[TheTigers07]

Hi, I have a toshiba satellite C650 that has recently come up with a disk read error. I have made a Windows 7 recovery disk using my other acer laptop which also has Windows 7 64-bit installed. When I use the recovery disk and it has loaded the files etc it just brings up a black screen and the cursor. Does anyone have any ideas as to why this is happening? I tried booting my acer laptop from the recovery disk and it worked fine. Also does anyone have any suggestions as to why I am getting the 'disk read error - hit ctrl, alt and delete to restart' message? Any help would be much appreciated, thanks.

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What exactly are the error messages you are receiving? What kind of symptoms are you getting when using the computer?

Judging just from your mention of disk errors, I would suggest running from the Windows CD/DVD recovery console:

CHKDSK /f

I would also advice running SFC by issuing the following command:

SFC /scannow

Best of luck, let me know the results.

~ieee

[eyetripoli]

What exactly are the error messages you are receiving? What kind of symptoms are you getting when using the computer?

Judging just from your mention of disk errors, I would suggest running from the Windows CD/DVD recovery console:

CHKDSK /f

I would also advice running SFC by issuing the following command:

SFC /scannow

Best of luck, let me know the results.

~ieee

[Macboatmaster]

The Tigers07

Welcome to GeesktoGo

The disk read error, normally indicates that the hard drive file system cannot be read. The cause hopefully is file corruption on the part of the hard disk known as the Master File table. This is where the load of the Operating system first looks for the necessary data.

When you boot the laptop from the recovery disk you have made and you are then presented with the black screen and cursor, it could indicate that there are other problems.

What was being done just before this error of disk read error report occurred.
Have you experienced a series of problems, or was all OK previous to this.

Does the laptop post, that is the first screen when powered on with the basic BIOS etc information before it continues to the Microsoft image and the welcome to windows.
If you key F8 immediately the post screen appears and keep tapping F8 do you then reach the advanced boot options screen.

Clearly if I have read your post correctly, you cannot at this time as things stand proceed as suggested by eyetripoli
If I am correct - eyetripoli - nevertheless, welcome to GeekstoGo and thank you for your attempt to assist.

[TheTigers07]

Thanks for your help guys. The error message I am getting is 'A disk read error occurred Press ctrl + alt + del to restart. I am trying ro run the recovery disc but it won't load so I can't run the recovery console.

The laptop itself is my girlfriends and she told me a couple of weeks ago that all of the USB ports had stopped working, I tried to fix these but couldn't.

The night before it happened she was watching a film from her laptop connected to the tv via hdmi. She said that she closed the lid and forgot to shut it down, the next day the battery had gone dead and when she booted it up it came on with the screen you get after it crashes or battery goes dead - she pressed start windows normally (didn't work). She rebooted and tried the repair mode option but it crashed and didn't work. Next time she booted it up she got the following error:

Windows has encountered a problem communication with a device connected to your computer.
This error can be caused by unplugging a removable storage device such as an external usb hard drive while the device is in use, or by faulty hardware such as a hard drive or CD-ROM drive that is failing. Make sure any removable storage is properly connected and then restart your computer.
If you continue to receive this error message, contact the hardware manufacturer.
File:\Boot\BCD
status: 0xc00000e9
Info: An unexpected I/O error has occured.

After this message came up a couple of times it then moved on to the disk read error I have mentioned.

When I turn on the laptop I get the toshiba screen with the option to press F2 for setup utility or F12 to go to boot manager. After this I get a black screen with the disk read error message.

I have tried the F8 key on the first screen but nothing seems to happen and it just goes to the error screen.

Edited by TheTigers07, 17 March 2012 - 02:28 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

and what happens when you key F12

Please post what options are offered

[TheTigers07]

It brings up the boot menu which offers the following:

1. HDD/SSD
2. CD/DVD
3. LAN
4. USBthe

<Enter Setup>

The enter setup just leads to the same setup Utility screen that I can access by pressing F2

[Macboatmaster]

Put the DVD you have made in the drive
Boot the laptop
key F12
choose 2.

what happens now please.

