#Hard drive problem?
4 messages in this thread
I have been getting a system error saying something to the effect of "error
reading (Drive Label) on block '1325'. When I click on the cancel button it can
come up again with another block number. I keep hitting cancel until the system
error stops popping up, and sometimes it doesn't. One thing I have done is to
reboot, but all the drives come up except that one. I can turn off the
computer, and the same thing, unless I leave it off for several hours then it
will come up OK and work. The last time I tried leaving it off for a day or so
and when I turned it on the Drive's icon came up but when I clicked on it I got
the system error, I turned off the computer and back on again and it came up
OK, clicked on the drive's icon again and as the window was opening and
revealing icons, they stopped comming and the error came up, i clicked cancel,
and the rest of the Icons came up and every thing seems OK for now. I suspect
the hardrive may be devoloping some bad sectors and possibly reformatting may
help with this. Or I need a new hard drive?
Rick
1st thing I would do is check for viruses…..
Then use DiskSalv. Hope you get it back up 🙂
— Dogs crawl under Gates, Software crawls under Windoze —
Rick Green via AutoPilot 1.74
Rick,
Probably both…First thing…get a backup! Once a hard drive starts
to go…it's usually not too long before it fails altogether.
Then, (depending on the drive type) try both a low level and DOS level
format on the drive. Restore your backup to it and see if it keeps acting up.
If so…then the drive is probably about to die. If not, then it may simply be
a matter of aging.
Don
Rick,
If the drive light is flashing constantly the one thing I'll do first is to use
the INFO command in a Shell to see if the filesystem is trying to validate the
drive. If that is the case with your drive, don't turn it off! Leave it alone,
walk away and come back and check on it later. It (the filesystem) is trying to
reconstruct the drive's bitmap of allocated blocks.
Turning off the computer each time it shows an error requester prevents it from
effecting repairs.
If you don't have any drive activity as indicated by a steadily flashing LED,
then its time (actually a bit past but a salvageable situation) to back that
drive up if you haven't already. Then try out DiskSalv to validate and repair
the drive's bitmap and the files if possible.
If you've got it backed up already, Do a full reformat of the drive. Don't use
the QUICK option. If it formats OK then restore the drive's data but keep an
eye on it. Don't trust it to sensitive information unless you have it secure on
another drive or other media.
You didn't mention the drive particulars, mfgr, model, size and especially age.
If it's an older model with lots of hours useage on it you might consider
replacing it if again it begins displaying signs of errors.
A nice new 2 year warrantied 540MB Quantum, 1/3 height, 3.5" SCSI drive can be
had these days for around $249, add about $14 for shipping & handling.
Check a recent computer shopper mag for mailorder drive merchants 800 numbers.
Christopher