[Crapgame]

[size="4"]Greetings all.....

Long story follows......

HP m9340f, Intel Core2 quad, 8GB Running Vista SP2 +++
All software up to date, no malware and \ or viruses. Norton, MalwareBytes, and AdAware are up to date and have been run within the last week, a few things found but nothing bad.......

My objective is to repair \ restore the Hard Drive and Clone it to a new one, already purchased, sitting here on the desk. If I can succeed, I will not lose the program files and all the updates.

The major cause of this issue is the kids, when they (and \ or their friends) are using it and it does not perform what they want they just shut it down. I have continually told them they would do great harm to the computer hard drive and \ or operating system. Well to say the least they succeeded in its destruction.

I am no novice but this one has me stumped. I was able to get into safe mode w\ networking, very slow once in. I deleted a few programs that had been added that I thought may have been a problem. On re-start same issue, after logging on to a user the system hung up on welcome screen. Next, I rebooted, F9 into diagnostics. When it came to the Hard Drive test, it came back with: Error Code - BIOHD-8, "A smart test failed on the drive".

So, next was to attempt safe mode command prompt, was going to try CHKDSK /r. It never got there, it started up as normal, no command prompt. At that point I used the cmd prompt with the computer in safe mode, chkdsk /r, of course it couldn’t because the drive was in use so on restart it ran. Chkdsk ran but hung up on stage 4 after 6,800 + \ - files. Therefore, I shut it down and did a little research.

I found on the net that the error code mentioned above (BIOHD-8, "A smart test failed on the drive") could be bogus, it could be the motherboard. After careful thought, I came up with a way to check if it was the drive or the motherboard, I have a second exact model computer (using that one now) with the only difference being this one is running Windows 7. I removed the hard drive from the Vista computer and connected it to this one as the master (disconnected the Windows 7 HD), same result. I shut it down, reconnected the Windows 7 HD and connected the Vista HD as a slave. I had access to the data via the Windows 7 computer (a relief for sure), I backed up the data to the Windows 7 HD using Norton.

Next, I used the Properties \ Tools \ Error Checking \ checked both boxes (Automatically fix file system errors & Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors) and ran it. It again reached stage 4 but hung up after 6,800 + \ - files. So I tried once more, but only ran Properties \ Tools \ Error Checking \ Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors) and ran it. It finished and returned the following:

[i]Checking Disk HP (D:)
Some problems were found and fixed
Volume label is HP.
CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 5)...
369536 file records processed.
File verification completed.
3060 large file records processed.
0 bad file records processed.
0 EA records processed.
118 reparse records processed.

CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 5)...
478740 index entries processed.
Index verification completed.

CHKDSK is verifying security descriptors (stage 3 of 5)...
369536 file SDs/SIDs processed.
Security descriptor verification completed.
54603 data files processed.

CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal...
33923872 USN bytes processed.
Usn Journal verification completed.

CHKDSK is verifying free space (stage 5 of 5)...
66980263 free clusters processed.
Free space verification is complete.

Found 1686 bad clusters.
The Volume Bitmap is incorrect.
Windows found problems with the file system.
Run CHKDSK with the /F (fix) option to correct these.

720699965 KB total disk space.
452109048 KB in 283014 files.
169876 KB in 54604 indexes.
499965 KB in use by the system.
65536 KB occupied by the log file.
267914308 KB available on disk.
4096 bytes in each allocation unit.
180174991 total allocation units on disk.
66978577 allocation units available on disk.[/i]

So I figured this is simple, I will just use the command prompt and run chkdsk D: /f and everything will be peachy. Not so, received the following: “Access denied as you do not have sufficient privileges. You have to invoke this utility running in elevated mode.”. So again, I figured it will be easy, I will just go to the drive properties and give me complete access, in fact I gave all users complete access. I ran it again with the same result.

So here I sit, stumped, my brain is fried……..

I am looking for a solution to recover the drive so I can clone it. Any suggestions on how to overcome this problem. Is there another piece of software that can repair the drive so I won’t need to reinstall all the software and the updates.

Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!

