Can't mount system drive - error 0x000000ED

[Gi1919]

Hello,

I'm having issues with my HP Pavilion g6-1331sf laptop.

I've had 3 BSODs recently:

• one about 2 weeks ago, code 0x0000007A: "KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR".
• then another, the same one, a few days ago.
• then a 0x000000ED, "UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME", later that day.

I have this about the second BSOD:

Signature du problème :
Nom d’événement de problème: BlueScreen
Version du système: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3
Identificateur de paramètres régionaux: 1036

Informations supplémentaires sur le problème :
BCCode: 7a
BCP1: FFFFF6FC500E5180
BCP2: FFFFFFFFC0000185
BCP3: 00000001B06BC880
BCP4: FFFFF8A01CA30000
OS Version: 6_1_7601
Service Pack: 1_0
Product: 768_1

Fichiers aidant à décrire le problème :
C:\Windows\Minidump\033117-29172-01.dmp
C:\Users\Me\AppData\Local\Temp\WER-1823324-0.sysdata.xml

And some stuff had happened between the 2nd and 3rd BSODs:

• it did a CHKDSK with only 3 steps; when I looked into the Event Observer later, the log was truncated, stopping halfway through a word ("Répara"...) in the middle of step 2
• when my session opened, I was informed that Comodo couldn't start, the install was damaged. Seven's own firewall wouldn't start either, with an error code 0x80070422
• I restarted the laptop, everything was normal until the login screen, then it stayed on "welcome" for ages, then showed a "neutral" session, said something about not being able to access user profiles, that the identity was incorrect... The LED was lit continously for about an hour, and then when it finally went out, I was able to display the Task Manager, close that session, and open my own, which looked normal. I planned a CHKDSK on C: and ticked both boxes in the hope of fixing the firewall problems
• I restarted the laptop, but it did not do the CHKDSK, and again, took a while to open a neutral session; I had to wait one more hour to redo the whole thing (log in to my own session, plan a CHKDSK)
• I restarted it again, and this time, it displayed the "Windows" screen longer than usual and then: UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME!

It kinda felt like it had been going worse and worse with every restart, so I have not booted on the drive since.

****************************************************************************

The laptop has a dual boot (Windows 7 / Ubuntu, though I'm not sure I can remember the Linux password...) and a bunch of partitions:

• sda1 SYSTEM 200 MB
• sda2 C: (Windows 7 and some data too) 70 GB
• sda3 extended partition (sda5, 6, 7,8)
• sda4 E: (HP_TOOLS) 3,97 GB
• sda5 Ubuntu (boot) 500 MB
• sda6 Ubuntu (root) 40 GB
• sda7 Ubuntu (swap) 3,91 GB
• sda8 D: (my data) 348 GB

All I have handy currently is:

• a SystemRescueCD from 2009, which I used to copy all the data from D: to an external hard drive
• the old XP laptop I'm typing from, which I fear is compromised, so I'm not sure I can download/burn ISOs from it
• a Windows 7 repair disk which I hope works, I've never had to use it so far

While in the SystemRescueCD session, Gparted displays warning signs next to sda2 and sda8.

• About sda8 (D: ), it says: "This software has detected that the disk has at least 7 bad sectors". I was able to copy all my files but 2 to the external hard drive.
• About sda2 (C: ), it says: "Failed to calculate number of free clusters: input/output error. Failed to mount /dev/sda2: input/output error. NTFS is inconsistent. Run chkdsk /f on Windows then reboot TWICE!" (it may say more stuff, but I can't scroll all the way down)

I haven't tried the other tools included on the live CD yet ("Show Filesystems" and "TestDisk"). Should I?

Any idea of what the issue is, first? I hope it's a Windows problem and not a hard drive failure... There's a little bit of data on C: I'd like to be able to save too...

And then: is the next step booting on the Windows 7 repair disk? Will that play nice with my dual boot? And preserve all the data too?

