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Serious Hard Drive Issue

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progjm
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 3:23 am    Post subject: Serious Hard Drive Issue Reply with quote

Ok I have a 40g maxtor. I have been having problems with the drive always losing a registry file for windows and giveing me the blue screen of death. I downloaded a maxtor repair disk and ran the check ulility and there were no errors with the disk. I then did a low level format to erase any possible problems (ie viruses). I reloaded windows and the problem is back. Can I please have some help, any suggestions, yes I did buy a new hard drive but I would like to fix this problem if at all possible.
Thanks
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squidly
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 3:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

What do you mean by losing the Windows Regestry file? Do you have an example of the error message? BSODs (Blue Screen Of Death) are pretty common with windows regardless of what version you are using. What version of windows are you using? Has the "Lost regestry file" continues after the format/reinstall? Had you double checked to see what you IDE speed is set to, and can the HDD handle it? DO you do a proper shutdown or do you just mash the power button?
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Bart Decker
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 8:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

think the problem has not much to do with the harddisk . Think your memory is corrupt . Check it with memtest86 Smile

http://www.memtest86.com/
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effortless
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 11:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There are many possible causes for your problem but you seem to have eliminated one. Windows is unfortunatly very forgiving of flakey hardware, unlike unix which requires stable hardware to start with. I didn't isolate my problems until I loaded linux and had to eliminate all the hardware issues. I changed my fan, removed badly matched ram, re-seated memory and all my cards and thouroughly cleaned up the machine. Something I have never done before. As a result I not only run linux now but I have never had a bsod in windows since and I find xp to be stable. I have never had a stable windows machine before.
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uncletom
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 12:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It does sound like dodgy RAM, alternatively it could be a problem with the IDE channel on the motherboard (though this would be rare and unlikely). Run memtest86 and let us know if u get any errors, if you do it's a case of new memory I'm afraid.

HTH

Uncle Tom
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Duckman
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 12:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What O/S are you running. I had a problem before Christmas, when my 98 machine would always report a corrupt registry, even on a format/fresh install of Windows. Since getting Win 2k, I have never had the problem.

I know it probably isnt the problem, Im just throwing another suggestion into the mix Very Happy
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progjm
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 10:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

how long should I let the memory test run??
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uncletom
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 10:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How many times has it run? if it gets through once without errors then you should be ok, letting it run twice is a good idea tho.
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progjm
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 10:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ok it ran 3 times with no errors. Is there anyway to check the IDE controller
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progjm
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 10:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ok this time it started up but now it wont load the driver for my USB port and gives me the blue screen. I tried to load the driver directely off the win 2000 disk and gave the BSOD then too. Troubleshooting hell!!!
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dumguy
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 3:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

the most common faults with instablity are due to corrupt or out of date motherboard chipset drivers.. video card drivers.. a weak power supply (mostly due to the video card drawing more than the psu can handle) memory errors.. either caused by overclking or actual memory faults.
and to a lesser extent bios upgrades not done to the mobo.

memtest86 is good.. but a much better program for testing memory
using decent test patterns (checkerboard, alt-ones/zeros..) is found
using docmemory version 2.. their tests are much more closer to what
tests are done at the memory manufacturers test facilities.
forget about those handheld memtesters you see at the computer fairs..
those test pretty much only for adjacent cell shorts.. and a quck ones/zeros. good testing requires a lot of time.. run the test for 5 hrs.

docmem v2.... it's free.. at their site, you must register but it can be found
elsewhere without.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&safe=off&q=docmemory+v2.0+download&btnG=Google+Search
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