Resolved [Hard Drive Issues? chkdsk runs on every boot-up]

I have a Dell Inspiron 1520 running Vista that just resently started doing a chkdsk everytime it boots up. Chkdsk says it deletes a bunch of indexes and recovers ophans but our user profile won't load.

Using the error code the Hard Drive DST Short Test produced (2000-0142) recommends removing and reinstalling the HD. Did that but still have the issues, but not the profile tried to load, but it says I don't have a geniuine copy of windows.

Does this sound like the HD is starting to fail? Or could it be the HDD interface on the Motherboard.

Bottomline fix or go with a new Laptop. It's been a good laptop with minimal issues. But it's about 5 years old.

Thoughts?

 

Could be. But first, I'd get the Partition Wizard bootable Cd and test the drive. Then decide.

 

If it is the HD failing, it is way cheaper to get a HD and go that way. Depends on the size, you can pick them up on e-bay from about 25 bucks and up.

 

I'll try the Partition Wizard, thanks.

If it's bad how do I get my files off of it. Assuming they are not all corrupt.

 

Sadly, you did not tell us which version of Windows you are using.

See How Do I Keep chkdsk From Running at Every Start?

 

Sadly your are mistaken.

"I have a Dell Inspiron 1520 running Vista that just resently started doing a chkdsk everytime it boots up. Chkdsk says it deletes a bunch of indexes and recovers ophans but our user profile won't load. "

 

He is probably like me. I look for system specs. in My System. Sometimes we all read somethings and they don't always sink in.

To do your System Specs, go to User CP near the top left of the page and fill the information out and be sure to save it.

Thanks.

 

Doh!

No, actually I never rely on them unless the poster states that is the computer in question. Too many posters have more than one computer, or they are posting for a friend's or family member's computer problems.

No, this was just me totally missing the obvious, not enough coffee, and cranial flatulence. Sorry about that.

And with Google being my friend, I see there are lots of Vista users who have experienced this problem. It goes back to the same dirty bit error, but in Vista is handled a bit differently. I would check out the WinVista Club tutorial.

 

Bill is correct I have two laptops and and desktop to support in my household, plus the in-laws' computers. So no system data.

The HDD is a Fujitsu 160GB, if that helps at all.

Anyway, I ran Partition Wizard which has a lot of options/test, etc. so I wasn't sure which one to run. Surface Test seem to be appropriate. It found only one bad block which left me scratching my head.

I also ran SeaTools per another web sites suggestion, it found unknown errors with no detail. Maybe because it's not a Seagate drive, duh know.

I'll go check out WinVista Club and see what they have to say.

Question: Any chance this could this be a virus?

 

Without going to professional data recovery agencies, I'd first try to recover them using a Linux live boot Cd and drag them onto an external HD.

OR you could do a clean install onto your new drive and use the new version to copy the files over.

My own personal preference would be the live boot method.

 

SeaTools is for seagate drives so the results could be unreliable. If Partition wizard only found 1 bad block, then the chances are that the drive should be at least workable.

Try booting it into safe mode and let us know if it boots up.

 

Last couple of times I tried Save Mode it would hang will loading *.sys files. Always the same one, crc "somthing ". I try again and let it go to see if it will get past it eventually.

 

I was able to install the HDD into my desktop. I'm running Bit Defender on it now.

Interesting the chkdsk always wants to run on the second partition D:RECOVERY. I wonder if I corrupted something when I turn it off while it was doing a boot in safe mode? (or all the other times I got impatient.)

 

Whenever you make a change on a computer, that you want the computer to remember, it's going to need a chance to record the change somewhere. If you get impatient and simply flip the computer off before it can finish recording the change, it is possible to ***** things up pretty badly. Been there ... more than once.

 

Using my desktop I ran chkdsk and it came out fine. So I assume I have a HW problem with the drive interface on the motherboard.

Any other thoughts?

 

If it's a Fujitsu branded Toshiba hard drive, I'd run their "Windows Diagnostic Tool Ver. 1.12 (For IDE/ATA/SATA Hard Drives) ZIPfjdtwin.exe [464KB]" next.

 

Almost there.

Was able to run the Fujitsu/Toshiba Diagnostic Tool and it found a bad sector and repaired it.

However, in all this I now have corrupted system files. Windows (Vista) starts up but says I have a corrupted profile so it loads a generic profile.

Not sure how to recovery Windows as I don't have any discs.

Suggestion?

Side note: Have to replace the keyboard now. The "a,s,d,f" keys don't work anymore.

 

I think what you need now is a utility to read the SMART info off the disk. Personally, I'd use the Fedora live Cd which has a disk utility on it which does just that - among other interesting things...

 

Run:

chkdsk c: /f​

(in an attempt to fix the "corrupted system files ").

 

When I get the new keyboard installed I'll try "chkdsk c: /f ", as along with the 'f' key the "j,k,l,;" keys don't work now either.

Thanks