Thank you...

 

[Layback Bear]

Hi Gi1919 and welcome to our forum.

I'm not a BSOD Expert but I do know some information is needed by them.

Please complete this and post the info as per the tutorial.

By Brink.

Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Posting Instructions - Windows 7 Help Forums

Jack

 

[Gi1919]

Thanks, Jack.

I did read those instructions, but it seems you need to be able to be logged in a Windows 7 session to provide all that information. I currently cannot even mount the drive! So I'm afraid I can't provide the info requested either...

ETA: but if this isn't the right forum as I currently cannot boot, please feel free to move this topic to the right place, mods!

 

[axe0]

Hi Gi1919,

This is clearly a failing hard drive, your best bet is to replace it.
Reinstalling or using the repair disk probably won't help enough to completely get rid of the problem.

 

[Gi1919]

Really?? Seven bad sectors on a 350 GB partition didn't look that bad to me, and I had hoped the C: partition wasn't much worse off... Ah, crap!

Ok, let me rephrase my question then: before I bin the laptop and buy a new one, what's my best bet to recover the data I still had left on C: ? I'm mostly thinking of my Thunderbird and Firefox profiles, plus tons of music, plus the odd file that had saved under My Documents by default... That's gonna be my number 1 priority, even if I can't save the laptop itself!

 

[axe0]

Bad sectors are not the only thing that could cause a hard drive to die. OTH, every hard drive can change at least a few bad sectors (marking the sector as bad, move the data to a backup sector), but how many varies a lot and usually it is only just a couple.

You don't have to trash the laptop, only replace the hard drive. Usually with laptops, the RAM and hard drive are the only parts that can be replaced (besides the battery) without trashing the laptop.

You may be able to recover your data with a WinPE, Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk - - Windows 10 Forums

 

[Gi1919]

Hi,

Is it okay if I pop back up here? Sorry I was away for so long...

I think I managed to recover everything I needed to.

Now I'd like to try to resuscitate the laptop! (I won't change the hard drive, as the laptop itself is 5 years old... But if I could squeeze a few more weeks out of it, that'd be great, as I have some important work to turn in soon and don't have the time to buy and configure a new computer right now!)

I booted on the Windows 7 repair disk and launched a CHKDSK /f /r that's running at the moment.

I'd like to know:

1) is it okay if I run it twice in a row? Since that's what Gparted recommended... I think. It says "Run chkdsk /f on Windows then reboot TWICE!". Not sure if I should run chkdsk once, reboot twice, or run chkdsk, reboot, run chkdsk again, reboot again... Thoughts?

2) what should I do after that? Try to reboot the regular way? Try the "fix boot" option in the console? Run some other command at the prompt?

Thank you!

 

[axe0]

Download an ISO from Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk - - Windows 10 Forums and boot from the Win10PE, open HDTune and post a screenshot or proper photo of the health tab.
We'll need the status of the hard drive to determine if it's worth it to run chkdsk.


Please note, if I don't reply within a short notice (exception for night hours), do not bump your thread. I've recently lost my mother on a rare kind of cancer. I will respond back, but it may take time.

 

[Gi1919]

Hi Axe0!

Sorry to hear that... Hope you're doing ok... or as ok as can be... Internet hug!

I can't burn a CD right now, but I can tell you that using Linux, the overall health of the drive is displayed as green. There are 116 bad sectors: 76 reallocated, 40 pending. Those were the only lines displayed in red. Here's the full smartmontools output:

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ [B]sudo smartctl --smart=on --offlineauto=on --saveauto=on /dev/sda[/B]
smartctl 5.41 2011-06-09 r3365 [x86_64-linux-3.2.0-23-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF ENABLE/DISABLE COMMANDS SECTION ===
SMART Enabled.
SMART Attribute Autosave Enabled.
SMART Automatic Offline Testing Enabled every four hours.

