***Problem posed for help by xlsthim:***
Chkdsk and bluescreens--2 helpers say HD failing but not confirmed --what to
do is jist of this question:
Just for curiosity, try checkdisk again. Same nightmare all over again.
I found another blog about a corruped checkdisk.exe file but symptoms
weren't quite the same.
Could that be my problem?
thanks xlthim
Hello xlsthim--
1) How old is the box?
2) Burning what you need to media or backing up to another HD is always good
advice from day 1 with any computer. Backup, Backup, Backup, Backup, and
btw backup.
3) To determine if your HD is failing there is a HD test provided by
whomever is the OEM maker of your PC--who is that? There are often HD
checks via keyboard combinations and download from the manufacturer's
site--Dell has ctrl+alt+d.
You can also use Seagate's Seatools:
http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/seatools
These hard drive tests are about 95% accurate and easy to run. The keyboard
combos are instant, and Seatools takes 30-40 minutes. I'd go to the website
of your OEM manufacturer and findout/download whatever they offer.
4) The newer the box, the less likely the HD is failing, but you can find
out. I've seen many many instances of chkdsks and blue screens, and there
have been hundreds reported on these groups in past years that have nothing
to do with HD failure, so the behavior you reported is a vague symptom
that's not pathognomonic/diagnostic of HD failure in and of itself. The
tests I suggested are far more sensitive/specific and accurate. Do them.
5) How precisely are you running chkdsk? The default gui chkdsk MSFT offers
in Vista and Win 7 is not the best chkdsk, and that is born out by the 7-10
current MSKBs at
http://support.microsoft.com
After you have repaired the computer, since you're getting recurrent blue
screens using one of the 5 methods below--that's the 3rd step I want you to
perform after the hard drive tests I recommended and backing up what's
important to you if you can in fact stay in Windows long enough to backup in
your current situation. Then after you have gotten your system stable by
the methods below and checked the status of your HD by the methods above,
the best way to run a chkdsk is this:
Start button>type cmd in search box>right click cmd when it pops up on the
start menu>run as administrator>at cmd prompt type Chkdsk c: /R (the only
reason I capitalized the R is so you could be sure what letter it is--it can
be lower case and there is a space before the forward slash or as softies
call it the "whack".
***5 Options to Repair and Stabilize Your Vista to be Done After you Backup
to Media/Another Hard Drive and Test Your HD with Seatools and/or the Tests
Provided by Your OEM Manufacturer:***
I'm giving you a game plan with no less than 5 options to fix your Vista.
Follow my game plan, and you won't lose any of your settings, docs, pics,
videos, and music.
1) First try 3 options from Startup Repair. If you have a Vista DVD then
restart with it in the drive>press any key to boot from it and run Startup
Repair. From Startup Repair you have 3 good tools with an excellent chance
of fixing your system. If you don't have a Vista DVD from which to boot to
Startup Repair, no problem, Download the .iso from the link below and
burn it, and you'll have the Microsoft Vista Repair Disk with Startup
Repair.
Download Vista Repair Disk
http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/
How to Use Startup Repair from the Vista DVD or the Repair Disk you make:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial142.html
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/5c59f8c1-b0d1-4f1a-af55-74f3922f3f351033.mspx
2) If Startup Repair does not get your Vista back, then use the 3 bootrec
commands from the command prompt available on the Statup Repair Menu:
The menu I refer to is in this set of directions with a grey background.
http://vistahomepremium.windowsreinstall.com/repairstartup/repairstartup.htm
Those are:
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /rebuild BCD
3) If my second option doesn't work, then try System restore from the
Startup Repair list.
4) If by rare chance you have an actual Vista DVD, you can put it in, boot
from it>choose the Upgrade Option>choose your current broken Vista Drive and
try to do a repair install with the Vista DVD.
5) If the above 3 tools don't work, then use the 4 tools available by
restarting your pc and tapping F8 once per second to get to the Windows
Advanced Options Menu.
From this menu click on 3 Safe Mode links to use System Restore. Make sure
you try all 3 if one doesn't work, because just one of them may work.
Tap F8 to Reach Windows Advanced Options Menu Pictured Below:
http://media.photobucket.com/image/...ank/techbliss/Vista-Advanced-Boot-Options.jpg
Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command: At the prompt you would type the command to use for
system restore at the safe mode cmd prompt is:
%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe
If these 3 tools don't work, you have one more you can try which is Last
Known Good Configuration.
Good luck,
CH
