A failing laptop/notebook HDD or just a corrupted Vista/data?
Ant
I am trying to figure out and fix a client's old Sony Vaio
laptop/notebook with 1 GB of RAM and 32-bit Vista Business. Basically,
it doesn't load up its desktop fully. I do see a graphical splash screen
loader and then a black desktop with a movable white mouse cursor, but
that's it. This happen in both safe mode and normal boot up.
I was able to use the laptop/notebook and access its HDD with no
problems with both KNOPPIX v6.4.3 liveCD and a Windows PE CD. In Windows
PE CD, I ran chkdsk /f and /r on it, and it found problems like lost
clusters and bad sectors:
Chkdsk #1 with no and with /f parameters separaretly:
http://pastie.org/1481138
Chkdsk #2 with its /r parameter that took a few hours overnight:
http://pastie.org/1481142
Chkdsk #3 with no parameters: http://pastie.org/1481145
I also ran smartctl v5.40 in Windows 7 PE and got the detailed results:
http://pastie.org/1481161
I did NOT run its long test yet since it would probably take a few hours
and I can't wait for it to finish at this time. Would it help to do that
later when I do return to it to get new smartctl results?
For kicks, I rebooted back to Vista but the results were almost the same
except normal boot up now result a blue screen with IRQ_EQUAL_
something. It went too fast and autorebooted to get the details. :( Safe
mode still hangs.
Is this Vista trashed and need a (repair?) reinstall? :(
Thank you in advance. :)
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Arno
> Hello.
> I am trying to figure out and fix a client's old Sony Vaio
> laptop/notebook with 1 GB of RAM and 32-bit Vista Business. Basically,
> it doesn't load up its desktop fully. I do see a graphical splash screen
> loader and then a black desktop with a movable white mouse cursor, but
> that's it. This happen in both safe mode and normal boot up.
> I was able to use the laptop/notebook and access its HDD with no
> problems with both KNOPPIX v6.4.3 liveCD and a Windows PE CD. In Windows
> PE CD, I ran chkdsk /f and /r on it, and it found problems like lost
> clusters and bad sectors:
> Chkdsk #1 with no and with /f parameters separaretly:
> http://pastie.org/1481138
> Chkdsk #2 with its /r parameter that took a few hours overnight:
> http://pastie.org/1481142
> Chkdsk #3 with no parameters: http://pastie.org/1481145
> I also ran smartctl v5.40 in Windows 7 PE and got the detailed results:
> http://pastie.org/1481161
This disk ia very old, the load cycle count is basically expired.
This can mean unreliable mechanics and long access times, maybe
long enough to cause command aborts by the client (computer)
side.
The 129 pending sectors (sectors the drive could not read)
point in the same direction. These could be old writes
that have degraded or new writes that were imprecisely done.
> I did NOT run its long test yet since it would probably take a few hours
> and I can't wait for it to finish at this time. Would it help to do that
> later when I do return to it to get new smartctl results?
Yes, definitely. Although it will basically tell you that
sectors are unreadable.
> For kicks, I rebooted back to Vista but the results were almost the same
> except normal boot up now result a blue screen with IRQ_EQUAL_
> something. It went too fast and autorebooted to get the details. :( Safe
> mode still hangs.
> Is this Vista trashed and need a (repair?) reinstall? :(
> Thank you in advance. :)
I think the disk has become basically unusable due to wear and tear.
You should be able to get most data off the drive, but you need a
new drive.
Arno
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----
Cuddly UI's are the manifestation of wishful thinking. -- Dylan Evans
Rod Speed
> I am trying to figure out and fix a client's old Sony Vaio
> laptop/notebook with 1 GB of RAM and 32-bit Vista Business. Basically,
> it doesn't load up its desktop fully. I do see a graphical splash
> screen loader and then a black desktop with a movable white mouse
> cursor, but that's it. This happen in both safe mode and normal boot up.
> I was able to use the laptop/notebook and access its HDD with no
> problems with both KNOPPIX v6.4.3 liveCD and a Windows PE CD. In Windows PE CD, I ran chkdsk /f and /r on it, and it
> found problems
> like lost clusters and bad sectors:
> Chkdsk #1 with no and with /f parameters separaretly:
> http://pastie.org/1481138
Its not a good idea to run chkdsk at this stage, it can make things much worse.
> Chkdsk #2 with its /r parameter that took a few hours overnight:
> http://pastie.org/1481142
> Chkdsk #3 with no parameters: http://pastie.org/1481145
> I also ran smartctl v5.40 in Windows 7 PE and got the detailed
> results: http://pastie.org/1481161
> I did NOT run its long test yet since it would probably take a few
> hours and I can't wait for it to finish at this time. Would it help
> to do that later when I do return to it to get new smartctl results?
