Hard drive failing, what to do

[blotsome]

My primary system drive where Win7 is installed is a: WD 7K 16M SATA2 WD3200AAKS HD 320G - OEM. Long version (feel free to scroll down to short version): Yesterday, I came back to my computer, and all of my applications and desktop were frozen, but I could move the mouse. When I clicked on a window, the cursor would turn to the blue spinning thing, and the window would eventually say not responding and turn a lighter shade of white. I couldn't click on the desktop of the start menu, so I did a hard reset. The computer then wouldn't pass the black "starting windows" screen. I did another hard reset, and it asked me if I wanted windows to try to repair start up. Soon after that, it asked if I wanted to restore windows, but when I clicked OK, I got what looked to me to be a memory error (sorry, don't recall what it said). Then startup repair seemed to do nothing for a few hours, till I got impatient and restarted the computer. I was able to get into Windows, and I scheduled a memory test, and reset the computer. Memory test ran and found no problems. I restarted and Windows loaded, but soon after my computer was laggy and the programs were freezing. So then I thought it may be a HDD issue, so I scheduled to run check disk on that drive, and reset. Check Disk found corrupt files and bad sectors. After that, I was able to load Windows normally, but when I tried to open MC7 for "Live TV", it wouldn't pass the searching for tuner stage, so I closed out MC7, and got an error message in the action center. So I ran chkdsk again. This time, windows wouldn't load after restart, so I went back into repair startup, and it seemed to have found the error really fast, restarted and everything seemed fine. I decided to run chkdsk one more time for good measure, and it had a couple more read errors and found more bad sectors. Now I have been running windows with no apparent issues yet.

Short version, computer froze, ended up running chkdsk 3 times, had to repair start up, and now everything is OK for now, but obviously I'm worried about more harddrive failure. Here are my questions:

1)How troubling is this? Do I need a new harddrive ASAP, or can it run for years with a few bad sectors? Any further tests I could run?

2)If I am to get a new system drive, what should I get? All I have on it is windows and my programs. I have separate disks for data. I'm using roughly 32 GBs out of 298. Should I just try to get the same drive (same speed, same capacity), or is there a good upgrade and is it worth getting an upgrade (I don't need more space, but something that would help performance maybe?) or any good deals on sale now?

3) I bought my current (failing) HDD on 9/24/2008, and I'm pretty sure WD has 5 year limited warranty. Should I peruse that angle? Any tips or advice related to that?

4)How should I got about moving/restoring this OS to the new drive?
4a) I have a half dozen Windows Image Backups saved. Should I just use an old one from before the failure, or should I try to create a new one now, even though the disk may be corrupt?
4b)Or is there a better program to be using than Windows backup and restore?

Is there anything else I need to know? Thanks a lot for any information.

 

[richc46]

First, back up everything. When you are done, I will give you advice, but the back up gets priority.

We can test the HardDrive, etc.

Here is a start, but back up, now
http://www.pcmech.com/article/hard-drive-failure-warnings-and-solutions/

 

[blotsome]

OK, I started creating a system image, like I've done a number of times before. About 80% through, it seemed to get stuck, and my computer became mostly non-responsive/frozen, and after another 15 minutes of waiting, the screen went black and I couldn't get anything back, so I did a hard reset. It was stuck on the "Starting windows" screen for about 5 minutes, before it went directly into chkdsk. It found some more errors, then restarted. However, after POST, an error message "A disk read error occurred" and asked for a C-A-D. I then tried booting off the install DVD, and tried to do a startup repair from there, but again got the same disk read error on restart. So looks like now the drive has failed even more, and I can no longer boot from it. I'm considering finding a way to run chkdsk from DVD or something similar. I'm guessing the backup failed, but my previous backup is from June, so I haven't lost too much... oh boy. what now?

 

[richc46]

Try to save your files, then we talk or at least type.

PC Inspector FILE RECOVERY

Your HD sounds like it is having problems

 

[blotsome]

On another partition on another drive, I have my old pre-win7 XP OS. I changed the boot order and got into XP just fine (though it wanted me to install some new hardware that I added since last booting into XP). I ignored that, and went into mycomputer. It could see the win7 drive just fine. So I went and backed up the few new files that I don't have imaged from my docs and downloads and my firefox bookmarks (can't really think of anything else of use). I already had PC Inspector installed on that system, but I ended up not needing it because I could access and transfer the files in explorer just fine. so at least all isn't lost in that regard!

 

[richc46]

OK, you have your documents.
Follow this to check the hard drive.
HD Diagnostic

If it comes up bad, it is. If it shows ok, it may still be the problem, but we will try to solve the problem assuming HD is ok, but I doubt it.

 

[blotsome]

Ok, I ran SeaTools for DOS, since I already had it burned to a disk, and your instructions said it would work with a WD drive. SMART has not been tripped. Took just over an hour to complete, and found 28 errors in the long test, and failed. It gave me a message to contact my HD manufacturer. Should I have run a WD utility instead?

 

[richc46]

Assuming that you backed up everything, run the WD test. Then get a new Hard Drive, if it fails. There is no other recourse. But, it does not sound good.

 

[blotsome]

OK. I'll try that. In the mean time, do you have any advice regarding my questions in my OP regarding getting a new drive (warranty question, tips on restoring from image file, drive upgrade possibilities...) Thanks a lot for your help this far!

