CD drive problem

[Jazzer]

The CD reader on my desktop is not functioning. Under Advanced System Information I  have a message" The device/Device/Harddisk has a bad block.

 

Anyone able to transate for me. Am I right in assuming it either needs a replacement drive, or I seem to remember external drives. Any help would be appreciated.

[AnOther]

I don't understand how a CD drive (I presume you mean drive and not reader because I don't know what one of those is) can itself have a bad block.

Pathetically stupid question but are you sure there is no CD in it ?

Where is "Advanced System Information" BTW, are you running Vista ?

[Cat]

You could try running explorer, then right-clicking on the CD drive, selecting properties, then the tools tab.  Click on the error checking button, make sure that recovery box is checked, and then let it run and see if it comes up with anything.

 

[Jazzer]

Yes I do have a disk in. Runninh XP, found drop down box in search with"Advanced System Information" and that's the message. May be unrelated to problem.The CD is read only, doesn't burn or anything modern!

Cat when you say Explorer what do you mean?

 

Thanks to you both

[AnOther]

I think we're barking up the wrong tree here. This message is actually nothing to do with the CD Rom.

Can you confirm the EXACT and complete message. I think there may be something like '/Harddisk0' or similar.

In any case it is indicative of a fault on your hard drive and my advice would be to immediately backup what's dear to you or irreplaceable before doing anything else, and do I mean immediately !

You may be able to fix the problem quite easily but on the other hand your drive could fail completely hence the backup before we try anything else.

Explorer is Windows Explorer, what you get when you double click on My Computer.

[Jazzer]

You are right. Message The device/Device/Harddisk0/D has a bad block.

In Explorer I do not have an error checking button but , Hardware, device manager tell me the drive is working properly.

 

[AnOther]

Thanks. I can only repeat my earlier advice to backup immediately. It could be nothing but equally it's possible that the process of trying to fixing the error could provoke further problems and ultimately a completely dud drive.

Out of interest how old is the computer and what make/model is the hard drive - Device Manager will tell you this.

Remember: ALL HARD DRIVES ARE DESTINED TO FAIL, IT IS ONLY A QUESTION OF WHEN !

[Jazzer]

Many thanks for your time ErnieY. I assume you mean the processor(please excuse my lack of knowledge) It is Intel Celeron ACP/Genuine x86 Family6 MOdel 8/0 It is & years old.

By the way- I don/'t know if there is any connection but AVG is tellling me there has been an invalid update cointrol CTF file which affects my Anti Virus and spyware.

[AnOther]

Not quite Jazzer, that is the processor and I wanted to know the make/model of the Hard Drive.

If your typo of  '& years' was meant to say 7 then without a shadow of a doubt you need to backup your data right now. 7 years is a good age for a HD and it is almost certainly entering it's death throes [:'(]

The AVG message may be related because a failing HD could have corrupted the file in question. I wouldn't worry too much about it though because you're going to be fitting a new HD and starting from scratch anyway, or perhaps buying a new PC of course [;-)]

[tel]

[quote user="Jazzer"]

By the way- I don/'t know if there is any connection but AVG is tellling me there has been an invalid update cointrol CTF file which affects my Anti Virus and spyware.

[/quote]

If you are using AVG 8 Free the message is telling you that the update manager is invalid, ignore it, just keep trying to update, it will eventually correct itself.  The problem is too many users are accessing the update server at the same time so you are timing out.

[Jazzer]

Many thanks for that. Strange to say that with all the problems,the processor is working better and faster than it has for some time!

[ChezShells]

I imagine you have removed the CD, do you still get this message

are you trying to access the CD drive when you get this message

is something asking you to insert a CD

If you have one hard drive (C:) and one CD drive, this is probably D:

then the disc in D: (CD drive) is knackered

remove the CD run a system defrag (start / programs / accessories / system tools / defrag) and defrag your hard drive

[Jay]

[quote user="Jazzer"]

Many thanks for your time ErnieY. I assume you mean the processor(please excuse my lack of knowledge) It is Intel Celeron ACP/Genuine x86 Family6 MOdel 8/0 It is & years old.

By the way- I don/'t know if there is any connection but AVG is tellling me there has been an invalid update cointrol CTF file which affects my Anti Virus and spyware.

[/quote]

The bad block messages are a serious error report of current device failures or impending device failure. Having said that it is probably the CD reader that is about to fail or has failed. Mother boards have a control chip on them that could well be effected by the bad drive and thus throw up the message you have. The easiest way to check this (if you feel confident) is to open up the computer and disconnect the CD drive cable then run the computer without it. If no new error message then replacement DVD/CD read/writers are quite cheap and easy to install. There are programs on the net that will check your hard drive for bad blocks if you find it is not the CD reader. I have a couple of aged hard drives, one 10 years old that still function properly so old age may not be the problem. Best to back up any important work anyway.

