[Arjan S]

Dear all,

I have been having problems with my system for some time now, without properly fixing the problem.

It all started a few months ago when at start-up my system would not recognize my harddisk. At this time, it would give a different name for my HDD then it usually did, and gave a message that they could not find the proper boot device.

This was after some while fixed without action, so that I could start my system up without problems. However, after some more time, I would get into bigger problems. When starting up in regular mode I would receive a "Stop: 0x0000008E" error in a BSOD, together with a mention to SCSIport.sys. This was at this time in Windows XP.
I 'fixed' this problem by hanging my HDD as slave onto a older pc that we have lying around and did a full system backup. In this mode I could run it for days without errors.

After this, I did a full wipe of my HDD and installed Windows 7. In this I had no problems for about 3 days of intensive pc-using. I did send some files back to my HDD, but kept virus- and malware-scanners on full alert.
Since a few days I received a "Bad_Pool_Header" "Stop: 0x00000019" error code. It has happened three times, at a decreasingly period of time.

If any of you could indicate the problem, whether it to be hardware or software, I would be very glad. The BSOD comes in different times, after quite some time unfortunatly.

Best regards,

Arjan

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After pulling my system through another start up, I found out that I missed one vital piece of info to state to you...

On start up it says something like: "Detecting drives", before stating the correct name of my HDD.

I can slightly guess where the problem lies, but I'd like to know for sure before opening up the wallet for a new HDD...

[Arjan S]

After pulling my system through another start up, I found out that I missed one vital piece of info to state to you...

On start up it says something like: "Detecting drives", before stating the correct name of my HDD.

I can slightly guess where the problem lies, but I'd like to know for sure before opening up the wallet for a new HDD...

[BlackOxide]

It is definitely worth testing the Hard Drive with the manufacturers utility to see if it reports any problems. Once you know what brand it is (best way is to look at the sticker on the drive itself), visit http://www.tacktech....ay.cfm?ttid=287 (thanks to rshaffer61 / Broni for that link). Download the correct utility and run a Complete/Full Test on the drive. If it reports problems, then I would certainly look at getting that drive replaced.

[Arjan S]

Well I just went on to buy a new HDD, which I received 2 days ago.
I hooked it up on the SATA and installed windows, without attaching the other drive.

It all went well for 2 days, just before last night it suddenly started to go all over again.
Yet slightly different this time (once more).

At one point, it just rebooted and upon restart it gave a restart screen saying it was fixing disk errors (opstartherstel in dutch).

This morning, I tried to boot it, and it just came right into the same screen.
After letting it run for almost 45 mins, it said to be complete and restarted once more.
Upon restart it came into the SMART screen, saying my brand new harddisk is BAD and in need for replacement.
I find this rather striking as it is brand new and have been receiving HDD failures upon reinstall en after placing a new HDD inside.

I kind of believe that the problem lies in a different component... anyone have a clue?
I am guessing motherboard, but... I'm not an expert...

[Arjan S]

I tried once more to make the old HDD as a slave to the older pc I have here, still works fine.
I am wondering whether there is a piece of my motherboard that is broken.

Probably something of a connecter...
At first the pc had troubles detecting a IDE-HDD resulting in BSOD with the previously shown code.
And second a new HDD ran fine for one or two days, before displaying a S.M.A.R.T. BAD code and failure to start up.
Can the motherboard invoke a SMART BAD code if its broken?
Can there be a virus messing up my (expensive) drives? If so, it would have to come from either the BIOS or memory...
Because no other drive / cd was connected.
Would a BIOS flash help?

Please help if possible, even if it is just the fartest idea.

[BlackOxide]

Hello again Arjan. Very strange how it is reporting the new Hard Drive as bad. Let me just clarify something.... the original Hard Drive that was supposedly causing problems was an IDE and the new one is a SATA is that correct?

I am beginning to think this may be a cable or a Motherboard issue, but can you do these couple of things for me...

1) Lets check the SMART data for the new hard drive...

• Download HDTune from here
• Once installed, run the program
• Make sure that your correct Hard Drive is on the drop down menu at the top
• Click the Health tab
• Take a screenshot of this window by clicking on the little blue floppy disk icon that is near the Exit button
• Save this screenshot to a known location
• Attach the screenshot to your next reply

2) Run a memory test, just to make sure RAM is not an issue here
To run MemTest...

1. Download - Pre-Compiled Bootable ISO (.zip)
2. Unzip downloaded memtest86+-2.11.iso.zip file.
3. Inside, you'll find memtest86+-2.11.iso file.
4. Download, and install ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/
5. Insert blank CD into your CD drive.
6. Open ImgBurn, and click on Write image file to disc
7. Click on Browse for a file... icon:



8. Locate memtest86+-2.11.iso file, and click Open button.
9. Click on ImgBurn green arrow to start burning bootable memtest86 CD:



10. Once the CD is created, boot from it, and memtest will automatically start to run.

The running program will look something like this depending on the size and number of ram modules installed:




It's recommended to run 5-6 passes. Each pass contains very same 8 tests.

