Sudden problem on boot

[Shogg]

Just a couple days ago I was using my desktop computer fine like any other day, but it started having some occasional freezing that would last a few seconds and go back to normal. Then my whole computer locked up on me, i tried to ctrl-alt-delete and my whole screen went black. I had to turn off my computer with the power button, wait a couple seconds, and turned it back on. as it was starting up, I got the message

"A disk read error has occurred
Press ctrl-alt-delete to restart"

I can still access my bios like normal, and my Hitachi hard drive DOES show up in the bios.

I'm running windows Vista Ultimate x86 (32bit). I tried using the vista CD to repair the harddrive, took about 2 hours to finish whatever it was doing, but it didn't help, it no longer says the same message but it still doesn't boot. It now displays a longer message and goes through some strange process.

My question is, is this a hardware problem or a data problem? Will a reformat fix my problem (I hope not because I'd like to keep my files), or will I have to buy a new harddrive (I wouldn't mind much because then i can hook up my current harddrive by USB or on sata2 and backup the files I want on my external).

Thanks,
Evan

 

[howard_hopkinso]

Hello and welcome to Techspot.

Test your hard drive. See this thread HERE.

If everything checks out ok. Try replacing the hard drive cable. If that still doesn`t help, then maybe a format will.

Regards Howard :wave: :wave:

 

[Shogg]

The drive fitness tool found some corrupted sectors and I chose to try and repair them, if successful, how much data will be lost in doing so do you think? Does it just correct some damaged files or erase some sections of data, because the DFT said some data would be lost in some files.

 

[howard_hopkinso]

It really depends what`s on the corrupted sectors mate.

I suggest you backup your important data asap.

Regards Howard

 

[Shogg]

Well scratch that last post, the repair test finished. "Failure code : 0x70 - Defective Device."

So I guess I need to buy a new harddrive then.. Do you think when I buy a new harddrive, I can hook up this damaged one to another sata slot and pull files off of it? If so then I have no problem with getting a new harddrive.

 

[howard_hopkinso]

Yes, you should be able to get most, if not all your important data off of the defective drive. well, at least I hope so.

Good luck and let us know the outcome.

Regards Howard

 

[Shogg]

I'll let you know how it goes in a few days, and thanks for the help.