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ [B]sudo smartctl -H -i /dev/sda[/B]
smartctl 5.41 2011-06-09 r3365 [x86_64-linux-3.2.0-23-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family:     Seagate Momentus 5400.6
Device Model:     ST9500325AS
Serial Number:    S2WELMNR
LU WWN Device Id: 5 000c50 04af23b30
Firmware Version: 0005HPM1
User Capacity:    500 107 862 016 bytes [500 GB]
Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/physical
Device is:        In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is:   8
ATA Standard is:  ATA-8-ACS revision 4
Local Time is:    Sun Apr 23 20:51:33 2017 UTC
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ [B]sudo smartctl -a /dev/sda[/B]
smartctl 5.41 2011-06-09 r3365 [x86_64-linux-3.2.0-23-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family:     Seagate Momentus 5400.6
Device Model:     ST9500325AS
Serial Number:    S2WELMNR
LU WWN Device Id: 5 000c50 04af23b30
Firmware Version: 0005HPM1
User Capacity:    500 107 862 016 bytes [500 GB]
Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/physical
Device is:        In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is:   8
ATA Standard is:  ATA-8-ACS revision 4
Local Time is:    Sun Apr 23 20:51:51 2017 UTC
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status:  (0x82)    Offline data collection activity
                    was completed without error.
                    Auto Offline Data Collection: Enabled.
Self-test execution status:      (   0)    The previous self-test routine completed
                    without error or no self-test has ever 
                    been run.
Total time to complete Offline 
data collection:         (    0) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities:              (0x5b) SMART execute Offline immediate.
                    Auto Offline data collection on/off support.
                    Suspend Offline collection upon new
                    command.
                    Offline surface scan supported.
                    Self-test supported.
                    No Conveyance Self-test supported.
                    Selective Self-test supported.
SMART capabilities:            (0x0003)    Saves SMART data before entering
                    power-saving mode.
                    Supports SMART auto save timer.
Error logging capability:        (0x01)    Error logging supported.
                    General Purpose Logging supported.
Short self-test routine 
recommended polling time:      (   2) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time:      ( 144) minutes.
SCT capabilities:            (0x103f)    SCT Status supported.
                    SCT Error Recovery Control supported.
                    SCT Feature Control supported.
                    SCT Data Table supported.

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 10
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
[COLOR=Blue]ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAG     VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE      UPDATED  WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
  1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate     0x000f   078   077   006    Pre-fail  Always       -       86143218
  3 Spin_Up_Time            0x0002   099   098   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
  4 Start_Stop_Count        0x0033   098   098   000    Pre-fail  Always       -       2640
[B][COLOR=Red]  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0033   097   097   036    Pre-fail  Always       -       76[/COLOR][/B]
  7 Seek_Error_Rate         0x000f   089   060   030    Pre-fail  Always       -       905571090
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0032   077   077   000    Old_age   Always       -       20399
 10 Spin_Retry_Count        0x0013   100   100   097    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
 12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0033   098   098   020    Pre-fail  Always       -       2582
183 Runtime_Bad_Block       0x0032   100   253   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
184 End-to-End_Error        0x0033   100   100   097    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
187 Reported_Uncorrect      0x0032   001   001   000    Old_age   Always       -       26351
188 Command_Timeout         0x0032   100   099   000    Old_age   Always       -       4295032834
189 High_Fly_Writes         0x003a   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
190 Airflow_Temperature_Cel 0x0022   062   048   045    Old_age   Always       -       38 (Min/Max 22/38)
191 G-Sense_Error_Rate      0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       36
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       1
193 Load_Cycle_Count        0x0032   075   075   000    Old_age   Always       -       50433
194 Temperature_Celsius     0x0022   038   052   000    Old_age   Always       -       38 (0 13 0 0)
195 Hardware_ECC_Recovered  0x001a   051   043   000    Old_age   Always       -       86143218
196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0033   097   097   036    Pre-fail  Always       -       76
[COLOR=Red][B] 197 Current_Pending_Sector  0x0012   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       40[/B][/COLOR]
198 Offline_Uncorrectable   0x0010   100   100   000    Old_age   Offline      -       0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x003e   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       0[/COLOR]

