Re: Corrupt Hard disk,Was it XP updates?

From: Shazzy(Sims addict) (ShazzySimsaddict_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 08/06/04 

Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2004 07:49:11 -0700

"WinGuy" wrote:

> "Shazzy (Sims addict)" <Shazzy (Sims addict)@discussions.microsoft.com>
> wrote in message news:677F5BEB-AACD-407E-BF39-EB580573A6FF@microsoft.com...
> > Computer has been running a bit slow and has had odd lock ups, so when I
> bought a new game it directed me to defrag disk, install any windows updates
> and run check disk.Defragged and updated windows but after restarting
> computer for check disk the computer said it could not access it.To cut a
> long story short I have had to restore my hard disk three times, check disk
> still freezes (loops)at the "check free space", on start up I get the
> message "this system has recovered from a serious error" and I still cannot
> install that certain set of games as this produces fatal errors.Antivirus
> has never found anthing. Been through all the hardware checks that tell me
> the hard disk is working properly, at a loss as to what to try next! Was it
> something in any of the XP downloads as it seemed to be fine (although slow)
> until then?
> > P.S Easy replies please as I am not very technical !;-)
>
> Read all of this before doing anything mentioned here. Not all that
> technical, but procedures must be followed properly.
>
> Disable or temporarily uninstall ZoneAlarm if you're using version 5.x, but
> make sure your built-in XP firewall is activated for each connection showing
> in My Network Places (right-click My Network Places and select Properties,
> right click each entry and select Properties and then the Advanced tab and
> put a check mark in the option box found there). Some initial versions of ZA
> 5.x were causing HDD problems (download the newest version to fix this).
>
> If I read you correctly, you can boot into Windows? If so, try booting from
> the Windows XP CD and enter the Recovery Console. Note that for this
> operation you do not have to use the original XP installation CD that came
> with your system, you could borrow a retail version one from a different
> install but just make sure that it's the same type (if you have Home, it
> must be a Home type CD, and the same goes for if it's Pro), but do NO other
> operations, such as an install or a repair install, except for entering
> Recovery Console if you're using a CD that was not the exact one used to
> install and register XP on your machine to begin with (else you will
> probably get locked out from using XP). You can also use the SFC /scannow
> from a Windows cmd box using a borrowed CD (again of the same type). But
> those are the only 2 things you can do with a borrowed CD (and I don't know
> if this is all valid "borrowed CD" advice or not if SP2 is installed, it
> probably is NOT). To see if you have SP2 installed, right-click My Computer
> and select Properties, if it doesn't say SP2 anywhere there then you don't
> have it.
>
> [If you can boot into XP then to just check the HDD, boot into Safe Mode and
> then open My Computer, right-click the drive and select Properties, then the
> Tools tab, then click the Check Now button, put a check mark in *both*
> boxes. It will probably want to reboot. It will take quite a while to do the
> checking, see comment in next paragraph about this procedure.]
>
> But if you can not boot into XP then ...
> Once in Recovery Console, type:
> chkdsk c: /R
> That command locates bad HDD sectors and recovers readable information, and
> it can take quite a while to finish (it does 5 levels of testing) depending
> both on the size and speed of the HDD as well as how extensive of damage is
> found. Even if you see no apparent HDD activity, just let it be ... it's
> almost surely not crashed.
>
> It is possible that an older game might try to directly control the HDD,
> something that is not at all good with NTFS systems and such games are not
> at all compatible. It is also possible that the HDD is beginning to fail. In
> the latter case, there should be some indication of problems if you examine
> the Event Viewer entries (right-click My Computer, select Manage, on left
> side expand the Event Viewer entry then click at each sub section), look for
> yellow or red icons. Also, check your Device Manager for anything that is
> not working right. You usually can also obtain by download from the
> manufacture a test utility for the brand of HDD that you have installed
> (Device Manager might identify the brand for you without you having to
> remove it and look at its label).
>
>
> Thanks for your reply.

Tried everything you said.
It was not Zone Alarm as I have not got it,I can run chkdsk and it will go
through all four levels of testing before freezing on the fifth "verifying
free space" I left it for over an hour but did not do anything and the only
way to get out of it at this point is to pull the plug!
All the device manager checks tell me everything is working properly though
I do have some red and yellow icons in the event viewer.
I even got someone to go into DOS prompt and manually delete some bad files
but this has not made any difference.
As I said previously,my system seemed to be ok but a bit slow until I
downloaded all the XP downloads then my system would not even boot up. After
deleting bad files whilst in DOS the system will boot but chkdsk will still
not run to a conclusion
and I get the message "this system has recovered from a serious error every
time I boot up.
Apart from these two problems and the fact that I dare not install The Sims
games again (as the bad files were associated with The Sims) my system seems
fine.
I am at a loss as to what to try next (apart from a sledge hammer) ;-)
Any ideas?