How do I remove windows remains from HD?

[Valor]

Hey guys,
unfortunately I'm getting a lot of crashes again...and it always seems graphics related! Let me give you examples of when my computer reboots: playing video files, usually right at the beginning (no matter what video player I use). Loading certain websites that have embedded videos etc. (no matter what browser I use). Using Paint Shop Pro - especially when I try to paste image as new selection! Clearly I can't work like that...now, I have turned off the automatic reboot feature and enabled write to log. That doesn't do anything - the comp still reboots and there aren't any alerts in my system or application logs. I don't get a blue screen either. Is this hardware related? As you know I upgraded my PSU and RAM but I had these type of reboots before - right now it's just very frequent. I took out my modem and my other CD drive but that didn't do anything...I guess it has something to do with my video card? That's kinda strange because I upgraded from my integrated video adapter to Nvidia GeForce 4 about 2 1/2 years ago and I did not have these reboots first. I downloaded the newest Nvidia drivers but I still have the problem...could this all be caused by the faulty hard disk again? I run all my programms from C however and when I try to play the video files from there the comp still reboots. Any suggestions??
Thanks so much,
Dennis

 

[N3051M]

hmm.. interesting.. so you've checked the folder c:/windows/minidumps and see if there's any recent ones?

did you make sure (if there is) extra power for the graphics card is connected? either on the motherboard or on the card itself or both?

go into bios and double check that the onboard video is not activated, and device manager its not there as well.... maybe try removing your nvidia drivers from device manager, reboot, and let it reinstall it..

eliminate temperature problems: download everest home or speedfan, go to the sensors page and check... post here your results..

eliminate ram problem: download memtest, install to a bootable floppy or cd and run it 1 stick at a time..

 

[kirock]

Also check the mobo capacitors for rounded tops or fluid leaking from them. If you replaced your PSU I hope you bought a good one with enough amps on the 12 Volt rail to support your system.

To have reboots when automatic restarts is turned off strongly indicates a PSU or mobo problem. So if the new PSU is adequate for your system, I can only think it's a mobo fault.

 

[Valor]

Unfortunately my comp didnt have the minidump option enabled but I just changed that so after the next crash I should be able to report more details.
I looked into my computer and I can't see any leakage from the capacitors or anything...the mobo looks pretty good to me actually. My video card is an nvidia GeForce4 MX 440 - there's no extra power connector. My PSU puts out a total of 350W and breaks up as follows: 3,3V - 28A, 5V - 30A, 12V - 19A, -5V - 0.5A, -12V - 0.8A, 5Vsb - 2.0A. I believe this is sufficient? As for my temperatures - Drivesitter usually told me a temperature of around 37-40C. Let me run speedfan...ok, this is what it tells me right now:
Ambient 36C, Remote1 43C, Remote2 31C, HD0 40C
I'm gonna let it run for a while and see if there's any major fluctuations.
Thanks,
Dennis

 

[Valor]

I just did a status and health report of my HD through speedfan and this is what it tells me:

Your hard disk is a Maxtor 34098H4 with firmware YAH814Y0.
Your hard disk is not reporting its temperature. This is normal for this hard disk model.
Your hard disk's S.M.A.R.T. attributes are now being analyzed and a full report about the reliability, health and status of your hard disk is generated:

Error: Reallocated Sector Count has reached its threshold. Current value is 20 and threshold is 63.
According to S.M.A.R.T. specifications, your hard disk is failing and needs to be immediately replaced. Backup your data as soon as possible.

Warning: Reallocated Sector Count reached, in the past, its threshold. Worst value is 20 and threshold is 63.
Your hard disk is now being compared to real data used to define normal values for your specific hard disk model. This way, the analysis can automatically use proper operating ranges. The images give you an idea of how each attribute is within such range. Current and raw values are shown for easier reference for experienced users. There are 728 hard disk models in the current archive.