Thanks in advance

Crapgame

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Did you open a Elevated Command Prompt to run chkdsk from?

Click Start, type cmd. At the top left, right click on cmd and select Run as Administrator.

Alternatively you can boot your Vista install disc, follow the Repair path to get to a Command Prompt and run chkdsk from there.

How to run chkdsk or System File Checker (SFC) from the Recovery Console

• Boot your Vista or Windows 7 installation DVD
• When you see "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD", press Enter
• At the "Install Windows" screen, click on Repair your computer at lower left
• At the System Recovery Options screen, make note of the drive letter assigned to your boot drive (normally C:) and click Next
• At the Chose a Recovery Tool window, click on Command Prompt. You will be sitting at X:\Sources directory
• Run chkdsk or SFC
• If you did not note the drive letter of your boot disk, you can enter bcdedit and look at the osdevice line to see what it is.
• For chkdsk, type chkdsk c: /r and press Enter (use the letter from above if not C:).
• For sfc, type sfc /scannow /offbootdir=c:\ /offwindir=c:\windows and press Enter (use the letter from above)

Let either run to completion undisturbed.

If you do not have a Windows Vista installation DVD, you can download a legal copy with SP1 integrated from here:

Download Official Windows Vista RTM with SP1 Setup Files (32-bit and 64-bit).

Only Windows Vista Ultimate with SP1 (X64 or X86) download is available, but if, during the install, you do not enter the product key
when initially prompted for it (which you must have to use the download), then you will be prompted to select the version of Vista you
want to install. You can activate once the install is done.

You do need a valid installation key, which should be on the COA sticker on the computer, to activate the installation.

Windows Vista Home Basic
Windows Vista Home Premium
Windows Vista Business
Windows Vista Ultimate

Downloaded the Vista X64 or X86 files.

X64:
install.wim
boot.wim
X14-63453.exe

X86:
install.wim
boot.wim
X14-63452.exe

Double clicked on X14-63453.exe or X14-63452.exe. It extractes all the files into a Vista sub-folder.

Downloaded Windows Bootable Image Creator zip then extract the files to a folder:

Open the folder and run WBICreator.exe
Click Next
Select OS Type: Windows Vista
CD/DVD Label: VistaX64 or VistaX86
Setup Location: The Vista folder created when you double clicked on X14-63453.exe or X14-63452.exe.
Output Path: Somewhere with enough free space to hold the .iso file that will be created (X64 = 3,837,112KB, X86 = 3,013,816KB).
Click GO.

When done a VistaX64.iso or VistaX86.iso file will be created in the Output Path you chose.

You can use the .iso as input to a burner program like ImgBurn to create a Vista Install DVD, or you can use it as Input to
Universal USB Installer – Easy as 1 2 3 to create a Vista install flash drive.

I created a X86 flash drive and used it to install a clean copy of Vista Home Basic on my HP DV2200 Laptop. Worked great using the key on the COA sticker of the laptop.

Remember to use the X64 or X86 version of Vista you currently have.

Note: You may need to download drivers for the computer from the manufacturers web site so I would suggest getting the Network (LAN and Wireless) and video/VGA drivers ahead of time so you can install them as soon as you finish installing Vista.

[Ztruker]

Did you open a Elevated Command Prompt to run chkdsk from?

Click Start, type cmd. At the top left, right click on cmd and select Run as Administrator.

Alternatively you can boot your Vista install disc, follow the Repair path to get to a Command Prompt and run chkdsk from there.

How to run chkdsk or System File Checker (SFC) from the Recovery Console

• Boot your Vista or Windows 7 installation DVD
• When you see "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD", press Enter
• At the "Install Windows" screen, click on Repair your computer at lower left
• At the System Recovery Options screen, make note of the drive letter assigned to your boot drive (normally C:) and click Next
• At the Chose a Recovery Tool window, click on Command Prompt. You will be sitting at X:\Sources directory
• Run chkdsk or SFC
• If you did not note the drive letter of your boot disk, you can enter bcdedit and look at the osdevice line to see what it is.
• For chkdsk, type chkdsk c: /r and press Enter (use the letter from above if not C:).
• For sfc, type sfc /scannow /offbootdir=c:\ /offwindir=c:\windows and press Enter (use the letter from above)

Let either run to completion undisturbed.

