[islandcat]

Hi all, back again. I was given a 15 in.screen Sony Vaio laptop. Windows 7. Intel processor, 2 Duo CPU, P8400 @2.26 GHz 2.27 GHz, 4.00 GB, 32 bit operating system. Hard drive has been wiped clean. I have had problems getting into it, either runs through errors, listing corrupt files,etc. or loops around windows logo. I have a feeling the harddrive is corrupt. Can you tell me the best way to check everything out? If there is a problem may not be worth getting fixed, hence why I was given it. Thanks again for your valuable help.

[Advertisements]

Run hard drive diagnostics: http://www.tacktech....ay.cfm?ttid=287
Make sure, you select tool, which is appropriate for the brand of your hard drive.
Depending on the program, it'll create bootable floppy, or bootable CD.
If downloaded file is of .iso type, use ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/ to burn .iso file to a CD (select "Write image file to disc" option), and make the CD bootable.

NOTE. If your hard drive is made by Toshiba, try the Hitachi DFT CD Image version of the software

Thanks to Broni for the instructions

[rshaffer61]

Run hard drive diagnostics: http://www.tacktech....ay.cfm?ttid=287
Make sure, you select tool, which is appropriate for the brand of your hard drive.
Depending on the program, it'll create bootable floppy, or bootable CD.
If downloaded file is of .iso type, use ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/ to burn .iso file to a CD (select "Write image file to disc" option), and make the CD bootable.

NOTE. If your hard drive is made by Toshiba, try the Hitachi DFT CD Image version of the software

Thanks to Broni for the instructions

[islandcat]

wow are you fast. Will do all that now.

[islandcat]

Must have done something wrong. I went into Seatools for Windows through the link you gave me. Downloaded Trouble Shooter for Windows 7/Vista. It automatically scans for supported drives. Then out of a couple of choices went to ReScan and did Basic Tests, SMART Check and Drive Info. It brought up nothing that I could see except to tell me what I have in my drive. I have done CCleaner, Virus Scans and everything comes up good, basically there is nothing in the computer. It is starting better but will still 2 our of 3 times scan checking file system on C. Several times one of your discs needs to be checked for inconsistency comes up, deleting corrupt attribute record etc. Any other tests I can run? Otherwise I guess just keep using till it freezes or whatever?

[rshaffer61]

So it is doing a chkdsk on bootup everytime?

[islandcat]

yes

[rshaffer61]

Check and see if the hard drive is dirty. Please click on START-->RUN and type cmd. In the new window that appears, type fsutil dirty query c: and hit ENTER. If what appears on the screen says Volume - c: IS Dirty, then please do the following:

Please check the following before proceeding:

• If you have Spyware Doctor installed, uninstall it.
• If you have ZoneAlarm installed, open it, click the "Overview" tab, then select "Preferences", and UNcheck the "Protect ZA Client" check box.

Click Start, then Run, type cmd in the Open box and click "Ok". At the prompt in the Command window, type the following commands, pressing "Enter" after each one:

Substitute the drive letter for the drive your want to check for the ? in the following commands. Please note the spaces.

• chkntfs /d ..... (This will reset autocheck options to default...will come back invalid on some installations)
• chkntfs /c ?: ..... (This will allow checking the specified drive )
• chkntfs /x ?: ..... (The x switch tells Windows to NOT check the specified drive on the next boot)

At this point, restart your computer, it will not do a chkdsk and will boot directly to Windows.

This next step is important as this is where the Dirty Bit will be unset.

Substitute the drive letter for the drive your want to check for the ? in the following commands.

Click Start, then Run, type cmd in the Open box and click "Ok". At the command prompt, type the following, pressing "Enter" after each one: (Again, note the spaces.)

• chkdsk /f /r ?: ..... (To manually run a full chkdsk operation on the specified drive)
• Y ..... (To accept having it run on the next boot)

This should take you through 5 stages of the scan and will unset the Dirty Bit. Be patient...this is a very thorough check and will take quite a while.

Finally, when the chkdsk operation has completed, type fsutil dirty query ?:, press "Enter", and Windows will confirm that the Dirty Bit is not set on that drive.

Reboot again and see if chkdsk still runs on startup. If the machine boots back up to the command prompt, type exit and press "Enter"...it should boot to Windows.

[islandcat]

Thank you, have been at work all day and tomorrow so will try to get this done tomorrow nite. Thanks so much, if you dont hear from me means I am working on this. Have a great holiday.

[rshaffer61]

No problem I will monitor the topic for your results. Have a Merry Christmas in case we don't talk before Sunday.

[islandcat]

Thank you my friend and all the best to you as well.

[islandcat]

Hello, sorry I have been working lots lately and havent had a lot of time to work on this. I am done, really I am planning on backing my car over the laptop and finishing it. I took off Norton and still with nothing on it and say even playing solitaire it fades out and I get the ever loving loop. The only way out is to shut it down and try to start it again and if you are lucky you will get a half hour of time before we go through it all again. No more time to waste on this. I now have a whole new problem on my home computer which is more important to me. My landlord has hydro problems and we have had the power off twice a day for the last three days. I cannot access yahoo mail, facebook and several other sites. I get the message; There is a problem with this website security certificate. The security certificate presented by this website has expired or is not yet valid. We recommend that you close the webpage and do not continue to the website. There is a few more statements but that is the main jist of it. Sorry to switch in mid stream here but my home computer is more important to me, have you seen this before? My last computer died due to the same power problems with my landlord. It does not give me any alternatives on how to solve this, I am stuck here. Thanks for your usual prompt replies, again I am working long hours over next two days but will for sure check any replies.

[rshaffer61]

I have seen this error before and normally I make sure all updates are current form Microsoft and then if it continues you should have the option to continue even though it is not current with the site itself.
Second make sure your time and date are current as a out of date system will not recognize certificates. Especially if your date is a year or more ahead.

[islandcat]

Well I'll be darned...as usual you are right on. The year was 2006 and a day behind. Can I blame the power outages or just a fluke as we started a new year. As I have said before learn something new every time I come on here. Thanks again.

[rshaffer61]

Could be a combination and also a low cmos battery on the motherboard.
You will know if when you turn off your system and disconnect power for about 10 minutes and then restart if the date and time are off again it would be a cmos battery.
Please let me know what you find and\or if the issue is resolved afterwards.

[islandcat]

Will let you know if have anymore problems with it. Yea this computer has been nothing but problems but with your help will get through it. Back to you soon. Thanks