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I've had enough!

For the last couple of days my computer has acted really strange. Windows XP's scan disk keeps poping at boot and doing surface scans. Out of nowhere bad sectors appear and they seem to be logical bad sectors not physical damaged sectors(according to a program I found on the Internet - HDD Regenerator).

I'm planning to do a low level format and a full scan of my HDD using the dedicated software from Maxtor. Just as I type these I'm backing up sensitive data on another hard drive and then .... God be mercifull (or give me enough money to buy a new drive ).


Wish me luck

Dont use FAT32 as a file system. And replace the hhd at the 1st sign of it going funky.

But this isnt a Windows issue.

I've done a low level format last night using Power Max from Maxtor and everything seems to be OK now. I have to use Fat 32 because I need Win 98 for games and movies (my computer is too old to do these tasks in a satisfying manner under Window XP). So I'm forced to a dual system.

I've installed win98 already and I'm going to install windows XP this afternoon.

ggs wrote:Dont use FAT32 as a file system. And replace the hhd at the 1st sign of it going funky.

But this isnt a Windows issue.

I don't have now the money to buy a new hard drive.

Once you start getting surface errors in your hard drive, it only goes downhill from there. It's like a chain-reaction. A cascading effect. A massive collapse. The end of your computer as you know it.

Slartibartfast wrote:Once you start getting surface errors in your hard drive, it only goes downhill from there. It's like a chain-reaction. A cascading effect. A massive collapse. The end of your computer as you know it.

You know what scares me? The thing that I already know this.

Is it very old? My hard drive started malfuncioning within 6 months of purchase so I fortunately was able to exchange it for another one (had a 1-year warranty). Can't remember how/where I backed up my data tho. (I did, I just don't remember where I got the space. Probably in some friend's computer or at the office, after deleting lots of things like games)

If not, I'd say this is a very high priority in your spending list. Save every penny you can until yo can afford a new one. And in any case make a backup of all your important data ASAP.

Slartibartfast wrote:Is it very old? My hard drive started malfuncioning within 6 months of purchase so I fortunately was able to exchange it for another one (had a 1-year warranty). Can't remember how/where I backed up my data tho. (I did, I just don't remember where I got the space. Probably in some friend's computer or at the office, after deleting lots of things like games)

If not, I'd say this is a very high priority in your spending list. Save every penny you can until yo can afford a new one. And in any case make a backup of all your important data ASAP.

The drive it's pretty old (I have had it since 2000) and it had it's share of problems (a broken controler card, but fortunately a guy from the service department of a computer shop found another one from a similar broken drive). I think it's just that "This can't happen to me" stuff. I already backed up sensitive data on a drive burrowed from a friend. I think I'll put them on CDs tommorow and reinstall XP too.

Que sera, sera.

I've reinstalled Win98 and a bunch of elementary programs: Direct X, Norton System works, video codecs. But my system is having moments when it's just freezes and it slows down significantly when I start applications. It could be the hdd, but the system also nearly crushed when I installed some codecs and an antivirus I didn't used before. Then I uninstalled them and put the ones I used to have before and it went better. I think I'll reformat C:\ and reinstall Windows with just the stuff I used to have. If it keeps working the same way, I'll just have to accept it.

Your HD is dying and attempting to move data from bad to good sectors and probably causing a nasty cascading failure.

phongn wrote:Your HD is dying and attempting to move data from bad to good sectors and probably causing a nasty cascading failure.

The funny thing is that I don't get bad sectors anymore. Neither from Power Max nor formating. I think I'll have to see what scandisk for XP has to say. It was the first one to ring the alarm.

And anything must come to an end, isn't it?

Harddrives are fairly cheap to replace. Do some shopping around, it isnt going to cos anything over ~$100 for a standard size hhd.

ggs wrote:Harddrives are fairly cheap to replace. Do some shopping around, it isnt going to cos anything over ~$100 for a standard size hhd.

I know that, but let's say that my financial state is not too brilliant for the moment. I'm still a student, unemployed and the medium salary in Romania is barely above 100$. My parents are passing through some financial difficulties too. Although I must do everything possible to save enough for a new drive.

Everything seems to be back to normal for the moment. I've reinstalled WIndows XP too and a bunch of programs and no problem occured by now. However maybe it's too early to feel relaxed.

How big is that drive? I might be able to find you a similar one for a decent price.

Vertigo1 wrote:How big is that drive? I might be able to find you a similar one for a decent price.

My drive it's a Quantum Fireball lct 15Gb, but I prefer to try to buy a new one. I need about 60 EURO for something I've seen at a decent computer shop in my town - a Maxtor 40Gb 7200 - and I hope my drive will allow me to raise that sum

Anyway, thank you for your offer.