SMART Error Log Version: 1
ATA Error Count: 22333 (device log contains only the most recent five errors)
    CR = Command Register [HEX]
    FR = Features Register [HEX]
    SC = Sector Count Register [HEX]
    SN = Sector Number Register [HEX]
    CL = Cylinder Low Register [HEX]
    CH = Cylinder High Register [HEX]
    DH = Device/Head Register [HEX]
    DC = Device Command Register [HEX]
    ER = Error register [HEX]
    ST = Status register [HEX]
Powered_Up_Time is measured from power on, and printed as
DDd+hh:mm:SS.sss where DD=days, hh=hours, mm=minutes,
SS=sec, and sss=millisec. It "wraps" after 49.710 days.

Error 22333 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 20399 hours (849 days + 23 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  40 51 00 c4 3d 66 00  Error: UNC at LBA = 0x00663dc4 = 6700484

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  60 00 01 c4 3d 66 40 00      00:03:05.016  READ FPDMA QUEUED
  ef 10 02 00 00 00 a0 00      00:03:04.986  SET FEATURES [Reserved for Serial ATA]
  ec 00 00 00 00 00 a0 00      00:03:04.953  IDENTIFY DEVICE
  ef 03 45 00 00 00 a0 00      00:03:04.859  SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
  ef 10 02 00 00 00 a0 00      00:03:04.836  SET FEATURES [Reserved for Serial ATA]

Error 22332 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 20399 hours (849 days + 23 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  40 51 00 c4 3d 66 00  Error: UNC at LBA = 0x00663dc4 = 6700484

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  60 00 01 c4 3d 66 40 00      00:03:02.509  READ FPDMA QUEUED
  ef 10 02 00 00 00 a0 00      00:03:02.499  SET FEATURES [Reserved for Serial ATA]
  ec 00 00 00 00 00 a0 00      00:03:02.498  IDENTIFY DEVICE
  ef 03 45 00 00 00 a0 00      00:03:02.485  SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
  ef 10 02 00 00 00 a0 00      00:03:02.443  SET FEATURES [Reserved for Serial ATA]

Error 22331 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 20399 hours (849 days + 23 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  40 51 00 c4 3d 66 00  Error: UNC at LBA = 0x00663dc4 = 6700484

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  60 00 01 c4 3d 66 40 00      00:03:00.022  READ FPDMA QUEUED
  ef 10 02 00 00 00 a0 00      00:03:00.012  SET FEATURES [Reserved for Serial ATA]
  ec 00 00 00 00 00 a0 00      00:03:00.011  IDENTIFY DEVICE
  ef 03 45 00 00 00 a0 00      00:02:59.997  SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
  ef 10 02 00 00 00 a0 00      00:02:59.956  SET FEATURES [Reserved for Serial ATA]

Error 22330 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 20399 hours (849 days + 23 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  40 51 00 c4 3d 66 00  Error: UNC at LBA = 0x00663dc4 = 6700484

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  60 00 01 c4 3d 66 40 00      00:02:57.546  READ FPDMA QUEUED
  ef 10 02 00 00 00 a0 00      00:02:57.536  SET FEATURES [Reserved for Serial ATA]
  ec 00 00 00 00 00 a0 00      00:02:57.534  IDENTIFY DEVICE
  ef 03 45 00 00 00 a0 00      00:02:57.521  SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
  ef 10 02 00 00 00 a0 00      00:02:57.479  SET FEATURES [Reserved for Serial ATA]

Error 22329 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 20399 hours (849 days + 23 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  40 51 00 c4 3d 66 00  Error: UNC at LBA = 0x00663dc4 = 6700484