If you do not have a Windows Vista installation DVD, you can download a legal copy with SP1 integrated from here:

Download Official Windows Vista RTM with SP1 Setup Files (32-bit and 64-bit).

Only Windows Vista Ultimate with SP1 (X64 or X86) download is available, but if, during the install, you do not enter the product key
when initially prompted for it (which you must have to use the download), then you will be prompted to select the version of Vista you
want to install. You can activate once the install is done.

You do need a valid installation key, which should be on the COA sticker on the computer, to activate the installation.

Windows Vista Home Basic
Windows Vista Home Premium
Windows Vista Business
Windows Vista Ultimate

Downloaded the Vista X64 or X86 files.

X64:
install.wim
boot.wim
X14-63453.exe

X86:
install.wim
boot.wim
X14-63452.exe

Double clicked on X14-63453.exe or X14-63452.exe. It extractes all the files into a Vista sub-folder.

Downloaded Windows Bootable Image Creator zip then extract the files to a folder:

Open the folder and run WBICreator.exe
Click Next
Select OS Type: Windows Vista
CD/DVD Label: VistaX64 or VistaX86
Setup Location: The Vista folder created when you double clicked on X14-63453.exe or X14-63452.exe.
Output Path: Somewhere with enough free space to hold the .iso file that will be created (X64 = 3,837,112KB, X86 = 3,013,816KB).
Click GO.

When done a VistaX64.iso or VistaX86.iso file will be created in the Output Path you chose.

You can use the .iso as input to a burner program like ImgBurn to create a Vista Install DVD, or you can use it as Input to
Universal USB Installer – Easy as 1 2 3 to create a Vista install flash drive.

I created a X86 flash drive and used it to install a clean copy of Vista Home Basic on my HP DV2200 Laptop. Worked great using the key on the COA sticker of the laptop.

Remember to use the X64 or X86 version of Vista you currently have.

Note: You may need to download drivers for the computer from the manufacturers web site so I would suggest getting the Network (LAN and Wireless) and video/VGA drivers ahead of time so you can install them as soon as you finish installing Vista.

[Crapgame]

Thanks for your reply....

Learn something new everyday, cmd administrator

I ran chkdsk /f Came back no problems so i ran chkdsk /r it still hung up on stage 4 after 6800 files (give or take)

As far as the Vista disks, i am using the windows7 computer with the broken drive inserted as a slave, and the only disks are the 3 HP recovery disks. Can they fix \ repair the drive without destroying the programs, files & data?

Is there a piece disk repair software that can deal with this problem better then chkdsk?

[Ztruker]

Not unless you can boot the computer. A Repair Install has to be run from a booted Windows Vista/Windows 7 system.

If you do not have a Windows 7 installation DVD, or it's not up to the Service Pack level currently installed,you can download a legal copy with SP1 integrated from here:

Windows 7 Direct Download Links

Make sure you get the same version you have, Home Premium, Pro or Ultimate and 32 or 64 bit. Note that Basic or Starter is not available.

I recommend using ImgBurn at 4X speed (or the slowest available) to create the DVD from the downloaded .iso file.

You can do this on any computer capable of burning a DVD.

YOU MUST HAVE A VALID KEY TO INSTALL THIS .ISO. The one on the COA sticker on your computer will work.

You can also create a bootable USB Flash drive (4GB or larger) to install Windows 7 from.

• Download and run Universal USB Installer – Easy as 1 2 3
• Select Windows 7 from the first drop down list, all the way to the bottom
• Select the downloaded Windows 7 iso file
• Select your USB flash drive
• Click Create

For techies or folks who work on computers: Create Windows 7 Universal ISO With All Editions Selection On Install with ei.cfg Removal Utility.
This will fit on a 6GB flash drive or can be burned to a DVD.

You can also try running the manufacturers hard drive utility, see if it finds any hardware problems.

Check the hard drive with the manufacturer's diagnostic tools.
Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp.
Bootable Hard Drive Diagnostics