It would provide a clearer idea about just how bad the drive is.
> For kicks, I rebooted back to Vista but the results were almost the
> same except normal boot up now result a blue screen with IRQ_EQUAL_
> something. It went too fast and autorebooted to get the details. :(
> Safe mode still hangs.
All that indicates is that the bad drive has fucked the Vista install.
> Is this Vista trashed and need a (repair?) reinstall? :(
Yes, that is the best approach once you fix the drive.
And one gotcha is that Vista stupidly calls a repair install an upgrade install.
Ant
> > and I can't wait for it to finish at this time. Would it help to do that
> > later when I do return to it to get new smartctl results?
> Yes, definitely. Although it will basically tell you that
> sectors are unreadable.
OK, I will do that tonight in Windows PE boot CD again or should I do it
in Vista, but then I am only have guest account and not administrator
(forgot to get that part!).
> > For kicks, I rebooted back to Vista but the results were almost the same
> > except normal boot up now result a blue screen with IRQ_EQUAL_
> > something. It went too fast and autorebooted to get the details. :( Safe
> > mode still hangs.
> > Is this Vista trashed and need a (repair?) reinstall? :(
> I think the disk has become basically unusable due to wear and tear.
> You should be able to get most data off the drive, but you need a
> new drive.
Thanks. :)
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Ant
> Ant wrote
> > I am trying to figure out and fix a client's old Sony Vaio
> > laptop/notebook with 1 GB of RAM and 32-bit Vista Business. Basically,
> > it doesn't load up its desktop fully. I do see a graphical splash
> > screen loader and then a black desktop with a movable white mouse
> > cursor, but that's it. This happen in both safe mode and normal boot up.
> > I was able to use the laptop/notebook and access its HDD with no
> > problems with both KNOPPIX v6.4.3 liveCD and a Windows PE CD. In Windows PE CD, I ran chkdsk /f and /r on it, and it
> > found problems
> > like lost clusters and bad sectors:
> > Chkdsk #1 with no and with /f parameters separaretly:
> > http://pastie.org/1481138
> Its not a good idea to run chkdsk at this stage, it can make things much worse.
OK, I will stop that.
> > Chkdsk #2 with its /r parameter that took a few hours overnight:
> > http://pastie.org/1481142
> > Chkdsk #3 with no parameters: http://pastie.org/1481145
> > I also ran smartctl v5.40 in Windows 7 PE and got the detailed
> > results: http://pastie.org/1481161
> > I did NOT run its long test yet since it would probably take a few
> > hours and I can't wait for it to finish at this time. Would it help
> > to do that later when I do return to it to get new smartctl results?
> It would provide a clearer idea about just how bad the drive is.
OK. I will do that tonight and post its results. Is "smartctl -t long
/dev/hda" is good enough? Also, should I do it in Windows PE boot CD? I
don't think I can do as a guest account in working Vista?
> > For kicks, I rebooted back to Vista but the results were almost the
> > same except normal boot up now result a blue screen with IRQ_EQUAL_
> > something. It went too fast and autorebooted to get the details. :(
> > Safe mode still hangs.
> All that indicates is that the bad drive has fucked the Vista install.
:(
> > Is this Vista trashed and need a (repair?) reinstall? :(
> Yes, that is the best approach once you fix the drive.
> And one gotcha is that Vista stupidly calls a repair install an upgrade install.
Thanks!
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Rod Speed
Yes.
> Also, should I do it in Windows PE boot CD?
Yes.
> I don't think I can do as a guest account in working Vista?
You dont have a working Vista.
Ant
> >>> results: http://pastie.org/1481161
> >>> I did NOT run its long test yet since it would probably take a few
> >>> hours and I can't wait for it to finish at this time. Would it help
> >>> to do that later when I do return to it to get new smartctl results?
> >> It would provide a clearer idea about just how bad the drive is.
> > OK. I will do that tonight and post its results. Is "smartctl -t long /dev/hda" is good enough?
> Yes.
OK and thanks. :)
> > Also, should I do it in Windows PE boot CD?
> Yes.
> > I don't think I can do as a guest account in working Vista?
> You dont have a working Vista.
Oops, I forgot to follow-up that I finally got back in after Vista asked
me to do a startup repair which I did and worked. I guess the
autoreboots from blue screens made it come up. Now, I can go in Vista.