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  60 00 01 c4 3d 66 40 00      00:02:55.027  READ FPDMA QUEUED
  ef 10 02 00 00 00 a0 00      00:02:55.017  SET FEATURES [Reserved for Serial ATA]
  ec 00 00 00 00 00 a0 00      00:02:55.015  IDENTIFY DEVICE
  ef 03 45 00 00 00 a0 00      00:02:54.967  SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
  ef 10 02 00 00 00 a0 00      00:02:54.876  SET FEATURES [Reserved for Serial ATA]

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining  LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error
# 1  Extended offline    Completed: read failure       90%     20397         126243962
# 2  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20397         126243962
# 3  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20397         126243962
# 4  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20397         126243962
# 5  Extended offline    Completed: read failure       90%     20395         126243962
# 6  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20395         126243962
# 7  Extended offline    Completed: read failure       90%     20381         126243962
# 8  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20380         126243962
# 9  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20349         6700481
#10  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20349         6700481
#11  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20349         6700481
#12  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20349         6700481
#13  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20349         6700481

SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1
 SPAN  MIN_LBA  MAX_LBA  CURRENT_TEST_STATUS
    1        0        0  Not_testing
    2        0        0  Not_testing
    3        0        0  Not_testing
    4        0        0  Not_testing
    5        0        0  Not_testing
Selective self-test flags (0x0):
  After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk.
If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay.

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ [B]sudo smartctl -t short /dev/sda[/B]
smartctl 5.41 2011-06-09 r3365 [x86_64-linux-3.2.0-23-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF OFFLINE IMMEDIATE AND SELF-TEST SECTION ===
Sending command: "Execute SMART Short self-test routine immediately in off-line mode".
Drive command "Execute SMART Short self-test routine immediately in off-line mode" successful.
Testing has begun.
Please wait 2 minutes for test to complete.
Test will complete after Sun Apr 23 20:54:32 2017

Use smartctl -X to abort test.

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ [B]sudo smartctl -l selftest /dev/sda[/B]
smartctl 5.41 2011-06-09 r3365 [x86_64-linux-3.2.0-23-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining  LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error
# 1  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20399         6700481
# 2  Extended offline    Completed: read failure       90%     20397         126243962
# 3  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20397         126243962
# 4  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20397         126243962
# 5  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20397         126243962
# 6  Extended offline    Completed: read failure       90%     20395         126243962
# 7  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20395         126243962
# 8  Extended offline    Completed: read failure       90%     20381         126243962
# 9  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20380         126243962
#10  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20349         6700481
#11  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20349         6700481
#12  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20349         6700481
#13  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20349         6700481
#14  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%     20349         6700481

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ [B]sudo smartctl -t long /dev/sda[/B]
smartctl 5.41 2011-06-09 r3365 [x86_64-linux-3.2.0-23-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF OFFLINE IMMEDIATE AND SELF-TEST SECTION ===
Sending command: "Execute SMART Extended self-test routine immediately in off-line mode".
Drive command "Execute SMART Extended self-test routine immediately in off-line mode" successful.
Testing has begun.
Please wait 144 minutes for test to complete.
Test will complete after Sun Apr 23 00:35:07 2017

Use smartctl -X to abort test.

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ [B]sudo smartctl -l selftest /dev/sda[/B]
smartctl 5.41 2011-06-09 r3365 [x86_64-linux-3.2.0-23-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num Test_Description Status Remaining LifeTime(hours) LBA_of_first_error
# 1 Extended offline Completed: read failure 90% 20381 126243962
# 2 Short offline Completed: read failure 90% 20380 126243962
# 3 Short offline Completed: read failure 90% 20349 6700481
# 4 Short offline Completed: read failure 90% 20349 6700481
# 5 Short offline Completed: read failure 90% 20349 6700481
# 6 Short offline Completed: read failure 90% 20349 6700481
# 7 Short offline Completed: read failure 90% 20349 6700481

And I'd already launched the CHKDSK before posting, which ended with this message (roughly translated from French):

Adding 26 bad clusters to the Bad Clusters File.
CHKDSK discovered free space marked as allocated in the master file table (MFT) bitmap.
Correcting errors in the volume map.
Windows has made corrections to the file system.
(...)
116 KB in bad sectors.

