dell C640 HD failing?

Loloxx · 07-09-2009, 09:10 AM

Hello again TSF!

My aunt brought me her old laptop yesterday because it would not boot.
It said some sort of problem with boot drive~
I googled the error and found a way to "fix" it (don't know if it really was fixed).
It told me to run the XP recovery console and run chkdsk with /f and /r
After what seemed like forever running chkdsk it was all good.

Then she asked me if I could reformat and install Spanish XP, so I did.
After the formatting, it took forever to boot to XP and finish the installer.

After I finished installing the drivers and AVG I went to reboot to see if the long booting process persisted. It did =S.

That's where I am right now.
It takes like 20 minutes to boot to XP (it gets stuck on the little loading bar right before the windows XP logo).
When it finally boots, it seems to work normally, I can access HD and run programs without a hiccup.

So, my question is; Is the hard drive failing or would it be related to something else?
(Sorry if this is posted in the wrong section, but until now don't know what it could be, only sign for me is the hard drive)

Laptop Specs
Dell Latitude C640
1gb ram
Windows XP sp 3
Pentium 4 2ghz Processor
ATI mobility M7

Thanks!

Lolo

MikenandezNST · 07-09-2009, 09:19 AM

Please see http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/driverslist.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&ServiceTag=&SystemID=LAT_PNT_P4N_C640&os=WW1&osl=en&catid=&impid= for a diagnostic utility to run a test on your hard drive.

Loloxx · 07-09-2009, 09:40 AM

Thanks for the fast response,
Ok, I'm going to run it and I'll get back to you.
Dell - Diagnostics Utility
32bit Diagnostics

MikenandezNST · 07-09-2009, 09:59 AM

No problem best of luck.

Loloxx · 07-09-2009, 10:02 AM

Ok, I ran the utility

Device: Hard Drive
Test: Start DST Short Test
Status: Error Detected!
DST Short Test - 'Fail'
Error Code: 1000-0146

That's the only one that gave me Fail, the others all passed.
Is there a way to fix or temporarily fix it using the chkdsk to make it boot at a reasonable time?

Thanks

Lolo

joeten · 07-09-2009, 11:40 AM

hi the hdd is failing it would probably be bst to get a new one unless it is still covered by warranty

MikenandezNST · 07-09-2009, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeten

hi the hdd is failing it would probably be bst to get a new one unless it is still covered by warranty

Thanks joeten I am riding with you on this one!

Loloxx · 07-09-2009, 06:07 PM

Hello, thanks for reply!

Sorry I took a while to reply, I was at school and just got home a minute ago.

I was running the XP recovery console and the only options for chkdsk I had were chkdsk /r and chkdsk /p
The chkdsk /f wasn't there, Is there a way to get it back in there?

Also, I'm currently living in Venezuela and everything here (computer-wise) is super expensive and a little hard to find. That's why I wanna see If there is a workaround to delay buying another HDD.

One more thing, the first thing my aunt is going to say is "I saw it working, why is the HDD suddenly failing now?" She's going to say it's my fault ><. What do I tell her ? That it's an old HDD that's at its last moments or something?

Thanks again for your wonderful help as always!

Lolo

joeten · 07-10-2009, 12:27 PM

hi tell her the heat and humidity affects the life span of the hdd and this one is near its end

Loloxx · 07-10-2009, 05:32 PM

Thanks for reply!

Ok I guess I will have to buy the new HDD,

Thanks again Mike and joeten!

07-09-2009, 09:10 AM	#1 (permalink)
Loloxx Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 92 OS: Vista	dell C640 HD failing? Hello again TSF! My aunt brought me her old laptop yesterday because it would not boot. It said some sort of problem with boot drive~ I googled the error and found a way to "fix" it (don't know if it really was fixed). It told me to run the XP recovery console and run chkdsk with /f and /r After what seemed like forever running chkdsk it was all good. Then she asked me if I could reformat and install Spanish XP, so I did. After the formatting, it took forever to boot to XP and finish the installer. After I finished installing the drivers and AVG I went to reboot to see if the long booting process persisted. It did =S. That's where I am right now. It takes like 20 minutes to boot to XP (it gets stuck on the little loading bar right before the windows XP logo). When it finally boots, it seems to work normally, I can access HD and run programs without a hiccup. So, my question is; Is the hard drive failing or would it be related to something else? (Sorry if this is posted in the wrong section, but until now don't know what it could be, only sign for me is the hard drive) Laptop Specs Dell Latitude C640 1gb ram Windows XP sp 3 Pentium 4 2ghz Processor ATI mobility M7 Thanks! Lolo

07-09-2009, 09:19 AM	#2 (permalink)
MikenandezNST Tech, Microsoft Support Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Posts: 1,149 OS: Win Vista Ultimate EditionSP1/WinXPSP3 Blog Entries: 2	Re: dell C640 HD failing? Please see http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/driverslist.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&ServiceTag=&SystemID=LAT_PNT_P4N_C640&os=WW1&osl=en&catid=&impid= for a diagnostic utility to run a test on your hard drive. __________________

07-09-2009, 09:40 AM	#3 (permalink)
Loloxx Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 92 OS: Vista	Re: dell C640 HD failing? Thanks for the fast response, Ok, I'm going to run it and I'll get back to you. Dell - Diagnostics Utility 32bit Diagnostics

07-09-2009, 09:59 AM	#4 (permalink)
MikenandezNST Tech, Microsoft Support Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Posts: 1,149 OS: Win Vista Ultimate EditionSP1/WinXPSP3 Blog Entries: 2	Re: dell C640 HD failing? No problem best of luck. __________________

07-09-2009, 10:02 AM	#5 (permalink)
Loloxx Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 92 OS: Vista	Re: dell C640 HD failing? Ok, I ran the utility Device: Hard Drive Test: Start DST Short Test Status: Error Detected! DST Short Test - 'Fail' Error Code: 1000-0146 That's the only one that gave me Fail, the others all passed. Is there a way to fix or temporarily fix it using the chkdsk to make it boot at a reasonable time? Thanks Lolo

07-09-2009, 11:40 AM	#6 (permalink)
joeten Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 3,162 OS: vista	Re: dell C640 HD failing? hi the hdd is failing it would probably be bst to get a new one unless it is still covered by warranty __________________

07-09-2009, 06:07 PM	#8 (permalink)
Loloxx Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 92 OS: Vista	Re: dell C640 HD failing? Hello, thanks for reply! Sorry I took a while to reply, I was at school and just got home a minute ago. I was running the XP recovery console and the only options for chkdsk I had were chkdsk /r and chkdsk /p The chkdsk /f wasn't there, Is there a way to get it back in there? Also, I'm currently living in Venezuela and everything here (computer-wise) is super expensive and a little hard to find. That's why I wanna see If there is a workaround to delay buying another HDD. One more thing, the first thing my aunt is going to say is "I saw it working, why is the HDD suddenly failing now?" She's going to say it's my fault ><. What do I tell her ? That it's an old HDD that's at its last moments or something? Thanks again for your wonderful help as always! Lolo

07-10-2009, 12:27 PM	#9 (permalink)
joeten Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 3,162 OS: vista	Re: dell C640 HD failing? hi tell her the heat and humidity affects the life span of the hdd and this one is near its end __________________

07-10-2009, 05:32 PM	#10 (permalink)
Loloxx Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 92 OS: Vista	Re: dell C640 HD failing? Thanks for reply! Ok I guess I will have to buy the new HDD, Thanks again Mike and joeten!