0
This is going to be long story. I'm trying to figure out what the hardware problem with my desktop is.
It started with my Windows XP's very slow response and later even a BSOD, when shutting down. When I viewed the logbook, it first had something like the following (can't recall exactly anymore):
controller error \Devices\Harddisk0\D disk
So, I thought it might be harddisk failure. Therefore I let Windows check the two partitions, C: and D:, with CHKDSK. It had to do quite a few repairs in the filesystem's indexes and descriptors (?) I believe, but I don't recall there being actual hardware damage (bad sectors, etc.).
For a short while everything seemed normal again, but eventually it BSOD'ed again. This time around the logbook also had two entries similar like:
\Interrupt\Int8 failure
An error was detected on device \Device\Harddisk0\D during a paging operation
So now I decided to check the HDD again, this time with a tool from Western Digital (see hardware list below) itself. However, the full test didn't come up with any errors.
I also wiped the disk, checked it again, put back a backup, and checked again: no errors. But still the problem remained. What's more, now the system would boot up extremely slow as well. And once logged on into XP, it would respond extremely slow as well.
Furthermore, the weird thing also was, that sometimes when I rebooted the system and I wanted to enter the BIOS boot menu by pressing the key, it would randomly reboot the system on pressing the key, instead of showing the bootmenu.
I have checked both RAM modules extensively and it came up with nothing. Both seemed fine.
All this, combined with the logbook entries (I read that a HDD controller error could actually be due to a motherboard failure), led to me to believe my motherboard might actually be the problem here. Therefore, I decided to try my luck with replacing my motherboard (see hardware list below). I ditched one DIMM, as I haven't figured out how to combine 2GB and 1GB DIMM's on this motherboard yet.
But now, this motherboard also gives seemingly random reboots when I press keys on the keyboard to bring up particular BIOS menu's or even when I was already booted into UBCD (Ultimate Boot CD). Furthermore it eventually also gave me the same log off problems again. What's more, sometimes it even actually gave me a boot disk failure message on screen.
So I checked the disk again with the WD tool: and what do you know, all of a sudden it gave a message that there where too many hardware errors on the disk.
I still try booting up sometimes again. Sometimes it wouldn't do anything at all, sometimes it gives me the message 'disk error' again, and sometimes when I checked the disk again with the WD tool, it reports no errors. :-/
So, long story short: my hardware seems to respond very incoherent and erratic. Can't quite pinpoint where the problem lies. HDD seems to be the problem, after all and I am going to bring back my HDD to the store tomorrow and ask for a replacement, but I'm not really confident that this is where the actual problem lies.
Do you have any other suggestions in the meanwhile? Do these problems ring a familiar bell somehow?
My hardware:
initially: currently:
--------------------------------------------------------
Mainboard: MSI MS-7346 ASUS P5B
Videocard: XFX GeForce 8800GT
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad 2.4 GHz 1066 MHz
RAM: 3GB DDR2 2GB DDR2
HDD: WD WD5001ABYS 500GB SATA/300
WIFI: Edimax EW-7128G
Keyboard / Mouse: Logitech cordless desktop S 510
OS:
Windows XP SP3, fully updated
TL;DR:
Windows responding slow and sometimes BSOD'ed when logging off. Windows reported HDD controller errors and paging errors. Checked HDD numerous times with varying tools; apart from filesystem inconsistency, no hardware errors. Motherboard also started responding erratic to keypresses when booting up (randomly rebooting). So replaced motherboard. Still strange response to keypresses and finally HDD tool reported errors. I'm unsure what to make of all this.
Decent Dabbler
Posted 2012-04-30T14:51:05.253
Reputation: 315
Since you have eliminated the MB and HD as problems I would suggest next looking at the power supply. – Brian – 2012-04-30T14:57:51.687
I would be checking the RAM first thing. Had you let the BIOS to complete a full memory test on startup? Had you tried only using the 1GB module? – amotzg – 2012-04-30T15:01:32.383
What is the HD controller? I had a JMicron HD controller that had random interupts in performance untill I got the updated driver (entire system would hang, and occasional BSOD). It may also be worth your time to run your system on a Live-CD with Ubuntu or Knoppix for a while to see if the OS/Drivers are not a problem. – Chad Harrison – 2012-04-30T15:11:38.977
2My vote is for a bad hard drive data cable or it is routed to close to a source of interference inside the case. – Moab – 2012-04-30T15:44:12.647
@Brian: That's one thing I thought of as well, but I have no idea how to check the power supply for faults. I'm not very electro-technical minded. Are there any easy methods for someone like me to check the power supply? – Decent Dabbler – 2012-04-30T15:46:39.710
@amotzg: Sorry, I forgot to mention that I have checked both RAM modules extensively and it came up with nothing. Both seemed fine. – Decent Dabbler – 2012-04-30T15:47:43.547
1I've edited the question to add your quote about testing the RAM modules. – amotzg – 2012-04-30T15:54:55.627
@hydroparadise: just for my understanding, when we're talking about HD controllers, is my understanding correct that those are actually hardware items on the mainboard? Or are they part of the HD itself? And controllers in this context are not the drivers, correct? And the thing is that the HD sometimes even failed before the OS was loaded and I hadn't updated the BIOS prior to that. So I'm unsure that updating drivers (whether in BIOS or in OS) would make a difference. But perhaps I'm overlooking something here? – Decent Dabbler – 2012-04-30T15:55:12.367
@Moab: yeah, that sounds reasonable. I should probably get a new cable tomorrow as well, just to be sure. Thanks. What do you think could be obvious sources of interference here? – Decent Dabbler – 2012-04-30T15:58:07.793
The "controller" is a the actual hardware that communicates between the CPU and the HD (not on the HD itself) and many times it is found on the motherboard. And yes, HD drivers can impact your OS before it has a chance to load. Think about how SCSI devices get loaded are detected. Just make sure you have the latest drivers. – Chad Harrison – 2012-04-30T16:07:15.273
@fireeyedboy electrical interference is rare, but make sure it is not too close to the psu or run along the motherboard when you route it. Standard sata cables are not shielded, you can buy shielded sata cables, they are quite a bit stiffer though and may cause routing problems in a crowded case. – Moab – 2012-04-30T16:08:33.287
I remember that during the ATA 133 days with 80 pin IDE cables that there was little tollerance for crimp-bending the cable. This also has been source of angst for me in the past. – Chad Harrison – 2012-04-30T16:10:25.287
@Moab: I'll make sure to get a shielded one; good tip, thanks. – Decent Dabbler – 2012-04-30T16:23:44.233
@hydroparadise: I hear you and I actually updated them, just to be clear. I guess what I tried to say is that I thought it was weird that the HD started to fail (sometimes even before the OS started loading) all of a sudden, without there having been any hardware changes of BIOS updates, or anything. So it would seem strange, that the system all of a sudden would need new drivers, when no significant changes where made prior to the HD failing. – Decent Dabbler – 2012-04-30T16:31:20.480
Run Memtest86+. If that passes, ensure your CPU is fine by running a few iterations of Prime95. If all that works fine, test another hard drive temporarily. Alternatively, evaluate your drive's health in another computer (which would eliminate any interference from other possible bad components in your system).
– Breakthrough – 2012-04-30T16:43:52.857I suggest updating to the latest version all firmware and drivers and your BIOS/UEFI. If not solved replace pc components until you have found the culprit. I would start with the cable. Try different cable slots/ports/whatever. – EuphoriaFTW – 2013-12-31T22:39:35.490