Hardware Analysis - "A disk read error occured" problem-oh the joy.

Re: "A disk read error occured" problem-oh the joy.

john albrich — 2008-04-17T10:10:51-05:00

If you have access to another PC, you can possibly backup most if not all of your disk.

You mount the 2.5disk in a tower using a 2.5" mounting kit, or you can use a USB2IDE+SATA adapter to connect the 2.5" disk to a USB port on the second computer. The disk jumpers should be installed appropriately depending on the configuration (for example, using the USB adapter the disk must be jumpered as MASTER)

You can use a backup program like freeware DriveImageXML to create complete image backup of the disk. That image can be used to attempt reinstall onto another disk in whole or in part. The backup files can be saved in any folder desired on any other disk in the system that has sufficient space to do so.

Or, you can use a program like freeware xxClone, which will attempt to create a bootable mirror image clone on another drive. You must have the second drive available at the time of the backup on which to clone the data. Note: corrupted/unreadable folders/files on the source disk will be skipped and NOT backed up by xxclone.

Or, you can attempt to manually select and save just the data files you want to another folder on any other disk in the system.

If desired, you can then try re-partition and reformatting the original problem disk, doing a complete fresh re-install of Windows. Of course to do so, you need either the Windows installation media or the "recover" media that came with the laptop. After doing so, I would perform a long and thorough diagnostic on the disk before trusting it. There are a number of freeware programs that will provide that service.

http://majorgeeks.com/DriveImage_XML_d4919.html
http://www.runtime.org/dixml.htm
DIXML 1.21 DOES now support Vista and XP

http://www.majorgeeks.com/XXCLONE_d5534.html
http://www.xxclone.com/index.htm

Re: "A disk read error occured" problem-oh the joy.

john albrich — 2008-04-17T09:46:24-05:00

Anton Ksendz said:

how would I reload the OS?

To keep your data, you would do a repair install. However, even then you should first backup if possible.

It's even been advised that an extra step be taken. This could prevent the need for an time-consuming activation call to Microsoft.

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
...as a precaution the windows\system32\WPA.DBL and WPA.BAK should be copied to a floppy before doing a repair install. For more information see Alex Nichol's article on XP activation. http://aumha.org/a/wpa.htm

One very important item to remember is that a repair install will install the OS only up to the SP or update level of the CD you use to perform the repair. For example, if you perform a repair install using an XP SP1 CD, the repair will remove SP2 and all updates issued after SP1. You will have to re-apply all the post-SP1 updates. (note: this is why frequent BACKUPS are very very good friends. Instead of bothering with possibly hundreds of install choices and actions, you do one restore action and a handful of "catch-up" auto-updates. Takes maybe an hour and you don't have to be there for the restore action.)

http://forums.techguy.org/windows-nt-2000-xp/540850-reinstall-...g-all.html
(look for the pointer to michaelstevens.com article at
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm )
or
http://pcworld.about.com/magazine/2109p156id111652.htm

By the way, Google is your friend. You can find a number of instructional sites on just about any Windows procedure. For example, to find info on your question you might type this into the Google search field:
[re-install Windows without deleting data]

edit-provide hint on using Google to find details on most common Windows procedural instructions

Re: "A disk read error occured" problem-oh the joy.

Anton Ksendz — 2008-04-17T04:17:52-05:00

how would I reload the OS?

Re: "A disk read error occured" problem-oh the joy.

Gerritt — 2008-04-17T03:53:00-05:00

Anton,
An external drive will probably not do what you want it to, based upon your description of the problem. It seems your OS has been corrupted.
If you want the data, and not the programs, then you should be able to reload the OS, NOT REIMAGE the drive.
If this doesn't work, then if your laptop supports multiple drive bays, get a new HDD and insert it in the primary bay, reload windows and pulll your information off the old drive when you plug it into the secondary bay.
If you still can't get the information, then you may have to consider a data recovery service..but they're not cheap.

This is based upon your description of the problem, there may be other solutions.

Gerritt

Re: "A disk read error occured" problem-oh the joy.

Anton Ksendz — 2008-04-17T03:13:22-05:00

I was thinking of getting a "USB to IDE TRI Head adapter for SATA 2.5 3.5 HDD
and plugging it into my laptop.

will that work?
will it work as an external HD?

"A disk read error occured" problem-oh the joy.

Anton Ksendz — 2008-04-17T02:57:05-05:00

Here is the story.
I shut down my laptop a couple of days ago by pressing the power button.y cannot be
When I started it back up I got the "system modular be identified"

The next day I took the laptop completely apart, all the way to the motherboard and re assembled it. Computer started it up but was extremely slow, I managed to save 1 critical file before it completely froze up.

Now I start it up it gives me the "A disk read error occurred... Press CTL-ALT-DEL"

I need help rescuing some files, not looking for a permanent fix.

Comp is a Dell Inspiron 8600, Ati Radeoin 9600 pro 128mb, 512 mem. 1.3 mhz(i think)

Thank you in advance.