[uc577]

The day before yesterday my Hp notebook with Windows 64-bit installed, starting showing error messages (like 20 at a time) that a connection to a certain drive couldn't be made (I can't remember which :/). It deleted all of my pictures, music, and documents (AHHH) and certain functions don't look or work the same after I reset it to a restore point, even though it luckily runs and I'm still able to use certain browsers to go online. I want to start fresh so it works the way it did when I got it and since everything important to me is already gone, I was wondering if I can do the system restore option offered in the recovery menu without any disk/CD. I never saved my back-up info when it prompt me to insert disks and my fear is that when/if I do this, I will end up with a blank computer that has no windows program or something. Do I need any type of outside source or will my computer not delete windows when doing this?

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Hi,

Can you post the model number? its normally written on the back.

You can restore the machine using a hidden partition on the Hard Disk but first I would recommend creating the HP Recovery Disks.
If you post the model we can probably locate the detailed instructions for you.

[SleepyDude]

Hi,

Can you post the model number? its normally written on the back.

You can restore the machine using a hidden partition on the Hard Disk but first I would recommend creating the HP Recovery Disks.
If you post the model we can probably locate the detailed instructions for you.

[uc577]

Thank you SOO much!!

The model number on the back is dm4-1165dx

Is it possible that recovery disks created now would transfer any damaged files over to it once it's restored? I just want the cleanest, freshest state I can get.

[SleepyDude]

Thank you SOO much!!

The model number on the back is dm4-1165dx

Is it possible that recovery disks created now would transfer any damaged files over to it once it's restored? I just want the cleanest, freshest state I can get.

No because the recovery disks are created using the information stored on the Hidden recovery partition, if the Hard Disk and the partition are fine it should work ok.
The recovery disks will allow you to restore if something happens to the Hard Drive or if the restore fail running from the recovery partition.

Check this article Creating Recovery Discs or Saving a Recovery Image to a USB Flash Drive (Windows 7) you will need some blank DVD's, the program will tell how many.

[uc577]

I'm trying to create recovery disks like the article instructed, but when I used the recovery manager and clicked "next", at the point when it said it was splitting image data it said processing and stayed at 0% for about 20min. Could something be wrong with the part of the hard disk I need to do the recovery?

[SleepyDude]

I'm trying to create recovery disks like the article instructed, but when I used the recovery manager and clicked "next", at the point when it said it was splitting image data it said processing and stayed at 0% for about 20min. Could something be wrong with the part of the hard disk I need to do the recovery?

Its possible but sometimes the recovery manager get stuck in the process, try booting windows in safe mode (press F8 during boot).
The creation process can take up to an hour or more but you should see some Hard Disk activity during the process.

Do you know if your computer is under warranty?

Edited by SleepyDude, 08 September 2012 - 04:34 AM.

[uc577]

I pressed F8 and tried the same thing in safe mode but it got stuck at 0% again
I also pressed esc when restarting a second time and found an option to test the recovery partition. I don't know too much about these things, and I honestly am not sure if the check came back okay or not because a window popped up running scripts really fast and then disappeared without giving me the results.

My computer doesn't have warranty

Is there no other way to create recovery disks if the manager isn't working?

-Oh & out of curiousity, am I supposed to be connected to the internet when trying? Does it matter either way?

Edited by uc577, 08 September 2012 - 11:59 AM.

[SleepyDude]

I pressed F8 and tried the same thing in safe mode but it got stuck at 0% again
I also pressed esc when restarting a second time and found an option to test the recovery partition. I don't know too much about these things, and I honestly am not sure if the check came back okay or not because a window popped up running scripts really fast and then disappeared without giving me the results.

My computer doesn't have warranty

Is there no other way to create recovery disks if the manager isn't working?

I don't know another way, except ordering them from HP, because the computer is out of warranty you have to pay for the disks.

-Oh & out of curiousity, am I supposed to be connected to the internet when trying? Does it matter either way?

No, it doesn't need to be connected to the internet.