There were also 2 "Windows replaced bad clusters in file xxx" messages during step 4 (about a file in a Firefox profile and another in a FeedDemon profile).

Then I tried restarting, and it said more or less: "Windows couldn't start, could be due to a recent software or hardware change". I chose "Launch the system restart tool".

Then it said "insert an installation CD". Well, I inserted the repair CD, was that it? It's all I have... (on that page, it also said: "status: 0xc0000225")

I rebooted. This time, the console started very fast and displayed the partition size accurately. Earlier today, before the CHKDSK, it had taken an hour before I could reach the prompt, and it said "Partition size: 0 MB".

So after selecting my OS, I clicked "Next" and a different window popped up, with a progress bar. It said "Identifying problems..." and then "Attempting repairs...", and then, it opened HP Recovery Manager, which only offered options I didn't like (restoring, resetting...)

So I turned it off, and that's where I'm at.

What should I do now?


[Edited to add: I know the drive is likely dying, but again, it would save my life if I could make this laptop work for just a few more weeks... That's all I need, really!]

 

[axe0]

Given the current state, I doubt it could go on for another 3-4 more weeks. If the data is correct, the bad sector count isn't the only issue with the drive.

A safe(r) bet could be a docking station. I understand you don't have the time to get another laptop and configure it, but the longer you continue with this hard drive the higher the risk your work becomes corrupted!
I don't know what you're doing, what software you're using and how much time it takes to get everything configured, but if I was in this situation I would do either of the following
- get a new system and give up some sleep to get it configured
- configure a proper backup system and use it to move and save work on until it is done.

TBH, configuring a backup system and keep using the dying drive could eventually take more time than configuring a new system.
This, because, as mentioned, the longer you work the higher the risk of issues. There is a possibility your work doesn't get corrupted, but the software you're using to work does.

 

[Gi1919]

Ah... I was thinking of installing Dropbox and just putting all the files I modify on a regular basis in its folder. That way, I think I'd be pretty safe.

Of course, if the software goes corrupt... that'll be an issue, yes.

I don't know... I think I want to try this. I really can't prep a new laptop right now, I like to do things well and I know it's gonna take me a lot of time... And I can't sacrifice sleep, my job requires a lot of concentration and it's already gonna be hard enough to make my deadline as it is...

Is it gonna be very complicated to revive it? What kind of manipulations would it involve?

 

[axe0]

Reviving won't be possible, what I looked at are the critical attributes of the hard drive. If those fail the data in the hard drive cannot be recovered by any means.

 

[Gi1919]

I'm lost... I thought this:

if I was in this situation I would do either of the following
- get a new system and give up some sleep to get it configured
- configure a proper backup system and use it to move and save work on until it is done.

TBH, configuring a backup system and keep using the dying drive could eventually take more time than configuring a new system.

meant keeping using it was an option? I'm not following, I'm sorry...

Edit: Ah, sorry, that's my English, maybe? I meant temporarily revive it, of course. How do I manage to make it boot and open my usual session, basically. If that's at all possible...