Attribute Current Raw Overall
10 Raw Read Error Rate 253 31 Very good
9 Spin Up Time 222 9928 Very good
0 Start/Stop Count 247 12029 Watch
Warning: Start/Stop Count is below the average limits (252-253).
0 Reallocated Sector Count 20 588 Watch
Warning: Reallocated Sector Count is below the average limits (71-253).
10 Read Channel Margin 253 0 Very good
10 Seek Error Rate 253 0 Very good
10 Seek Time Performance 252 50858 Very good
10 Power On Hours Count 253 1360 Very good
10 Spin Retry Count 253 0 Very good
10 Calibration Retry Count 253 0 Very good
10 Power Cycle Count 252 749 Very good
10 Reallocated Event Count 253 0 Very good
10 Current Pending Sector 253 0 Very good
10 Offline Uncorrectable Sector Count 253 0 Very good
10 Ultra DMA CRC Error Rate 196 114 Very good
10 Write Error Rate 253 0 Very good
10 Soft Read Error Rate 253 10 Very good
10 TA Increase Count 253 0 Very good
10 Run Out Cancel 253 1 Very good
10 Shock Count Write Opern 253 0 Very good
10 Shock Rate Write Opern 253 0 Very good
10 Spin High Current 253 0 Very good
10 Spin Buzz 253 0 Very good
10 Offline Seek Performance 253 0 Very good
10 Unknown attribute 96 253 0 Very good
10 Unknown attribute 97 253 0 Very good
10 Unknown attribute 98 253 0 Very good
10 Unknown attribute 99 253 0 Very good
10 Unknown attribute 100 253 0 Very good
10 Unknown attribute 101 253 0 Very good

NOTE: not all warnings are reflected on fitness and performance overall values as relevancy is based upon the settings from the hard disk manufacturer who is the best entity deputed to define such relationships.

NOTE : your hard disk has 588 reallocated sectors (this value is very large and your hard disk should be replaced). Hard disks do have spare sectors (usually from 256 up to 1024) used to replace bad ones. This remapping operation is transparent to the end user. Anyway, this can lead to degradated performances (because remapped sectors are in different places of the disk than the original ones and the head needs additional moving). If reallocated sectors grow over time, you might encounter some serious troubles. A backup of the most important data is suggested anyway.

The overall fitness for this drive is 0%.
The overall performance for this drive is 98%.

How much longer do you guys think my HD will last? Isn't it strange that everything beside the sector count and start/stop count is in pretty good shape? Btw, I checked the warranty on it and it already ran out in 2004. Luckily I should be getting a new HD in a couple of months or so. Cheers,
Dennis

 

[Rik]

Back up all the data you can as soon as possible. The drive could last a while or die any second, its impossible to tell.

There's an extremely slim chance that a complete reformat could cure the problem, but don't hold your breath, and you'd loose all your data doing it anyway!!!

 

[N3051M]

i'd second that suggestion too.. move all your stuff you hold dear into a new one, and if it can be revived using a 0 format then keep it as volatile storage...

 

[Valor]

As I said I'm not too worried about the data on there...I'm hoping it will last me a couple more months before I get the new HD. And no, complete formats didn't cure the problem as you can tell by going back through this thread. Anyway, I was looking for my minidumps but I can't find the logs?? I gave Windows the folder c:\windows\minidump when enabling the option but there's nothing in there? A search doesn't give me any minidump files either...what do they look like?? Btw, I've been watching speedfan and the usual temperature it reports is 35-36C. So I guess overheating can be excluded as the source of the reboots. Any more ideas?
Thanks,
Dennis

 

[Samstoned]

maybe hdd regen will fix the count errors
may not
I'm think'n once smart writes info to drive thats that

 

[kirock]

My PSU puts out a total of 350W and breaks up as follows: 3,3V - 28A, 5V - 30A, 12V - 19A, -5V - 0.5A, -12V - 0.8A, 5Vsb - 2.0A. I believe this is sufficient?

Yes that should be enough for your rig. Also your temps look good, so either it's the mobo or the HDD. But given the SMART report it looks like a HDD failure/problem.

What is the BSOD stop code? CODES
Usually a HDD problem will be reported as 024 or 023, 077, 07A (09c).
Are you getting any of these?

 

[N3051M]

Anyway, I was looking for my minidumps but I can't find the logs?? I gave Windows the folder c:\windows\minidump when enabling the option but there's nothing in there? A search doesn't give me any minidump files either...what do they look like??

minidumps are created after BSODs or recovery from serious error..

if m-dumps wernt activated for the previous BSODs then activating now wouldn't be any use.. untill your next crash where it'll write one up... its usualy a date followed by a .dmp extention. eg: 060606-01.dmp

 

[Valor]

As I wrote previously I don't get any blue screens just sudden reboots. I had several crashes again after activating minidumps but I still can't find any?? They're neither in the folder nor when I do a search for ".dmp"-files does it come up with anything...what the heck?? So I take it there aren't any serious errors? Then why would the computer reboot?? Anyway...I'm gonna run HD regenerator tonight, maybe that will do something. Thanks,
Dennis