BleepingComputer.com: seagate dos tool not working

I am working on a Dell Laptop with a seagate 160gb sata hdd. I have attempted to test the hdd with SeaTools (DOS version), and I get an error, and then it stops. It does not continue to boot, just stops. I have run the Chkdsk with both options checked, and it does not report any issues. I have run the Windows version of SeaTools and the drive fails the short and the long in about a minute. It then instructs me to use the DOS/bootable version, but it won't run. I have gone to Seagate website and downloaded the latest DOS version, and still no go. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks Scott

Exactly what happens when you run it? Is the system actually booting to the disk and does the diagnostic begin to run?

Yes it boots from the DVD drive, It begins by "Starting BCDW....ok." then just some GNU stuff, it gets to the point of "Loading XMS driver" then this error code:
"Invalid Opcode at 000B 0000 0402 086F 025D 0702 0702 0A83 0CEE 2132 0000 0000 0000"
Then it just stops. The system is Vista HP 32 bit, on a Dell Inspiron 1545. The reason I want to run SeaTools Utility is because it has been having problems booting. Sometimes it boots fine, others it needs to do a repair prior to booting. Then when in windows, again sometimes everything works fine, and sometimes things don't. There seems to be no consistency, and there are no minidumps, and the only errors that show up in "Event Viewer" say that "this usually points to a hardware problem", I have run Memtest86, and it came back without errors.

It sounds as though you are not booting to the disk. Here is how to burn an .iso file: http://www.petri.co.il/how_to_write_iso_files_to_cd.htm

I used ImgBurn to burn the ISO to disc. I just tried it on another machine and it worked fine.

Okay. Then at the risk of stating the obvious I have to believe there is a problem with the hd.

edit: just noticed you have a sata drive - I posted a link for WD tools but they are for eide

This post has been edited by Allan: 07 March 2011 - 10:45 AM

I am not finding the link you said you posted..I did boot into the dell diagnostic and the hdd failed there as well. So I am going to call it a failed hdd. Next question is can I image the old hard drive over to the new one..I have never tried that before. I have used DriveImageXML to do image a good hdd over to a new hdd, but never a failing one??? Just asking???

Sure, if you can get the image utility to work there's no reason not to. You can't copy physical hd problems if that's your concern.

Well Thank you for your reply. I have always wanted to try it, I usually hook up the drive I want to copy from on an USB adapter to another machine and make an image, and then transfer the image to new drive, just never knew if there would be issues with the copied files. I will try it and post back how it went. Again, Thanks for you quick replies.
Scott
PS, I don't know how to mark this thread as solved? how do I do that??

Don't worry about marking it "solved".

BTW, while you can't copy hd errors, if there are any software problems they will, of course, be part of the image. But I assume you know that.

And you're most welcome

Quick update - The diagnostic tool gave me what I needed to know that it was a bad hard-drive. I ran the SeaTools for windows and it confirmed it. Interestingly, it recommended that I try SeaTools for DOS, but there seems to be a glitch as it won't run. After some research on that, it seems as though Seagate has had some ongoing issues with the DOS version. My best guess is that it needs to be on a re-writable disk, and I burned my iso on a CD-R. Anyway, I was finally able to finish double checking my backup and I'm now contemplating whether to go MacBook Air, iPad 3, or another laptop. I'm leaning iPad 3 and giving my wife my old laptop

Thanks for everyone's help, but I think that this one can be closed.