 

[axe0]

You won't be able to extend the lifetime, because the hdd is physically failing at different points. You could notice a decrease in performance, slowly, because the amount of bad blocks is at least twice as much as the drive can handle according to the SMART, this causes the read/write to slow down because the drive needs to find proper blocks. Finding proper blocks may slow down the read/write time just a little, but the actuator arm will also go worse eventually because it has to work harder to get the data in the same time. When the actuator arm gives up, the hard drive has completely died (which is just 1 of the ways to let a hard drive die).
You may know this, but others don't


What you could try is repartition the hard drive, decreasing the space of your partition(s) removing the bad sectors. Though, this will take a lot of time since you have to identify where the bad blocks are and repartition in a proper way for maintenance.
I repartitioned a previous laptop to get rid of a few bad blocks, but it took hours to identify where they were and create a plan for repartitioning so all data was on the right place (like work stuff on a different partition than movies and stuff, but don't forget the size of the partition for future needs)

If you could provide me information about how your drive is partitioned, what information is where stored, and what you're doing/software you're using, I may be able to provide some more/better solutions.

 

[Gi1919]

No I didn't know about the actuator arm, and always enjoy learning/understanding, so thanks for explaining!

Here's how the drive is partitioned:

/dev/sda1 : start= 2048, size= 407552, Id= 7, bootable
/dev/sda2 : start= 409600, size=146800640, Id= 7
/dev/sda3 : start=147210240, size=821239808, Id= f
/dev/sda4 : start=968450048, size= 8321024, Id= c
/dev/sda5 : start=147212288, size= 1024000, Id=83
/dev/sda6 : start=148238336, size= 81920000, Id=83
/dev/sda7 : start=230160384, size= 8192000, Id=82
/dev/sda8 : start=238354432, size=730095616, Id= 7

Or, probably more readable:

• sda1 SYSTEM 200 MB
• sda2 C: (Windows 7 and some data too) 70 GB
• sda3 extended partition (sda5, 6, 7,8)
• sda5 Ubuntu (boot) 500 MB
• sda6 Ubuntu (root) 40 GB
• sda7 Ubuntu (swap) 3,91 GB
• sda8 D: (my data) 348 GB
• sda4 E: (HP_TOOLS) 3,97 GB

And as for the software I use: a text editor, Word, Excel, Firefox, Thunderbird and two big dictionary applications. Plus VLC, Winamp, etc if I can afford it.


What I don't get is that there were no warning signs... No slowness, freezes... Except the day before it happened, I tried copying some FeedDemon (RSS reader) files to an external hard drive while the application was open, and it refused and made the program unstable. And now I see that a FeedDemon file was one of two files that seemed to bug CHKDSK...


Also: after recovering all my data, I booted on the Ubuntu partition the other day, used it for about an hour. That was after the SMART autotest was saying "failed (read)" (again, a crappy translation, sorry). Everything was working well, and the SMART results had not changed afterwards... So, the laptop was usable... for an hour... on Ubuntu... Except I don't have any of the software I need to work on Ubuntu!

 

[axe0]

One other requirement, we'll need a physical scan of the sectors so we know where the bad sectors are. For this I would suggest HDTune

The state of the actuator arm can be identified in the benchmark part of HDTune, the higher the transfer rate the better. After a few years of usage, the drive speed could be around 50MB/s, but in the beginning of its lifetime it should be around 100MB/s or higher.

Actually, another question, how much free space do all partitions have?

 

[Gi1919]

One other requirement, we'll need a physical scan of the sectors so we know where the bad sectors are. For this I would suggest HDTune

I have this from when I made an image of C: with ddrescue, can it help?

Actually, another question, how much free space do all partitions have?

Not much at all... 1.2 GB on C: and maybe 600 MB on D:?

 

[axe0]

When was the image of the sectors made?

 

[axe0]

Not much at all... 1.2 GB on C: and maybe 600 MB on D:?

That is another issue, possibly the reason why you can't boot
Windows requires 10% of free space on your partitions to perform maintenance, if you don't provide enough free space it will cause problems. I recommend, however, to free up 20% of space to be on the safe side.

 

[Gi1919]

When was the image of the sectors made?

On Saturday. Then I did the SMART tests, and then I booted on the Ubuntu partition. Then I checked the SMART data in the UI again, but just the reallocated/pending numbers, which hadn't changed.
Then today, I did the CHKDSK.