A Disk Read Error Occured. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to restart

[Guest]

First, I'm not trying to post multiple copies of this query. I origianlly
posted this on the WIN Media Center OS by accident. I'm running XP Pro.

I got the cited message a week or so ago and came here and did a search.
The respondents to other similar queries seemed to indicate that my hard
drive had gone bad (after checking that there was not a disk in the drive,
etc.) I ran Seagate’s HDD diagnostics and it says that the drive is okay.
So this leads me to probably a software problem (e.g., my XP Pro). I also
ran a software download called GetDataBack which allows you to see if there
is readable data on the HDD by installing it as a slave in an operating
computer. I can see my data. Also, Device Manager says that the drive is
operating normally, but clicking on the “Properties†tab shows no capacity (0
GB used 0GB available).

Before purchasing the GDB software and getting data back (but not programs)
I'd like to try a few more tricks, since the next step after attempting to
get data off the drive is to reformat it and reinstall windows. I have a few
questions:

1. Of course my first question is whether any of you computer experts can
lead me down a road to a solution. I'm at the point of doing whatever might
work since my next steps will lose my data/programs anyway.

2 Is there any chance that performing a Windows utility might repair the
drive? I’ve already tried the “Repair†utility on the XP setup CD. It found
some bad sectors and said that it repaired them, but I continue to get the
cited error message with every boot try. Maybe I have a damaged MBR? Is
there some way to check that out, or would that give a different error
message?
3 Should I reinstall XP? At this point, the computer is not even getting to
the OS. I get the message right after the BIOS screen.
4 I have Norton SystemWorks and have kept my virus definitions up-to-date.
I did a virus check and no viruses were found. Is there a Norton utility
that will help?
5 Would you recommend a data recovery utility other than GDB? The software
costs $50 and seems a little squirly. Maybe it’s because I’m using the free
download that only checks data availability, but it freezes my machine after
finding the data (the HDD continues to churn away using all available system
memory).

Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Richard Urban]

Answers in-line:

First, I'm not trying to post multiple copies of this query. I origianlly
posted this on the WIN Media Center OS by accident. I'm running XP Pro.

I got the cited message a week or so ago and came here and did a search.
The respondents to other similar queries seemed to indicate that my hard
drive had gone bad (after checking that there was not a disk in the drive,
etc.) I ran Seagate's HDD diagnostics and it says that the drive is okay.
So this leads me to probably a software problem (e.g., my XP Pro). I also
ran a software download called GetDataBack which allows you to see if
there
is readable data on the HDD by installing it as a slave in an operating
computer. I can see my data. Also, Device Manager says that the drive is
operating normally, but clicking on the "Properties" tab shows no capacity
(0
GB used 0GB available).

Before purchasing the GDB software and getting data back (but not
programs)
I'd like to try a few more tricks, since the next step after attempting to
get data off the drive is to reformat it and reinstall windows. I have a
few
questions:

1. Of course my first question is whether any of you computer experts can
lead me down a road to a solution. I'm at the point of doing whatever
might
work since my next steps will lose my data/programs anyway.

2 Is there any chance that performing a Windows utility might repair the
drive? I've already tried the "Repair" utility on the XP setup CD. It
found
some bad sectors and said that it repaired them, but I continue to get the
cited error message with every boot try. Maybe I have a damaged MBR? Is
there some way to check that out, or would that give a different error
message?

******************************
If you find mention of "bad sectors" when running the chkdsk utility, it is
time to start thinking of a new hard drive - yesterday!

Use any of the good data recovery programs to strip what you can from the
present hard drive and store the files somewhere else. I would suggest an
external hard drive or CD's.

Bad sectors can NOT be repaired. They are a physical defect in the hard
drive. Chkdsk will try to recover information from the bad sectors and remap
the drive so you can access the "recovered" information. Chkdsk is not
always succssful and the recovered information may well be incomplete and
unusable.
******************************

3 Should I reinstall XP? At this point, the computer is not even getting
to
the OS. I get the message right after the BIOS screen.

******************************
You will have to perform a new install of Windows XP on your new hard drive.
After the operating system is up and running (with all current critical
Window Updates installed) you can "copy" the saved information (that was
stripped from the bad drive) to wherever you want it to reside on the new
drive.
******************************

4 I have Norton SystemWorks and have kept my virus definitions up-to-date.
I did a virus check and no viruses were found. Is there a Norton utility
that will help?
******************************
NO!
******************************


5 Would you recommend a data recovery utility other than GDB? The
software
costs $50 and seems a little squirly. Maybe it's because I'm using the
free
download that only checks data availability, but it freezes my machine
after
finding the data (the HDD continues to churn away using all available
system
memory).

******************************
I personally use Easy Recovery Professional (available at
http://www.ontrack.com/easyrecoveryprofessional/), and have been doing so
for the past five years. It is EXPENSIVE, but in my mind - worth every
penny. When you create the bootable floppy disk you can use it on "any"
computer - if you have purchased the most expensive version. It is a way to
get back some of the cost of the program. Mine has more than paid for itself
over the years.
******************************


--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Guest]

Thanks, Richard.

the software that you cite is a little pricey for my pocketbook, but hear
what you say about it being worth it of you do a lot of data recovery.

I do have one final question. If I try to repair my MBR (this is a NTFS
drive) do I run the risk of losing data that is on the HDD?

Thanks

 

[Gerry Cornell]

Lee

We need to know what the problem is and the actual text of any error
messages.

Disable automatic restart on system failure. This should
help by allowing time to write down the STOP code
properly. Right click on the My Computer icon on the
Desktop and select Properties, Advanced, StartUp and
Recovery, System Failure and uncheck box before
Automatically Restart.

Do not re-enable automatic restart on system failure until
you have resolved the problem. Check for variants of the
Stop Error message.

There will also be Error Reports in Event Viewer. Please post copies.

You can access Event Viewer by selecting Start, Administrative Tools,
Event Viewer. When researching the meaning of the error, information
regarding Event ID, Source and Description are important.

HOW TO: View and Manage Event Logs in Event Viewer in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308427&Product=winxp

A tip for posting copies of Error Reports! Run Event Viewer and double
click on the error you want to copy. In the window, which appears is a
button resembling two pages. Double click the button and close Event
Viewer. Now start your message (email) and do a paste into the body of
the message. This will paste the info from the Event Viewer Error Report
complete with links into the message. Make sure this is the first paste
after exiting from Event Viewer.

--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Richard Urban]

If the hard drive has bad sectors, they usually tend to grow. Every time you
start your computer may be the last time you start it. Repairing the Master
Boot Record is not going to solve for bad sectors. Backup what you can NOW.
Get a new hard drive. Because of the possibility of lost files you may have
to perform a repair install, even after you clone the old drive to the new
drive.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!