BleepingComputer.com: Hard Disk Starts Stops Again N Again

Hi,

I have two hard disks. I have installed Windows XP SP3. After starting up my first hard disk makes spinning noises as when it powers on and off. So it is being turned on and off again and again. When this happens Windows stops responding. This started when I was browsing on internet using IE. IE hanged up and hard disk went crazy. I have to press 'reset' button. What should I do?

Run a series of malware scans, as a first step.

Louis

I have following :

1. avast! 4.8
2. a squared antispyware
3. clamwin portable
4. outpost firewall

So I guess there is little change of malware. Plus the system stops responding as soon as everything is loaded like antivirus and firewall, the hard disk starts spinning on an off. So how can I run any scans?

I have opened the box and checked the power cable conections, everything seems to be okay. The second hard disk works ok. I booted from knopix live linux cd. It works fine but, from linux when I try run mp3 files etc the problematic hard disk, it also hangs.

Try running the scans in Safe Mode, this has a limited amount of applications running which should help. Do any unusual applications show up in the Task Manager when this is occurring?

You may also want to find out what the make of the hdd is and go to the web site of the manufacturer and download their diagnostic tool to see if you have a problem with the hdd itself.

This post has been edited by dc3: 31 August 2008 - 10:44 PM

Thank you dc3

Following your idea, I started the computer in safe mode and tried to run checkdisk from hard drive properties. It didnt run but scheduled a check at system startup. Next I rebooted and checkdisk found hundreds of errors in the primary hard disk drive. It rebooted and found more errors in secondary hard disk too. After reboot, the problem is gone and computer is working fine

I downloaded Seagate Disk Manager CD ISO image burned it and booted from it. It does not find any errors on any drives.

But I would like to know what caused such errors in first place? It suddenly started when I was downloaded files off net using IE. So I can avoid such situations.

Thanks alot for your help hamluis and dc3

Glad you thought to run the chkdsk, and that it has solved the problem. I don't know what would cause that many errors, if you do find out please let us know.

Depends on what chkdsk found.

The fact that chkdsk finds errors is not surprising at all to me...since I run it in order to find such and allow it to correct same. If chkdsk hasn't been run in some time...the number of errors found is likely to move from the "inconsequential" to the "need to run chkdsk more often" area.

If they are file errors or security descriptor errors, etc...I don't worry about those.

If they are bad sectors...I just keep an eye on it. If I had a significant amount of bad sector space reported, I think I'd start prepping for a different hard drive.

Louis