Hard disk Crc-errors +programs that stop working and games that can't be installed

[sellomies]

Hello!

I have lots of problems with my hard disks. CHKDSK finds errors in the values every the time in my 2 hard disks even after running a CHKDSK/f!!

Also I can't install games from CD/DVD's because there comes always "read error in file x" or "unpack error in file x" or a "CRC-error occured...".

Also corrupt program files: almost any program might stop working, this happens every day. It can be Skype, WMP, RealPlayer, Itunes, Mozilla Firefox.. You name it. Even WIN XP self complains about many problems (at least once a week).
I have SP2+latest updates, use a Antivirus+firewall and Ad-Aware +some other similar programs can't find any problems.

I had a Samsung harddisk P120 (250GB) which had these problems, then a bought another one (because I thought it was broken), a WDC hard disk and installed Win XP to that instead but the problems still occured like before.

What should I do, are there any good diagnostic programs?

Please help me, I can't stand the situation anymore!

With regards, a novice!

My system is:
Intel C2D E6400, Corsair PC5300 DDR2 2048 MB, Samsung Spinpoint P120 250 GB, WDC 250 GB, Nec DVD-burner AD 7173, NorthQ 4775-500Bulk(500W), Gigabyte DS-3, Powercolor Radeon x1950Pro EE 256 MB, Win Xp Home, Cooler Master Mystique 631 Viewsonic VA912, MS Wireless Laser desktop 6000.

 

[Mugsy]

Sounds like a bad connection.

I have lots of problems with my hard disks...

Also I can't install games from CD/DVD's...

Also corrupt program files...

From these three factors, my first suspicion is that you have I/O issues. Your drives are probably fine.

If the HD and the CD are on the same IDE cable (assuming these are IDE, you didn't say), I'd check the cable for breaks/burns or just for a bad connection (cable detaching from connector, or not plugged in tightly to the MoBo).

Check your connections... ESPECIALLY to the CD. Any software that was installed from that drive might not have installed properly, and half of your trouble may just be your hard drives reading badly written data.

 

[sellomies]

Hi Mugsy

I'm sorry I didn't tell you that I use SATA-disks.

I have checked connections to the hard disks and to the DVD/CD. I can't connect them any "better". Hard disk connectors say "click" when connected and the cables are not damaged what I can see.

The DVD/CD-drive IDE-kable colors are right I guess, the green end connects to Mobo (to the green connector) and the black end to the drive. And I pushed quite hard to get it well connected, it won't go any further.

These problems have occured regurlarly since I bought the components and put it together in January... =( Something could have broked when I did that even if I tried to be very careful.

But if the DVD/CD doesn't work properly for example, basically hole windows and LOTS of programs aren't right installed from the beginning?

More suggestions, guesses!?

 

[AlbertLionheart]

Go to the moptherboard makers website and find your board. Locate and download the latest SATA drivers for the board and install them.
If you are confident, you could also update the EPROM on the board but this is a lot more complicated and sometimes, depending on the board, needs a floppy drive.

 

[Tedster]

check your BIOS and drivers are up to date. RUN CHKDSK on your drives. Replace the SATA cables. If you still get errors, your drives are failing. And yes, new drives can fail. This is more common than people think. Most makers have a 5 year warranty. I hope you saved your receipts.

 

[sellomies]

another problem

Thanks for you too Tedster.

There's a new problem: floppy drive doesn't work. It can't read (or format) any floppy, I've tried about 10 different. "my computer" -window just freezes!
I downloaded a newer version of BIOS and tried to put it in the floppy for upgrading BIOS ...but I couldn't, really funny! ...NOOT!!!

But, Tedster: I have been running CHKDSK about dozen times since january... it doesn't help. There STILL are errors and corrupt files and registry that is messed up.

The Win-tools say the the hard disks and floppy drive work correctly... and there should be the latest drivers.

Can the MoBo be broken?

 

[AlbertLionheart]

Can you get access to another PC to check your drives?
It may be that you have two problems - (one) bad motherboard and (two) a bad drive. You need to find a way to diagnose what is going on on another machine if you can.
Also have you downloaded the hard drive manufacturers diagnostic software - you will need Samsung and WD. This is much more reliable than chkdsk.

 

[Mugsy]

Cascading I/O failure.

There's a new problem: floppy drive doesn't work. It can't read (or format) any floppy,

All of the problems you've describe are all related as I/O failures, which suggests a driver or BIOS issue. The best way to test this is with other "drive" tests.

If you have access to a USB "thumb drive" or a memory card with reader, try seeing if you can read/write to them with no problem. If the problem you are experiencing happens with them too, you know it's not the drives, cables or motherboard.

If however, you do *not* experience trouble reading/writing to something plugged into the USB port, we need to start looking at hardware failure.

