# HDD issue



## confrontation (May 14, 2007)

Hello.
I have an HP touch smart 23 AIO desktop.
I am having issues with what I suspect is the HDD.

I think it is the HDD as the original 1TB hdd drive with windows 7 installed would freeze up at random (during boot or general use).
It would also not let me install windows 8(it wouldnt get past the seting up screen).

I then decided to put in another 500gb HDD out of an old media player I had.
It worked, I could install windows 8 and no random freezing until tonight.
After not using the PC for about a week I turned it on and it showed a boot error "No boot device detected".
I have since re started it and it booted in to windows only to freeze up again.
Before the freeze I managed to open task manager to check the performance, I seen that it was using 100% of the HDD.
as it is still a fresh installation of windows I have very few processes running.

I dont know if it is a HDD or a fault on the motherboard.
Any help is welcomed 
Thanks


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## roodap (Mar 2, 2012)

run a memtest if you have a linux live cd.
RAM error can show these troubles you mention.


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

Try a different SATA cable to the HDD. Try a different power plug from the *P*ower *S*upply* U*nit to the HDD. Put the SATA data cable into a different port on the motherboard. 
If you still have problems, you can try roodap's suggestion. Download the ISO image for *Memtest* in my signature. Burn the image to CD using *IMGBurn* also in my signature. Remove all but one stick of RAM. Boot off of the newly created CD. Run the test 7 passes each on each RAM stick separately. If you get any Errors (red) that stick is bad and needs to be replaced. 
You can also download the ISO image for *Seatools *in my signature burn with *IMGBurn* run the short and long tests on the HDD. If either test fails the HDD needs to be replaced. 
If RAM and HDD all come out clean, then you may need to change* PSU*.


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## confrontation (May 14, 2007)

spunk.funk said:


> Try a different SATA cable to the HDD. Try a different power plug from the *P*ower *S*upply* U*nit to the HDD. Put the SATA data cable into a different port on the motherboard.
> If you still have problems, you can try roodap's suggestion. Download the ISO image for *Memtest* in my signature. Burn the image to CD using *IMGBurn* also in my signature. Remove all but one stick of RAM. Boot off of the newly created CD. Run the test 7 passes each on each RAM stick separately. If you get any Errors (red) that stick is bad and needs to be replaced.
> You can also download the ISO image for *Seatools *in my signature burn with *IMGBurn* run the short and long tests on the HDD. If either test fails the HDD needs to be replaced.
> If RAM and HDD all come out clean, then you may need to change* PSU*.


You are aware it is an all in one PC?, I'm not sure on the full internals and how everything is connected inside as of yet ( I will dig deeper into the PC this weekend).

As of now I ran a diagnostic test from the BIOS, the cpu passed so did the ram but the HDD failed, the error was that the HDD was not connected.
I did hear the HDD working through.
Also after the test ran the PC froze again, so I restarted and ran the bios again the same results showed up, I then restarted again and it started to load windows then froze again.

Like I mentioned, I will dig deeper into the PC this weekend and If I can change cables I will but if not then I have no idea.

Any more info would be good.

I will also ran the memtest mentioned


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

> the HDD failed


There are no cables for an all in one computer. It just sounds like your HDD has failed and needs to be replaced. You can confirm this by booting off of a Seatools CD and run the short and long tests on the HDD. If either fails the HDD needs to be replaced.


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## confrontation (May 14, 2007)

spunk.funk said:


> There are no cables for an all in one computer. It just sounds like your HDD has failed and needs to be replaced. You can confirm this by booting off of a Seatools CD and run the short and long tests on the HDD. If either fails the HDD needs to be replaced.


Could it be the pc killing the hdd?


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

It is possible if you have a failing *P*ower *S*upply *U*nit, it may take our the HDD. But more then likely, you have run into bad luck.


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## confrontation (May 14, 2007)

spunk.funk said:


> It is possible if you have a failing *P*ower *S*upply *U*nit, it may take our the HDD. But more then likely, you have run into bad luck.


I have just moved a 2 TB HDD from another All in one PC to the troubled PC and it froze up almost right after turning the PC on.