Rod Speed
>>>>> I also ran smartctl v5.40 in Windows 7 PE and got the detailed results:
>>>>> http://pastie.org/1481161
>>>>> I did NOT run its long test yet since it would probably take a few
>>>>> hours and I can't wait for it to finish at this time. Would it help to
>>>>> do that later when I do return to it to get new smartctl results?
>>>> It would provide a clearer idea about just how bad the drive is.
>>> OK. I will do that tonight and post its results. Is "smartctl -t long /dev/hda" is good enough?
>> Yes.
> OK and thanks. :)
>>> Also, should I do it in Windows PE boot CD?
>> Yes.
>>> I don't think I can do as a guest account in working Vista?
>> You dont have a working Vista.
> Oops, I forgot to follow-up that I finally got back in after Vista
> asked me to do a startup repair which I did and worked. I guess
> the autoreboots from blue screens made it come up.
Yes.
> Now, I can go in Vista.
Doesnt matter which way you do it.
I'd run Everest too, its report is much more readable than smartctl.
Ant
> >> Yes.
> > OK and thanks. :)
> >> Yes.
> Yes.
Is Everest runnable under Windows' guest accounts? I decided not to run
more disk tests and just replace the HDD. I do not want to wear this
dying HDD out. I will follow-up if I have more questions and problems.
Rod Speed
>>>>>>> I also ran smartctl v5.40 in Windows 7 PE and got the detailed results:
>>>>>>> http://pastie.org/1481161
>>>>>>> I did NOT run its long test yet since it would probably take
>>>>>>> a few hours and I can't wait for it to finish at this time.
>>>>>>> Would it help to do that later when I do return to it to
>>>>>>> get new smartctl results?
>>>>>> It would provide a clearer idea about just how bad the drive is.
>>>>> OK. I will do that tonight and post its results. Is "smartctl -t long /dev/hda" is good enough?
>>>> Yes.
>>> OK and thanks. :)
>>>>> Also, should I do it in Windows PE boot CD?
>>>> Yes.
>>>>> I don't think I can do as a guest account in working Vista?
>>>> You dont have a working Vista.
>>> Oops, I forgot to follow-up that I finally got back in after Vista
>>> asked me to do a startup repair which I did and worked. I guess
>>> the autoreboots from blue screens made it come up.
>> Yes.
>>> Now, I can go in Vista.
>> Doesnt matter which way you do it.
>> I'd run Everest too, its report is much more readable than smartctl.
> Is Everest runnable under Windows' guest accounts?
Yes.
> I decided not to run more disk tests and just replace the HDD.
Yeah, I would if the Everest report shows its dying.
Everest doesnt do any more than report the SMART stats that the drive has collected already.
> I do not want to wear this dying HDD out.
Running Everest on it wont do that.
Ant
> >>>> You dont have a working Vista.
> >>> Oops, I forgot to follow-up that I finally got back in after Vista
> >>> asked me to do a startup repair which I did and worked. I guess
> >>> the autoreboots from blue screens made it come up.
> >> Yes.
> >>> Now, I can go in Vista.
> >> Doesnt matter which way you do it.
> >> I'd run Everest too, its report is much more readable than smartctl.
> > Is Everest runnable under Windows' guest accounts?
> Yes.
> > I decided not to run more disk tests and just replace the HDD.
> Yeah, I would if the Everest report shows its dying.
> Everest doesnt do any more than report the SMART stats that the drive has collected already.
> > I do not want to wear this dying HDD out.
> Running Everest on it wont do that.
Well, I still would have to load up slow Vista and shut down after using
it. Actually, can Everest be run under WinPE?
Rod Speed
>>>>>> You dont have a working Vista.
>>>>> Oops, I forgot to follow-up that I finally got back in after Vista
>>>>> asked me to do a startup repair which I did and worked. I guess
>>>>> the autoreboots from blue screens made it come up.
>>>> Yes.
>>>>> Now, I can go in Vista.
>>>> Doesnt matter which way you do it.
>>>> I'd run Everest too, its report is much more readable than smartctl.
>>> Is Everest runnable under Windows' guest accounts?
>> Yes.
>>> I decided not to run more disk tests and just replace the HDD.
>> Yeah, I would if the Everest report shows its dying.
>> Everest doesnt do any more than report the SMART stats that the
>> drive has collected already.
>>> I do not want to wear this dying HDD out.
>> Running Everest on it wont do that.
> Well, I still would have to load up slow Vista and shut down after using it.
Hardly the end of civilisation as we know it, even for the likes of you that
always runs on the bleeding edge of technology with your sox superglued on.
> Actually, can Everest be run under WinPE?
Yes, but its going to take more work to do that to run it on Vista
unless you can find a WinPE CD with it already installed on.