BTW: Are there times when the problem seems worse than at other times? Does it only happen after a period of use, say a few hours? That would make it "heat related".

 

[sellomies]

hardware problem??? =(

I have 2 external hard disks and none of these problems I've had with them. I've used them with my old laptop and never ever had any problems with them. The temperature is about 46 celcius in the case and the processor temp is 42
celsius according to the speedfan monitoring tool IDLE. Even in hard load during playing, it stays just below 50 degrees celsius. And answer no to your question, problems usually start when I start the computer and try to run different programs, not after a while. When I reinstall them after downloading them from the internet (skype, firefox for example), they usually work until the next time I restart it.

I just ran a WD diagnostic tool called DLGDIAG and the WD hard disk passed both Quick test and Extended test without problems in the report.
With Samsungs tool HUTIL I got a report wich I don't know what to do with!?

 

[AlbertLionheart]

OK - two things here.
The WD drive is good. Does this one contain the OS?
What was the report on the samsung drive?

 

[sellomies]

two answers

Yes AlbertL, the WD disk is the one with OS installed.

And when running again the Hutil-program in Dos-prompt this time, it said the following (only in dos):
WDOSX_tophys<> error.
SSIDE.DLL cannot handle this case.
Memory map was saved into SSIDE.txt.

Beginning of this file looks like this (about 200 values alltogether):
=== PAGE DIRECTORY (CR3:00000000) ==============
PDE_001[00000004] : 00700000 18b
PDE_003[0000000c] : 00700000 18b
PDE_004[00000010] : 00700000 18b
PDE_005[00000014] : 020e0000 6b9
PDE_007[0000001c] : 020e0000 3ff
PDE_00f[0000003c] : 020e0000 3ff
PDE_010[00000040] : 020e0000 8a9
PDE_013[0000004c] : 020e0000 45d
PDE_015[00000054] : 02dd0000 20d
PDE_017[0000005c] : 020e0000 58b
PDE_01a[00000068] : 020e0000 c1f
PDE_01b[0000006c] : 020e0000 6ad
PDE_01c[00000070] : 020e0000 6ad
PDE_01e[00000078] : 020e0000 537
PDE_01f[0000007c] : c0006000 a1d

What about the RAM-memory, could the BIOS values be wrong even if it I choose the Fail safe adjustments? And I run 2 modules (1024 mb each) dual channel interleaved, should I try to replace them?

 

[AlbertLionheart]

Looks like the Samsung drive is suspect. I had a shufti at the Samsung site and it was useless at anything to do with the hutil report analysis.
OK - disconnect the samsung drive and see it there is an improvement.

 

[Mugsy]

I second Albert on disconnecting the Samsung to see if there is an improvement, but since you are also reporting trouble with the CD drive, but not your external drives, it's most likely a connection problem. (If not a device conflict between specific drives.)

If the cables are making a good connection, then I'd disconnect every drive except C: (including your CD/DVD), boot into Safe Mode, and see what happens. Your C: drive, the WD is testing okay, so if it's good, you shouldn't experience any problems. Run a few tests if possible. Before exiting safe mode, run "msconfig" and disable any startup program that might try to access any drive other than C:. Then reboot into Windows as normal, use it as you normally would and see if the problems pop-up.

Reconnect your other drives one at a time, rebooting each time, until the trouble returns, helping you narrow down the culprit.

It's a tedious time consuming process, but it should help you confirm if one or more of your drives is dying.

 

[sellomies]

thanks a lot!

Thanks a lot for you for many solutions!

I'll have to try these tricks, I'll report back to you in few days when I'm done with that if I am still unable to solve the problem.

Really, this has given me many new thoughts, I appreciate this really!

 

[yolak]

HDD problem pls help!!

i got S.M.A.R.T error when start up.. then i just press F1 to continue in order to boot into windows xp home edition SP1.. then my computer crashes with BSOD etc. some minidumps..

then i decided to reformat may HDD and save some back up files..

But when im reformating may windows.. its copying files from CD.. it has some errors.. "some files couldn't copy for CD" --- that was the error. I kept continuing and trying to format it but still error occurs.. and try and try again. and when i finish copying files from CD.. it restart and boot to windows.. and put on the CD key of the Windows, i got original CD, and i waited again 39minutes for the setup but OMG stil blue screen problem and it hangs.. then it just crashes and restart.. it has a BSOD.. and i try again it says setup was restarted. and then i waited again. again and again.. until i cant finish throughout the setup.. and then last error was.. some files was corrupted and i have no choice. but to reformat again i went around many hours just keep repeating this problem...

my HDD was tickling when i reformating.. and it errors.. and restart and cant found any HDD on the startup primary master was NONE but my CD-RW was found. when i reformating i boot it from CD..


PLS HELP!



Computer specs:
64MB video/256MB ram/2.53Ghz Processor/intel p4