Jump to content

Welcome to Geeks to Go - Register now for FREE

Need help with your computer or device? Want to learn new tech skills? You're in the right place!
Geeks to Go is a friendly community of tech experts who can solve any problem you have. Just create a free account and post your question. Our volunteers will reply quickly and guide you through the steps. Don't let tech troubles stop you. Join Geeks to Go now and get the support you need!

How it Works Create Account
Photo

A disk read error occurred -- XP, Compaq evo laptop

Started by Twins_1997 , May 22 2010 11:23 PM

  • Please log in to reply

#1
Twins_1997
Posted 22 May 2010 - 11:23 PM

Twins_1997

    Member

  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 58 posts
[attachm
ent=41949:LaptopSetupSm.jpg]I have a Compaq Evo N610c laptop running Windows XP Professional. I got it second hand and don't have any Windows CD's (though fwiw the product key code is on the sticker on the underside). I'm not sure what flavor hard drive it has and am not sure how to check. It has a CDRW/DVD-ROM drive but no floppy drive.

It seemed a bit sluggish today while I was doing some stuff on-line, but our internet service was spotty as well today and kept slowing to a halt and then dropping. Anyway, I figured I'd run ATF Cleaner and Malwarebytes just to make sure there wasn't anything more insidious going on. I updated MB, ran it, and it found nothing. I decided to run Adaware as well; I hadn't downloaded it onto the laptop so I did that (when the heck did it grow to 92MB?!?). I ran the install, and it was still installing when it was time to leave the house for a bit.

When we returned home 90 minutes later, the laptop seemed warm and it had a black screen that read "A disk read error occurred; press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart." When I do that, I get the red Compaq logo briefly flashing, then the same disk read error again.

I can press F<10> while it's trying to boot and get into setup. System information screen from Setup (minus serial numbers which somehow seemed creepy) is attached.

I tried running the HDD Self test (Quick version) from the Setup menu, and after about 30 seconds of "0% complete" got "Error: Servo failure"

Fortunately I've got most of what I need from the laptop safely backed up, but I'd love to be able to get the hard drive operational again if possible so that I can retrieve a few things that I didn't get around to backing up. It's not the end of the world if it doesn't happen; the bulk of it is safely elsewhere, but it would definitely improve my mood.

Any suggestions? I was tempted to try resetting to default options on the Setup screen but I doubted that would help and I was afraid it might hurt.

As noted, I don't have any XP CD's for this computer; I'm not overly familiar with the guts of a laptop (the only thing I've done on this laptop myself is add memory; I'm a bit handier with desktops). I do have three desktop computers running XP at my disposal; one has a floppy drive (which as noted won't help since the laptop doesn't) and two can write CD's.

Attached Thumbnails

  • LaptopSetupSm.jpg

  • 0

Advertisements

#2
SpywareDr
Posted 23 May 2010 - 02:42 AM

SpywareDr

    Member 3k

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,996 posts

"A disk read error occurred; press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart."
...
then the same disk read error again.
...
HDD Self test (Quick version) ... "Error: Servo failure"

The hard drive is shot/worn out/dead. :)

You might be able to connect it to a working computer to attempt to retrieve your data files.

200 ways to revive a hard drive (pdf):
http://www.hddrecove...PDF/200ways.pdf

If you 'gotta' have your data: http://www.Ontrack.com
  • 0

#3
Twins_1997
Posted 23 May 2010 - 04:10 AM

Twins_1997

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 58 posts
Thanks, Doc. That was sort of my guess based on various threads here.

In case anyone else has any other ideas, I did remove the hard drive (didn't realize how simple it was) and it's a Fujitsu; it says

Model: MHS2020AT ID: HTIN

ETA: I'm not sure whether the drive is spinning or not, but it doesn't make any unusual sounds when I turn the laptop on. The computer isn't silent -- there's sort of a normal startup noise (fan?) but there's no clicking.

Edited by Twins_1997, 23 May 2010 - 04:27 AM.

  • 0

#4
SpywareDr
Posted 23 May 2010 - 05:17 AM

SpywareDr

    Member 3k

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,996 posts
Tip: Not all non-working hard drives 'click'.


Hard drives are mechanical beasts. They have one or more platters, which are mounted on bearings and spin at thousands of RPMs. They also have rapidly reciprocating head mechanisms, which are also mounted on bearings.

All moving parts cause wear. And once the wear becomes great enough, the device simply will not be able to perform it's intended function.

For many mechanical devices you can replace the worn out part(s) and you're back in business. However, attempting to replace the worn parts in a hard drive would be extremely cost prohibitive.

Solution? Replace the hard drive.


(Note: Even the newer SSD hard drives, [with no moving parts], have a limited number of read/write cycles before they too are 'worn out').
  • 0

#5
Twins_1997
Posted 23 May 2010 - 06:55 AM

Twins_1997

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPip
  • 58 posts
Quick stupid question: Looks like an IDE to USB adapter can be had fairly affordably -- $10 shipped on eBay. I'll probably give that a try, but I notice that some come with power adapters and some without. Do I need the power adapter?

I did pop a recovery disk from another of the XP machines (though the laptop is the only computer I have with XP Pro rather than XP Home (or, actually, Windows 7 - I do have one Win7 computer, too) into the CD drive; knew it wouldn't likely boot, but I was curious about whether the CD drive was functional. It is, as I got a message to the effect that it wasn't able to boot off that CD.
  • 0

#6
SpywareDr
Posted 24 May 2010 - 03:11 AM

SpywareDr

    Member 3k

  • Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,996 posts

Quick stupid question: Looks like an IDE to USB adapter can be had fairly affordably -- $10 shipped on eBay. I'll probably give that a try, but I notice that some come with power adapters and some without. Do I need the power adapter?

2.5" IDE hard drives are powered through the single connector on the back of the hard drive. The IDE-to-USB adapter supplies power to the IDE hard drive from the USB port it's attached to.

3.5" IDE hard drives have two connectors on the back of the hard drive. One for the data (wide ribbon) cable and another for the 4-pin (molex) power lead. When you hook one of these up to the other side of the IDE-to-USB adapter, there is no power though that connector, (data only). Therefore, you must hook up the included power adapter to the 4-pin molex on the hard drive.

Viewing the pics (Image Viewer) on the following page may help:

Newegg.com > Link Depot USB2-SATA USB2.0 TO IDE/SATA Adapter Cable - $12.99 + $2.99 shipping.
http://www.newegg.co...9-169-_-Product
(Note that the included red cable is only for SATA drives).


I did pop a recovery disk from another of the XP machines (though the laptop is the only computer I have with XP Pro rather than XP Home (or, actually, Windows 7 - I do have one Win7 computer, too) into the CD drive; knew it wouldn't likely boot, but I was curious about whether the CD drive was functional. It is, as I got a message to the effect that it wasn't able to boot off that CD.

Could be due to a dirty/scratched/bad CD or possibly a dirty/flaky/dead CD drive.
  • 0
Back to Windows XP, 2000, 2003, NT · Next Unread Topic →




Similar Topics

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users

  1. Geeks to Go Community
  2. → Retired Forums
  3. → Windows XP, 2000, 2003, NT

As Featured On:

Microsoft Yahoo BBC MSN PC Magazine Washington Post HP