Need help with diagnostic and fix

[oceanik]

Hi all,

I've some weird things happening on my computer and I hope you can help me sort out things.
I've a fairly new computer with Windows 7 ultimate X64 and a WD1001 Caviar black hard drive.

I've had issues installing applications or drivers in the past (it was taking literally hours) but nothing really bad.
About 3 weeks ago my Windows update stopped working (it stays at 0%) and I couldn't update the virus definition in MS security essentials either.
I can't stop some services (like Win update) because of ""access denied" even though I do it as admin.

I tried to install a hard drive diagnostic tool: WD's Data Lifeguard diagnostic (I know it doesn't seem to be available for Win 7) but when I run it, it says I don't have any physical drive (but it sees the logical drives!)
Today I can't even start WinDLG!

I can run chkdsk but it returns nothing abnormal.
When I run with /R it says:
C:\Windows\system32>chkdsk /R
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Cannot lock current drive.
Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process.
I don't any other process is running though

I tried to install HD Tune Pro (for Win7) but I can't install it (it says "Unable to execute file in Temporary directory. Setup aborted. Error 5: Access is denied")

What's going on?
Do you think it is a hard drive issue? a Windows 7 issue? A RAM issue?

Thanks in advance for your help!
A

 

[usasma]

Let's start with these free diagnostics:

H/W Diagnostics:
Please start by running these bootable hardware diagnostics:
Memory Diagnostics (read the details at the link)
HD Diagnostic (read the details at the link)

Also, please run one of these free, independent online malware scans to ensure that your current protection hasn't been compromised: Malware (read the details at the link)

 

[oceanik]

Thanks usasma.

Unfortunately I can't do what you recommend:

I've tried to do a memory test and downloaded MemTest but I can't unzip it (it just hangs for hours)
Same with Spybot that I tried to unzip without success.

As for online malware scan, I can't run them either (well, I ran eset that didn't return anything): Neither F-secure not Bitdefender were able to run.

But, it now makes me think (just a thought, nothing to prove it) that there is something wrong with Windows temp folder.
It says "setup cannot copy the file to oscan82.ocx
Ensure that the location specified below is correct or change it and insert unknown in the drive you specify"
Copy files from C:\Users\...\AppData\Local\Temp\IDC2.tmp

 

[Whoo]

Sounds like a bad hard drive to me.

 

[oceanik]

Sounds like a bad hard drive to me.

I run a chkdsk and it was fine (0 Kb in bad sectors)
I can't run a chkdsk /R though

I'm trying to burn the .iso WD diagnostic tool but Windows doesn't let me
Edit: I was able to burn it but when I boot nothing happened: it booted on my CDRW but then black screen