a black screen and the 4 beeps . -- this is expected if this is caused by RAM. May be you have a friend who has a similar laptop RAM that you can borrow for testing.

zer0ness · 09-11-2008, 07:26 PM

Alright well I'm going to buy a ram stick on ebay. I read the pinned thread but I'm still confuse. If my laptop has 200 pin DDR RAM can it be any 200 pin ddr ram or does it need to be specific with the mhz and other info? Thanks!

zer0ness · 09-11-2008, 08:38 PM

Alright well I fixed the RAM issue, it wasn't inserted properly, now I just need to get my windows working, I'll make a new thread in the windows section. Thanks!

migigicoko · 06-03-2009, 11:57 PM

I am having this problem. My Vista SP1 laptop was recently having issues with malware, so I was planning to reinstall the OS. I put in the OS disk and it started copying over the files, then it went to restart to install the OS and I keep getting this error. It's a Gateway Model T-6321, and it won't boot from disk nor HD, no matter their order in BIOS. Also, pressing 'r' brings up the recovery screen, but then it gives this error after a few minutes. It does it whether or not the CD is in the drive, too.

Any ideas for resolving this error? Do I need a new harddrive?

09-10-2008, 03:25 PM	#1 (permalink)
zer0ness Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 41 OS: XP	[SOLVED] A disk read error occured - Can't Boot Alright well I had to do a parallel install on my harddrive a while ago and I did, got my files successfully from my broken drive and deleted that windows folder. I searched a bit and found that this might be the cause, but I doubt it. I can't boot up because it boots to a black screen then says "A disk read error occured press ctrl+alt+del to restart". I got my win xp cd and it says my partition is unknown - 57 gigs available (which is my HD space). I go to recovery console and try fixboot and chkdsk /r but says it's unavailable. After I put my CD in, I got the "Windows did not start successfuly etc..." screen.I try safe mode and it reboots. Last known config takes a long time to load and then just restarts as well with "UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME". Starting windows normally lags a bit and then it loads but then I get BSOD saying PAGE_FAULT or something like that. Now I get boot.ini is missing, starting from c:/winxp and it restarts. Recovery console doesn't recognize my installation now. I really do not want to reformat because I'd like to keep my files. I believe it is my HD or BIOS, I heard I might have to update it but how can I do that? I am willing to open up my laptop and take a peek at the cables but I'd need to be guided as I'm not good when it comes to internal parts of a laptop. When I do a harddisk check with my BIOS it starts and then stops and says unable to continue. Any and all help is appreciated... thanks!

09-10-2008, 05:16 PM	#2 (permalink)
zer0ness Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 41 OS: XP	Re: A disk read error occured - Can't Boot Well, I tried holding the battery button at the back of my laptop for 30 seconds, I took out the RAM and switched slots, and took out the HD from the compartment and slipped it back in. Now I start up with a black screen (No HP welcome) and have 4 beeps. I have a pheonix BIOS so it might mean something different than usual? I tried putting the RAM back to the other slot and I still get the beeps. Tried putting the harddrive out and back in again, and still the same 4 beeps. I appreciate any help. Thank you!

09-10-2008, 07:30 PM	#3 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,851 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: A disk read error occured - Can't Boot From the description, it looks like you have a bad HDD. Try using a bootable CD first (use BartPE/XP or Linux live CD). If it works in that environment, then consider reinstall of Windows or if the problem is worse then an HDD replacement may be required. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

09-11-2008, 01:30 PM	#4 (permalink)
zer0ness Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 41 OS: XP	Re: A disk read error occured - Can't Boot Well, the CD drive worked before, but ever since I took out the HDD and RAM and put them back in, I've been getting a black screen with 4 beeps every time I turn it on. Tried putting both back in together properly but still get the beeps.

09-11-2008, 02:23 PM	#5 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,851 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: A disk read error occured - Can't Boot Correct me if I understand this wrong... so you mean you cannot even get into BIOS now? You just get 4 beeps then it shuts OFF? I may have missed it in this thread but what is the brand/model of this laptop anyway? __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

09-11-2008, 02:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
zer0ness Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 41 OS: XP	Re: A disk read error occured - Can't Boot Nope, it turns on and beeps 4 times then just stays turned on with a black screen. I don't know if I broke the RAM chip or didn't insert the HDD back properly. I have a HP Pavilion ze 4900 thanks for your help!

09-11-2008, 03:05 PM	#7 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,851 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: A disk read error occured - Can't Boot Try using a good working RAM stick for testing purposes only. To know if it is the HDD, remove it before powering ON. Boot from CD drive using XP installation CD or BartPE/XP or linux live CD. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

09-11-2008, 03:25 PM	#8 (permalink)
zer0ness Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 41 OS: XP	Re: A disk read error occured - Can't Boot I don't have a spare DDR strick, my desktop is SD so I can't check unless I buy a new stick. I tried booting it with the XP CD in and the HDD out and still got a black screen and the 4 beeps.

09-11-2008, 07:26 PM	#10 (permalink)
zer0ness Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 41 OS: XP	Re: A disk read error occured - Can't Boot Alright well I'm going to buy a ram stick on ebay. I read the pinned thread but I'm still confuse. If my laptop has 200 pin DDR RAM can it be any 200 pin ddr ram or does it need to be specific with the mhz and other info? Thanks!

09-11-2008, 08:38 PM	#11 (permalink)
zer0ness Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 41 OS: XP	Re: [SOLVED] A disk read error occured - Can't Boot Alright well I fixed the RAM issue, it wasn't inserted properly, now I just need to get my windows working, I'll make a new thread in the windows section. Thanks!

06-03-2009, 11:57 PM	#12 (permalink)
migigicoko Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 6 OS: Vista SP1	A disk read error occured - Can't Boot I am having this problem. My Vista SP1 laptop was recently having issues with malware, so I was planning to reinstall the OS. I put in the OS disk and it started copying over the files, then it went to restart to install the OS and I keep getting this error. It's a Gateway Model T-6321, and it won't boot from disk nor HD, no matter their order in BIOS. Also, pressing 'r' brings up the recovery screen, but then it gives this error after a few minutes. It does it whether or not the CD is in the drive, too. Any ideas for resolving this error? Do I need a new harddrive?