[TheTigers07]

It runs the recovery disk and I get the screen 'windows is loading files...' Once the files have loaded I get the black screen with just the cursor. I have tried the disk on on my acer laptop that I made it on and it worked okay.

[Macboatmaster]

Well if you cannot get to advanced boot options on F8, either it will not even go to that OR you are POSSIBLY keying it at the wrong time.

However I do not think it is the second reason.

The only way forward now is presuming that you not want to try, even if it would work a restore to factory condition, to see if you can get a boot using a Puppy CD and booting using the ram.

That will test your hardware.

The other way is to see if it will run a disk check using a utility I can send you the download for.

Alternatively you can remove the hard drive, place it in a hard drive enclosure or docking station and connect it to your Acer and see if it is accessible, if so you can get your personal data off and then run a chkdsk on it .

The error you received simply means that it cannot read from the drive.
The BCD is the boot configuration data that it needs to load windows

the recovery procedure on a laptop is from an installed partition on the laptop, but the disc should still load. However if the tools ofthe disc having loaded, still encounter that error of the black screen and in view of your details in post 4 of the history of this present error -

The laptop itself is my girlfriends and she told me a couple of weeks ago that all of the USB ports had stopped working, I tried to fix these but couldn't.

The night before it happened she was watching a film from her laptop connected to the tv via hdmi. She said that she closed the lid and forgot to shut it down, the next day the battery had gone dead and when she booted it up it came on with the screen you get after it crashes or battery goes dead - she pressed start windows normally (didn't work). She rebooted and tried the repair mode option but it crashed and didn't work. Next time she booted it up she got the following error:

I regret to inform you that I think you may have serious, possibly unrecoverable and also maybe expensive problems here.
The failure of the USB ports as a pre-cursor could indicate the start of these.

The easiest option if you have or can borrow or buy an enclosure is to remove the drive and go from there.

[Macboatmaster]

Further to the above there are many models of C650 Satellite but if the worse comes to to the worse and it proves to be the hard drive, then providing the rest of the system is OK then even with a new drive you reinstall for the cost of approx $40
http://forums.toshib.../m-p/9148#U9148

HOWEVER that will not help if it more than the drive. ie the motherboard or connected hardware other than the drive.

[TheTigers07]

Thanks for the help! If you could send me the download for the disk check utility that you mentioned I would be greatful. Do you have an idea of what the problem might be? Do you think the usb slots failing is linked to the problem?

[Macboatmaster]

I regret to inform you that I think you may have serious, possibly unrecoverable and also maybe expensive problems here.
The failure of the USB ports as a pre-cursor could indicate the start of these.

Do this
http://www.geekstogo...over-your-data/

substituting the present download link for the puppy with this one
http://distro.ibibli....2/lupu-520.iso

which is the one referred to but the link now goes to another version.

That will test your hardware and even if the hard drive is to blame and you cannot mount the drive Puppy will still run.
If Puppy will not run the problem lies elsewhere than in the hard drive.

As far as the drive itself is concerned Puppy is your FIRST test to run.

You may also download Seatools for Dos.
Follow the instructions, it will run in basic mode, only in full mode on a Seagate drive
http://www.seagate.c...000dd04090aRCRD

[TheTigers07]

I will give this a go, thankyou very much for your help.

[Macboatmaster]

HOW to remove your hard drive.
http://forums.comput....jspa?annID=138

[Macboatmaster]

Okay I will leave you now and please do post progress.
Pleased to have helped slightly.

We will be obliged if you do let us know, you would be amazed how many people receive help and then just leave the issue.
However, although there are many who do, it is thankfully only a very small percentage compared with the 1000`s we assist.

Best of luck and if you have any queries you only have to post back here, as I will keep my notifications to the topic open.
Therefore, as soon as you post I receive an email.
When of course I am online
I am in the UK now 2331 hrs. - just noticed you are as well. Therefore we will not have the problem of time difference.