This will show the progress of the test. It can take a while. Be patient, or leave it running overnight.



The following image is the test results area:



The most important item here is the “errors” line. If you see ANY errors, even one, most likely, you have bad RAM.

(Thanks to Broni for these instructions )

[Arjan S]

Thank you BlackOxide and ofcourse Broni for this help.

You are right about the properties of the disk, the first is IDE, the second is SATA.

First of all, the easy thing. I did a scan of the first IDE disk. These are in attachment.

To scan the second disk, I will probably will have to make it a slave as well. But since the older system has no SATA connection, I have to build it in on my dad's newer PC.

I will be trying the RAM test right now. So I should be back within some time with the extra bits of info

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[Arjan S]

I ran the memory scan overnight; 16 passes without a single error.
I guess we can rule that out.

I am afraid that I cannot test the new disk until wednesday or thursday due to circumstances.
However, seeing as there isn't much wrong with the older disk, I suspect this brand new disk to be just fine as well.
Will test it a.s.a.p. to be sure though.

[BlackOxide]

That Hard Drive looks OK. It has a yellow bar on Reallocated Sector Count to show that there is some data in this field, which means it may have had a bad sector or a slight corruption in the past, but the scan on the left shows that none of the current sectors are showing as bad, so there shouldn't be too much to worry about with this drive.

Just let me know how the new drive goes later this week when you have chance and we'll go from there. Safe to say the RAM is OK though

[Arjan S]

Well... I guess the new SATA disc was not as great as I thought it was.
The reports are in attachment.

I do want to recap some items:
- The problems started on the older IDE disc, which was tested to be fine
- This disc survived without any problems for at least a full day intensive use
- This is a brand brand brand new expensive disc; I find it a bit too coincidental that it would be broken this much now

Could the Motherboard invoke this kind of failure?
And is this repairable or should I just be glad that I got a guaranteed refund on the disc?

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[BlackOxide]

That new Hard Drive you purchased is faulty. I would definitely get a refund or a replacement. It is quite rare but I have had it in the past where you fit a brand new Hard Drive and it is faulty, it's just very unfortunate

Motherboards do not physically damage Hard Drives. Motherboards can go wrong themselves and cause Blue Screens, non booting etc but they don't cause the problems you have with that new drive.

What I would do from here, is get that new Hard Drive replaced. Once you get another new drive, fit that and install Windows. Once installed, check the SMART data and it should be fine. Then carry on using that drive and see if you have any problems. If you do happen to start having problems again with a new drive, I would say it could well be down to the Motherboard or another piece of Hardware which is failing and we'll go through that if it comes down it

[Arjan S]

The chance of that... wow... Glad to have asked the help of good people with knowledge of stuff like this.

I will definatly get a replacement for that disk. Knowing stores and such this can take some time. I will definatly get back to you when I have installed the new one.

In any way, thank you so much for all the help!

[BlackOxide]

No probs, you're welcome

[Arjan S]

I bet you never guessed it, but I am back! hehe...

Took us some time getting the ol' HDD switched for a new one. It took quite a few phone calls just to hear that they had received it, and about twice as much more to make them send another.
But I have received yesterday evening and immediately ran the HD Tune. As you can see in attachment, it is all green and health displays no warning signs.

Yet, upon trying to install Windows 7, crap starts all over. And once more in a beautiful ironic gesture.
First off all, when I reach into BIOS, it detects the HDD all fine. Yet in boot-up, the next window shows:
"Drives deteced none - No drives detected" or some sort.
Then I have the Windows 7 disc in the cd-player. It starts to spin the cd and maybe do a little reading, yet it just shows
a "No boot medium detected" message. The Windows 7 cd does not appear to have any marks or greasy spots.
Then I tried it with a Windows XP cd and it worked quite fine up to the point that I am now installing Windows.

But plainly, I want Windows 7.. and all that mysterious stuff of not detectable drives to end.
Is there anyone who might know the trick to make this work?

Thnx in advance

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[Arjan S]

Is my valiant savior away on another mission? We need you Black Oxide! hehe...


So I am running XP for some time, and noticing some weird things once more... (Suprise...)
When using regular stuff on windows (like opening maps or (un)installing things, it tends to be very slow.
I have checked the CPU and this rarely goes above the 10%, when it goes higher, it does so in one small spike.

However, as ironic as my pc wants to be... it can actually run high end games like FEAR2 and Mass Effect like clockwork without a hanging bit.

Did I screw something up in my BIOS, or is something (possibly in relation to above) seriously screwed in my PC?

Regards,

Arjan