No point in buying a new computer unless you have outgrown the one you have, especially as it is running Windows XP which is better than the new Vista (my opinion), or it fails because of a motherboard fault.

The AVG invalid update has nothing to do with your system. This is quite common, try downloading it again.

[AnOther]

With respect Jay I would say that the reference to Harddisk0 in the error message is pretty conclusive evidence that it is the hard drive failing. CD Rom's do not have blocks to go bad.

I cannot emphasise enough that I do NOT recommend running a defrag. This can be highly stressful for a drive and it's far from unknown for a it to be the last straw !

I too have drives which are many years old, here offshore for instance I have one computer which has been on more or less continuously since 1993 and it still has it's original hard drive (I do have a ready to go spare come the fateful day [;-)]). I personally have some drives which are many years old but by the same token I have been working with computers since the early 80's and seen a great many drives fail in much much shorter times.

I agree that buying a new PC might seem extravagant and uneccessary (I did suggest it a little tongue in cheek) but there are several factors which might influence such a decision. Jazzer is a self confessed 'non tecchie' so replacing a HD and rebuilding the OS could well be outwith his comfort zone therefore there will be a cost to having it done professionally. Do we know if he has the necessary XP CD, if not more expense.

[Jay]

[quote user="ErnieY"]With respect Jay I would say that the reference to Harddisk0 in the error message is pretty conclusive evidence that it is the hard drive failing. CD Rom's do not have blocks to go bad.

[/quote]

I am well aware that a CD drive will not throw up a bad block error , however the control chip on the motherboard can do this if a CD drive fails. The actual error reported harddisk0/D, which would also seem to indicate a D: drive, which in this case could well be the CD drive if the computer has only one HDD and is not partitioned. It seems to me it is better/cheaper to eliminate the CD drive first before spending money on something that is not required.

A backup of important stuff on the computer is essential Jazzer. As you do not have a DVD writer may I suggest a USB pen drive to back up your files.

[AnOther]

Jazzer, it would help if you could give us the full text of the error.

To find this Right Click on My Computer then Manage then Event Viewer and finally System.

In there I'm sure you will find some red crosses with Error and further along under Source you should be able to identify which have been generated by this problem.

Double click on the relative log entry and it will open up a descriptive window from where you can copy the text and post here.

[Jazzer]

First- confession, I had already defragmented last week.As to Event viwer. Error source disk. Category none Event 7.Listed since 13 September on a very regular basis.

I have not taken on SPack 3 as Pitstop advise against.

The message dose ask to insert CD when there is one in.

From what I have read about Vista I am not in a hurry to buy such a processor. Have thought of a reconditoned one , but who knows what problems could be aboard.

I have forgotten how to transfer to the pen drive.

Continued thanks for all your help and interest.

[Pierre ZFP]

Vista is an Operating system not a processor

Vista will not run on your current machine

Transfer files to a pen drive in just exactly the same way as you would move or copy any file.

[AnOther]

Jazzer I asked earlier for the make and model of your HD which you'll find in the Device Manager.

Manufacturers have their own diagnostic software which you can download and run to properly analyse their drives and I think this is the next step once you have backed up your files.

[Jazzer]

Sorry to be so thick. Have been searching in device manager but cannot see hard drive listed. UNder disc drive I see standard disc driver ST320410A and under Computer ACPI Uniprocessor PC Root/ACP1_HAL/0000 standard computer.Probbaly of no interest but the computer is an E Machines 130.

[Albert the InfoGipsy]

ST320410A is the model of your hard drive (HDD). Almost certainly a Seagate 20 GB job, although I have seen one reference to Fujitsu with the same model number.

I'd agree with ErnieY that it sounds like your hard drive is on its last legs. After backing up all your data (photos, documents ...) your options are:

Keep taking regular backups and wait for it to fail

Take it to a computer shop/specialist and ask to have a new HDD fitted and all your settings & data transferred to it.

Learn enough to do the above yourself.

Buy a new machine and copy your data to it.

If I weren't a tecchie I know which option I'd go for.

 

[AnOther]

I have seaerched for the spec of the eMachines 130 without success, it's not even listed for support on their website, but the mere fact that it has only a 20gb HD really says it all.

Albert has politely and succinctly outlined your options however if you'll forgive me I'll be blunt - BIN IT [:-))]

[ChezShells]

I'd bin the lot and buy new, prob about 10 yr old.

[Danny]

[quote user="ChezShells"]I'd bin the lot and buy new, prob about 10 yr old.[/quote]

Don't just chuck it away! give it to someone who could get it going again - like me!

Maybe you could find a friend or someone to sort it out for you cheaply. It is not very complicated even if you have to change the Hard Drive (assuming there are no other dodgy components)

Don't forget all the advice about backing everything up now...today. If you are not sure how or why, then post again

Danny

 

[Deepdale]

Well Danny, if Jazzer doesn't want to ask for advice on how...............perhaps you'll indulge this duffer, and explain how to me.................?