Laptop cannot startup -"A disk read error occurred"

Discussion in 'General Hardware' started by alyy8128, Sep 8, 2009.

  1. alyy8128

    alyy8128 Newbie

    :confused:
    Just suddenly my laptop cannot startup. A beep sound follow by an error message:
    "A disk read error occurred
    Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart"

    Then, I manage to put my WindowsXP installation disk and try to format it. However, after I choose the C:\ to be installed, it gives me another message:
    "
    Windows XP Setup

    An error occurred while Setup was updating partition information on"
    38155 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR].
    Setup cannot continue. To quit Setup, press F3.

    "

    Sometimes when I enter the BIOS, it shows IDE Primary = ST94011A. Sometimes it shows none.

    Is this mean the HDD got problem?:wall:
     
  2. zy

    zy zynine.com Staff Member

    could be, check your cable & power cable.
     
  3. alyy8128

    alyy8128 Newbie

    It is a laptop. Nothing much i can do. .. just take it out, and plug-in again.

    Same happened.
     
  4. lee_what2004

    lee_what2004 Just Started

    plug it in a case and scan for bad sector?
     
  5. Adrian Wong

    Adrian Wong Da Boss Staff Member

    You should test it out on a desktop. It should use standard SATA cables so just plug it in and use the desktop to scan it.
     
  6. Chai

    Chai Administrator Staff Member

    Be prepared to change HDD.
     
  7. alyy8128

    alyy8128 Newbie

    Good idea.

    Maybe later have to take it out and put it into my external HDD casing to scan it...

    Sometimes that laptop will do a Scandisk during startup automatically and solve the lost clusters issues. However, this time it die directly...
     
  8. Falcone

    Falcone Official Mascot Creator

    Sorry to inform u...90% chance ur HDD :wave: :wave: :wave:
     
  9. Adrian Wong

    Adrian Wong Da Boss Staff Member

    Well, to be sure, load it up with a desktop and do a thorough scan. Good luck! :thumb:
     
  10. alyy8128

    alyy8128 Newbie

    too bad. I just found that my external casing is SATA and the laptop HDD is IDE.

    Then, I tried to boot the laptop with Seagate's Seatools for examine the HDD. :nuts: I don't know why after booting in the DOS mode, the keyboard can't be operate. It stuck at the lisence agreement page. No mouse pointer neither.

    Is format+repartition can fix the HDD? I still can "see" the HDD using FDISK.
     
  11. lee_what2004

    lee_what2004 Just Started

    What about using hiren boot cd?

    if its bad sector, not even formating would do any help.
    but no harrm for trying, just that your data will also formatted.
     
  12. alyy8128

    alyy8128 Newbie

    I had look at the Hiren website. Looks pretty cool. A lot of cool stuff, but how to download the Bootable CD image?:confused:

    I can't find any link of download.
     
  13. lee_what2004

    lee_what2004 Just Started

    there's torrent.
     
  14. alyy8128

    alyy8128 Newbie

    I can't find any of the torrent at their site..... is it hiding in some where?



    Ok... I downloaded the version 9.9. Starting with SeaTools Long test.

    42% checking with 8 errors already. Hopefully the SeaTools can help to fix them.
     
    Last edited: Sep 10, 2009
  15. lee_what2004

    lee_what2004 Just Started

    any update?
     
  16. zy

    zy zynine.com Staff Member

    no point fixing errors if more error are going to pop up :)
     
  17. Chai

    Chai Administrator Staff Member

    You can't fix HDD errors. Like I said, be prepared to change HDD. Definitely not worth saving the money for.
     
  18. alyy8128

    alyy8128 Newbie

    ya... the first check is 9 errors at the end... subsequent check keep giving 10 errors.

    Tried another software in the Hiren CD, called the HDD regenerator. However, no luck on that, it scan about 20% then get fatal error and can't continue anymore.

    Any other software recommended?

    Quite an old laptop. Using IDE HDD, don't know it is worth or not to buy a new HDD for it... (cost around RM170). Other components are still usable. (1.4Ghz CPU, 512MB RAM, intel graphic, battery spoilled).
     
  19. Falcone

    Falcone Official Mascot Creator

    Get a new HDD, even should the notebook fail eventually, u still get a portable HDD.
     
  20. alyy8128

    alyy8128 Newbie

    ya.. i already got an external HDD, due to my dad's laptop broken.

    However, my laptop using IDE HDD, quite costly to buy new one. Scare next time the external closure is also costly.
     

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