 

[blotsome]

the WD quick test after 8 seconds:

"Test Completed with read element failure
Error/status code:0007
continue on to full media scan in order to resolve this issue"

which I am doing now...

 

[richc46]

1)How troubling is this? Do I need a new harddrive ASAP, or can it run for years with a few bad sectors? Any further tests I could run?

2)If I am to get a new system drive, what should I get? All I have on it is windows and my programs. I have separate disks for data. I'm using roughly 32 GBs out of 298. Should I just try to get the same drive (same speed, same capacity), or is there a good upgrade and is it worth getting an upgrade (I don't need more space, but something that would help performance maybe?) or any good deals on sale now?

3) I bought my current (failing) HDD on 9/24/2008, and I'm pretty sure WD has 5 year limited warranty. Should I peruse that angle? Any tips or advice related to that?

4)How should I got about moving/restoring this OS to the new drive?
4a) I have a half dozen Windows Image Backups saved. Should I just use an old one from before the failure, or should I try to create a new one now, even though the disk may be corrupt?
4b)Or is there a better program to be using than Windows backup and restore?

Is there anything else I need to know? Thanks a lot for any information.

If HD is failing it could go before I finish typing.
The drive you get is your option, but if space is not a problem and you are satisfied, you can just replace what you have
If under warranty, try to go that route.
If you have a system image, you can just use the most current. I think if it were mine I would just reinstall so all the old problems are history.

 

[blotsome]

"all the old problems are history."

Besides the drive failure, I didn't really have any problems (that I know of, I guess something I was unaware of could have been leading to the drive failure). I just figure loading from the image will take about half an hour, and all my configurations and stuff will be already there, where if I install from scratch I'll have to install all my programs again, my configurations, transfer documents, and redo my MC7 configurations (I had to manually add each channel to the listing, and remap their numbers, which by itself took 2+ hours), so that's a day or two worth of work. As an American, I always like the simple route (and figured it was the reason why I was making system images from the get go). But if there is a possibility the system image could pass on corruptions I wouldn't mind reinstalling from scratch (though I wouldn't like it, ha)..

Thanks again for all your help!

 

[richc46]

The final decsion is yours of course; but are you sure there is no malware or virus? Are you sure there is not corruption etc.? I think you know the pros and cons, its your decsion and I will try to help, regardless of the decision.

But, yes you are 100% correct, that is what the image is for.

 

[blotsome]

OK, it ran and said "Errors found - the drive has been repaired. error/status code:0223" View test results doesn't give any more information about what was repaired. But now, when I try to boot to the drive, I just get a blinking cursor after POST. I guess I am going to try to get the win7 disk out again, and try to repair the install, but I have to go to work so that won't be for anther 9 hours before I can work on it further. I'll also look into starting the warranty process. anyone with experience with that, what to expect? Do i have to ship first, etc..

 

[gregrocker]

Were you running Western Digital Data Lifeguard bootable CD scan?

It appears it repaired the HD. It might also have lost your data when it moved data off the bad sectors to resurface them. This is why it prompts you to back up your data (not an image).

I hope you followed Rich's advice to copy off the data (not an image) so it is safe. If not you can try to recover your files by booting the Win7 DVD or Repair CD: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93347-copy-paste-windows-recovery-console.html Or use a data recovery software like Recuva.

 

[blotsome]

I was running "Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for DOS (CD)". The drive didn't have any data, outside of the OS and my installed programs, so if I have to reinstall on a new hard drive, I don't feel like I've "lost" anything. Besides, I have an image of the drive from 2 months ago. So what I copied earlier today was just a few minor documents and downloads, and some local program data (firefox profile and such). I didn't copy the entire drive's contents, so I'm not sure if that link will help me.

 

[gregrocker]

I would run Data Lifeguard full CD scan again, followed by chkdsk /r run from the WIn7 DVD or Repair CD: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/433-disk-check.html

If these clear the HD, then it may be ready to return to service if no performance problems are evident.

I would wipe the HD before reinstall using this method: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

 

[blotsome]

I ran the scans (both from the WD CD and from CMD CHKDSK) and they were both clean. I then tried to "repair startup" and that didn't work. I then tried from the CMD to do a bcdedit /FixBoot, and that gave me an error "an unknown command was specified" but then I tried bootrec /fixboot, and that was successful. (remember, before all this I would just get a blinking cursor after POST). Now, it loaded right back into my OS. How stupid, on a scale from 1 to 10, is running like this? should I keep it up until I can get a new drive, and hope it doesn't fail even worse in the mean time, or should I take the time to wipe it and re-install, even though I'll be getting a new drive as soon as one ships... oh, and should I try imaging the drive as it is, or should I stick with my June backup?

 

[gregrocker]

Run it for awhile to see how performance pans out.

It depends on whether the HD repair damaged system files. It may run fine, or maybe you should clean reinstall to reach for better performance.

The HD can be assumed to be sound if it passes all tests. But always keep your data backed up anyway.

 

[blotsome]

I've submitted an advanced RMA with WD. Will they accept a drive which their diagnostic has repaired, or do I need to cancel the RMA and wait for it to fail even worse... I think I remember last time chkdsk running that it had 100kb of bad sectors (if that is a determining factor or not).