Most of the laptops from HP have some options on the BIOS to check the HDD health, you can use that to confirm if the disk is really bad.

Edited by SleepyDude, 08 September 2012 - 12:21 PM.

[uc577]

Is there an article or something online that can explain how to check the HDD health?

Do you think the risk is high considering how it's acting, that if I do a system restore without disks, something would happen? Just in your opinion? Because I'm wondering if I can order disks if something happens, but that maybe I'll luck out and not need them

I also tried looking for recovery disks to order online from the hp website and it's saying that it is unable to find them... My notebook is about 3 years old, I didn't think they would have already gotten rid of them.

Edited by uc577, 08 September 2012 - 12:57 PM.

[SleepyDude]

Is there an article or something online that can explain how to check the HDD health?

Check if this steps are valid to your computer...

To perform the Hard Drive Test in the System Diagnostics (F2) environment, do the following:

• Turn on the computer and immediately press the esc key to display the Startup Menu.
• Press the System Diagnostics F2 key, and then select the Hard Drive Test option.
• Allow the Hard Drive Test to complete. Test may take thirty to sixty minutes or more to complete depending on the size of the drive and the extent of the problems.

Do you think the risk is high considering how it's acting, that if I do a system restore without disks, something would happen? Just in your opinion? Because I'm wondering if I can order disks if something happens, but that maybe I'll luck out and not need them

If you try to restore and the process fail because of a Hard Disk fail you will lose everything and you end up probably with a non bootable system. With the discs you can replace the HDD at any time and start fresh.

But lest try to determine the hard disk state before doing that, try running the Hard Drive Test to see the result.
Please take note of the result and post the information.

Edited by SleepyDude, 08 September 2012 - 12:56 PM.

[uc577]

The Hard Drive Test results are as follows:

SMART Check: Passed
Short DST: Passed
Long DST: Failed

Failure I.D.: GUU3HW-5B767U-XD6U3F-61BOO3 (I think it was OO3, could've been 003)
Product I.D.: XH125UA#ABA

Hard Disk 1

Hard Disk Test: Failed

_______________

Even if the first two parts passed, I'm thinking this is very bad news?

[SleepyDude]

The Hard Drive Test results are as follows:

SMART Check: Passed
Short DST: Passed
Long DST: Failed

Failure I.D.: GUU3HW-5B767U-XD6U3F-61BOO3 (I think it was OO3, could've been 003)
Product I.D.: XH125UA#ABA

Hard Disk 1

Hard Disk Test: Failed

_______________

Even if the first two parts passed, I'm thinking this is very bad news?

If the result of Smart Check was Failed would be very bad news.
The Long DTS found some bad sectors, maybe they can be fixed or marked bad making possible to use the HDD for some time until it stops working completely.

Please use the windows device manager to find the Hard Disk model and brand and post the information on your reply.
- Click Windows Start
- on the search box write devmgmt.msc
- click devmgmt.msc on the search result to open the Device Manager
- expand Disk Drives

[uc577]

Thank you again for all of the help!

The Hard Disk model and brand are:

TOSHIBA MK5056GSY

When you say "before it stops working completely", does that mean it could very well crash entirely at any moment right now based on these issues? Should I not be running it for anything more than necessary to fix it?

[SleepyDude]

Thank you again for all of the help!

The Hard Disk model and brand are:

TOSHIBA MK5056GSY

When you say "before it stops working completely", does that mean it could very well crash entirely at any moment right now based on these issues? Should I not be running it for anything more than necessary to fix it?

Yes it can. The disk can have now a few bad sectors but during time start developing more putting the data in risk.

Go to this page and download Windows Diagnostic Tool v1.12 you should run a Comprehensive Test.
Make sure you only use diagnostic options, don't use any other option that can be destructive (for the data).

I don't have a Toshiba HDD to use the software so I can't give you specific instructions, if the tool gives you a report at the end try to copy the result and post on the forum.

[uc577]

Ok I'll give the "extended test" a try.

Edited by uc577, 08 September 2012 - 04:06 PM.