# Is my Hard disk bad?



## Derek12 (Jun 21, 2009)

The Event viewer of my Windows XP 64 bit is reporting this
http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/583/98534847.png
*The device, \Device\Harddisk0\DR0, has a bad block.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.*
What this mean? Should I save my data and trash this HD? or can be repaired?
It is a Seagate Barracuda IV 40GB
Thanks.


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## kev1952 (Dec 2, 2006)

It's just a corrupt block on the drive. Open Windows Explorer and right click on the drive. Select Properties and and click on the Tools tab. Click on Check Now for the Error Checking option. System will need to reboot and will find and fix the error. The drive should then work just fine. If you leave it the system may run well but will crash if it attempts to use that bad block. Fixing it will either repair the block or mark it as unavailable in the BAM.


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## Derek12 (Jun 21, 2009)

kev1952 said:


> It's just a corrupt block on the drive. Open Windows Explorer and right click on the drive. Select Properties and and click on the Tools tab. Click on Check Now for the Error Checking option. System will need to reboot and will find and fix the error. The drive should then work just fine. If you leave it the system may run well but will crash if it attempts to use that bad block. Fixing it will either repair the block or mark it as unavailable in the BAM.


Many thanks thought it simply said "Disk Check Complete" That means the tool hasn't detected the error or I have to enable the "Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors"?
EDIT: I enabled it and same "Disk Check Complete".
Thanks.


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## kev1952 (Dec 2, 2006)

Disk Check often doesn't report errors but does fix them automatically. You can check the drive manually by clicking on "Start|Run", typing (no quotes) "chkdsk c:" and press enter. You will likely be prompted to run a scan on next boot - answer yes and reboot. Make sure (if asked) you have "Automatically fix errors" unchecked before you run it. This should then generate a report for you.

Also, clear the event log and see if the "fault" is recorded again. If not then problem solved.


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## Derek12 (Jun 21, 2009)

I discover that the errors appears during some TuneUp defragmetation sessions, and the program stops a bit while the event viewer is reporting the faults (whick are many), could be caused by TuneUp tool or is a disk fault
BTW I tried the chkdsk option but no avail.


kev1952 said:


> Disk Check often doesn't report errors but does fix them automatically. You can check the drive manually by clicking on "Start|Run", typing (no quotes) "chkdsk c:" and press enter. You will likely be prompted to run a scan on next boot - answer yes and reboot. Make sure (if asked) you have "Automatically fix errors" unchecked before you run it. This should then generate a report for you.
> 
> Also, clear the event log and see if the "fault" is recorded again. If not then problem solved.


I tried all but the error continues when I defrag the disk with the Tuneup tool can maybe this be a Tuneup fault?
Many thanks


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## kev1952 (Dec 2, 2006)

I'd say you are right - solution? Don't use the TuneUp tool. If you want to defrag (and I'm not a great fan of defragging as it is very over-rated) then use the built in defragger in Windows. I'll probably get flack about my defrag comments but, to my way of thinking, defrag is way overused and for very little (if any) gain.

BTW - is the "fault" causing a problem or is it simply being reported?


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## Derek12 (Jun 21, 2009)

Yeah you are right but as I installed a lot of software the disk was very clodged and the system was slow.
I used the Windows tool and I didn't got the disk error, I used the Tuneup tool and I got 5 errors and in every defrag session I get the same 5 error.
---------------
No, the PC is working excellent for now despite the errors (but I am testing, the hardware* is new) only the Tuneup app that stops a while whenm those errors occur.
Many thanks
* The Hard disk is very old only 40 GB and IDE it was recycled from a other PC


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## Derek12 (Jun 21, 2009)

$&%/$%!!!
Tuneup isn't the problem I tried the PerfectDisk too (which I never had a problem) and the SAME issue occurs, 5 errors and the program stops a bit when those occur.
Thanks.


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## kev1952 (Dec 2, 2006)

Then I would venture to suggest the drive is failing. Get your data off and buy a NEW one.


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## Derek12 (Jun 21, 2009)

Well I hope the HD isn't bad I don't have the money to buy another one :upset:

I located the file involved/affected/causing in this issue, it's called "*Msncli*" and it's located on *D:\Program Files (x86)\MSN\MSNCoreFiles\Install\MSN9Components*
it's a installer so I open it and the installer crash inmediately *(EventType : InPageError P1 : c000009c P2 : 00000003*) at the same time a disk error appears in the event viewer
When I try to copy it the message appears "*Cannot copy Msncli: Data error (cyclic redundancy check)*" while the same errors appears in the Event viewer

So I can see I have a bad sector or portion of the HD Could I fix it with another tool?
Many thanks


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## Derek12 (Jun 21, 2009)

I installed SeaTools and when I run the automatic short test I get "DST Short test - failed" what it means
Thanks.


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## Derek12 (Jun 21, 2009)

I used the seatools DOS version and:
In DST short test I get "electrical element fault"
In DST long test I got 17 errors that it have corrected suposely
But still I get the electrical element fault.
the short generic test and SMART are passed.


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## kev1952 (Dec 2, 2006)

As I said, get the data off the drive ASAP. From the Seatools report it is on it's last legs.


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## Derek12 (Jun 21, 2009)

OK I will seek if I have a spare HD and I will backup my data. But I still have hope if I could save my HD (I don't have money to buy a decent SATA now!)
What it's strange is that when I run the DOS version, the first time passes the DST short test but in the second, and third and so on fails with the "electrical element" thing In the Windows version always fail but it doesn't say the reason.
Also I read that the electrical element is a fail in the read/write head (??????) but the PC works fine and the HD doesn't make unusual noises, 
Oh and I deleted the mentioned file and now the disk errors don't appear.
could be a "false positive"?
Many thanks.


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## kev1952 (Dec 2, 2006)

Still get the data off! By all means continue to use the drive but backup OFTEN. I would be very wary of this drive but you can't lose what you've backed up so, as I said, keep using it 'til it fails.


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## Derek12 (Jun 21, 2009)

kev1952 said:


> Still get the data off! By all means continue to use the drive but backup OFTEN. I would be very wary of this drive but you can't lose what you've backed up so, as I said, keep using it 'til it fails.


OK I saved the data on 2 DVD now I will use the PC as usual until it gets unstable or doeesn't boot
Many thanks :wink:


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## kev1952 (Dec 2, 2006)

Good luck with it!


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## Derek12 (Jun 21, 2009)

kev1952 said:


> Good luck with it!


I had good luck, until now, the system hang, the HD LED was on and I had to reset
and now the Event viewer reported this:
*The device, \Device\Ide\IdePort0, did not respond within the timeout period.*

------------------AND----------------
*The driver detected a controller error on \Device\Ide\IdePort0.
*
-----------------AND-----------------
*The device, \Device\Harddisk0\DR0, has a bad block.
*
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/3512/11411283.png
Maybe the HD is now dying or what? I can't buy a new one yet!
Thanks


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## raptor_pa (Dec 5, 2008)

It could just be a transient issue that caused it, if it rebooted, maintain good backups and see if the situation repeats itself.


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## Derek12 (Jun 21, 2009)

OK I dump that one and I bought a Seagate barracuda 7200 SATAII and works flawlessly
Many thanks


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