hemang Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 I have a Dell Studio 1555 laptop with Windows 7 Pro 64-bit.Since a week suddenly the boot times have increased a lot. Even during running the computer freezes at times and then comes back to normal.I have removed temp files, removed firewall software, scanned for virus and malware but no difference. Removed each ram one by one (2x2Gb) and checked but no change. The event viewer does not load at times and when it does or shows some errors in system log at boot up. The errors seem to be different each time. Still have some doubt on ram. Some more problems noticed:1) Tried to run SFC /scannow. It went upto 14% and then said something like Windows Protection failed or some error, basically would not go further, tried twice.2) Did chkdsk with fix errors on C: and it ran on boot and fixed few things, but performance still same.3) Tried do do system restore from "Windows Recovery" option as well as from within windows. From "Recovery options" I got error some message like "Instructions at ....... referenced memory at ........... Memory could not be read". From within windows the system restore gaver Error 0x80070570, files/directory corrupted. Have only 1 restore point, old ones were deleted to make space on c:.4) Event log viewer sometimes does not open, says service is not running.5) Read on some forum that user profile may be corrupt so made a new profile and logged on, same problems.Sent from my GT-I9003 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tripredacus Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 How much free hard disk space do you have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hemang Posted November 9, 2011 Author Share Posted November 9, 2011 (edited) How much free hard disk space do you have?On the C: drive it is about 13Gb. I booted into a PE CD similar to UBCD4WIN and did chkdsk /r /f. It ran for a long time and found some bad sectors. But then the computer booted better.Earlier sfc /scannow would stop after 14% but after this it completed 100% verification and gave message "Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them".I checked the CBS.log and there were 4-5 files which could not be repaired.The boot is still slower compared to before the problem and I have a doubt that there are still some bad sectors. Before the chkdsk I had tried to make disk image (Drive Image XML free) but got error message regarding i/o device error. Now have to try again if it will do the backup.Do you think the hard disk is gone? Edited November 9, 2011 by hemang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagicAndre1981 Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 check the SMART data of the HDD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hemang Posted November 10, 2011 Author Share Posted November 10, 2011 Now laptop gives message on start up that SMART predicts hard disc failure and that I should take backup. I already have data backup. Tried to take image of c: drive using DriveImage XML. It gave"i/o device error" but I took backup anyway by ignoring all errors. Have logged complaint with Dell and they are going to send new HDD.Sent from my GT-I9003 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hemang Posted November 10, 2011 Author Share Posted November 10, 2011 My Dell hard disc is failing according to SMART so I am going to get free replacement from Dell and they will take old one.I have already imaged the system using DriveImage XML ignoring "i/o device errors". But I doubt I can restore this image.Can I directly clone the hard disc with Raw Copy? Will that work?Before returning my hdd to Dell I want to make sure to delete it securely. What is fastest way. If I just delete the partitions, make new ones of different size and format to Linux ext4, will that wipe my old data securely?Sent from my GT-I9003 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagicAndre1981 Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 ok, so replace the HDD and you're fine again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hemang Posted November 10, 2011 Author Share Posted November 10, 2011 ok, so replace the HDD and you're fine again.How do I clone this disc and then erase it securely (I have posted in separate thread)Sent from my GT-I9003 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamtheky Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 sdelete with a couple of passes or DBAN the drive. I wouldnt focus on the fastest way so much as the most effective, or youre not really focused on security. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagicAndre1981 Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 If you get read errors you have no real chance to get the full backup. Install Windows again on the new HDD and restore the personal data from the backup you made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaclaz Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 FACTS (or personal opinions? ):there is NOT ANY need to make anything BUT a single pass AND the advised method is using the internal ATA commands:http://www.zdnet.com/blog/storage/how-to-really-erase-a-hard-drive/129http://cmrr.ucsd.edu/people/Hughes/SecureErase.shtmlthe EASIEST way to save as much data as possible is to use this tool:http://reboot.pro/7783/ in the way it is described here:http://reboot.pro/15040/page__st__8there is NO WAY (IF the disk is actually defective) that you can SECURELY (in the real sense of the world) wipe it, you won't know WHAT happens on those sectors that you cannot access before the wiping takes place: they could be either already unreadable/unrecoverable OR they may be perfectly recoverablethe chances that any DELL employee will take the time and effort to attempt recovering you precious personal data (let alone succeed at it ) are 0 (as in zero/nihil) jaclaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamtheky Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 indeed, i seem to have let imposed requirements appear as my opinion as all of our approved wiping software still uses the 7 pass method. After reading more, that is probably an arbitrary requirement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaclaz Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 (edited) indeed, i seem to have let imposed requirements appear as my opinion as all of our approved wiping software still uses the 7 pass method. After reading more, that is probably an arbitrary requirement.Yep , if you replace the "probably" with "surely".jaclaz Edited November 11, 2011 by Tripredacus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tripredacus Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 Merged the topics. It is one reason (not relating to spam) as for why to not make duplicate topics, especially when reference is made to the other one. Its better to keep it all in one thread. Except now the problem is that iamtheky's first post is out of place in the thread. Alas, since this has changed from being a Windows 7 problem to a hard drive problem, I'll need to file this appropriately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJARRRPCGP Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 Looks like a bad HDD. Slow booting is likely a symptom of a bad HDD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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