I then popped the 500gig HDD from the troubled PC in to the other PC and it booted straight into windows with no problem, In fact I am posting from it now.

I am starting to suspect a power supply problem.

Could I be right?


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

That would be the next culprit.


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## confrontation (May 14, 2007)

spunk.funk said:


> That would be the next culprit.


any way to test power supply?


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

The easiest way is to buy another PSU and use it. If you have the same issues, you can take it back to the store for a refund.


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## confrontation (May 14, 2007)

spunk.funk said:


> The easiest way is to buy another PSU and use it. If you have the same issues, you can take it back to the store for a refund.


Now, just to avoid confusion for me, the PSU isn't just the power adapter I plug in the back of the computer? there muct be something more inside?

if not I have already tried a brand new power adapter on the troubled pc and I have also tried the adapter from the troubled pc on the good pc.


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## confrontation (May 14, 2007)

OK, Im starting to think its not a HDD or PSU problem, Im leaning towards Motherboard.
I cant be sure but what else is it???.

There is a SATA cable from the HDD to the MoBo, I took the one from the working pc and put it in the troubled pc just to rule out the cable, it still failed the HDD test and froze. 

So I plugged the HDD cable into the CDROM SATA input and restarted, although it would still get boot error it would pass diagnostics test but would not boot windows it would just go into recovery but still with random freezing.

I Tried to Boot Herin's boot disk but it froze.

Just seems to be freezing randomly now, I just dont know what to do it what it could be anymore.


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## confrontation (May 14, 2007)

I have just turned the computer on 3 time and ran diagnostics 3 times and everytime the HDD pass BUT everytime the pc froze.

Also I tried to reinstall windows and yes yet again it froze.


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## Panther063 (Jul 13, 2009)

confrontation said:


> Hello.
> I have an HP touch smart 23 AIO desktop.
> 
> Before the freeze I managed to open task manager to check the performance, I seen that it was using 100% of the HDD.
> ...


The usage you saw was most likely 100% CPU usage, not the Hard Drive.
This can happen at boot up or under heavy usage.
Back ground services as well as Programs can make your CPU run at capacity.
You may also have an issue with Ram, as pointed out in post #2


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## confrontation (May 14, 2007)

Panther063 said:


> The usage you saw was most likely 100% CPU usage, not the Hard Drive.
> This can happen at boot up or under heavy usage.
> Back ground services as well as Programs can make your CPU run at capacity.
> You may also have an issue with Ram, as pointed out in post #2


It was 100% disk usage, I did see what I was looking at.
But thanks


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## Panther063 (Jul 13, 2009)

Nope, not seeing it.
In all my years I've only seen CPU and memory usage in Task Manager.
But I can't see yours so wont disagree with you.
In resource Monitor there is an option to view Disc, but it doesn't show a percentage of Disc usage, only Kb/s


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## confrontation (May 14, 2007)

Panther063 said:


> Nope, not seeing it.
> In all my years I've only seen CPU and memory usage in Task Manager.
> But I can't see yours so wont disagree with you.
> In resource Monitor there is an option to view Disc, but it doesn't show a percentage of Disc usage, only Kb/s


I'm using windows 8 , you only see CPU and memory usage in Task Manager for windows 7 and below.
Again Thanks

How to Use the New Task Manager in Windows 8


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## Panther063 (Jul 13, 2009)

Thank you, that is handy to know, it's good to see they didn't totally stuff Windows up when they made W8.


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## confrontation (May 14, 2007)

after reading what I had posted about the problem I seen I have forgotten to include that the fan turns on after the computer freezes up, its rather loud when it does turn on then dies down and then goes loud again.

Anymore ideas people?


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## confrontation (May 14, 2007)

I have just transplanted the motherboard from the good PC to the "troubled PC" with the i7 cpu and the 2TB HDD from the "good PC" and the thing runs well(from which Im posting from now).

I then put the mother board from the "Troubled PC" into the "Good PC" with the 1T hard drive and the i5 CPU and still the same Problems.

I will see if the CPUs are the same sockets and try the i7 in place of the i5 and see if either computers have trouble.

I suspect a Motherboard issue.


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

Sounds like it.


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