Imminent Hard Disk Failure!!!

MikeAce00 · Jun 27, 2011

Maybe somebody on this forum can help me better than the tech/warranty support team.

I have an HP- Desktop PC w/ Intel Core2 Quad

I can't start my computer, Please help.

On boot I get an error telling me I have an imminent hard disk failure and to backup immediately. f10 setup, f2 continue.

When I continue i get one of 2 options
-- If I continue normally, I get to my login screen and as soon as I try and type my password, the computer freezes

-- If I continue in safe mode it loads the drivers and ALWAYS hangs at
--> Loading... ... ahcix64s.sys

I've searched that driver and everything points to an AMD system...

My warranty service is about to come replace my hard drive and call it good. However, I think there might be more to it and possibly a temporary fix to at least boot up and secure another backup.

PS This is my 2nd Hard Drive replacement in 2 weeks. The first drive lasted a year or so and began failing so they replaced it with this "Certified New" drive. Was working fine for approx 2 weeks and now I'm in a loop and can't get into my system.

Any suggestions out there?

Thank You,

Mike

Slug · Jun 27, 2011

Hi Mike,

Something's definitely screwy here. That's a 64-bit RAID driver for AMD chipsets, so there's no way it should be loading on an Intel-based system. :thinking:

What model is the computer and what OS is the system running? Is there just the single hard drive installed? Did this problem occur out of the blue, or did it coincide with anything like a change of hardware/software?

karandpr · Jun 28, 2011

MikeAce00 said:
Maybe somebody on this forum can help me better than the tech/warranty support team.

I have an HP- Desktop PC w/ Intel Core2 Quad

I can't start my computer, Please help.

On boot I get an error telling me I have an imminent hard disk failure and to backup immediately. f10 setup, f2 continue.

When I continue i get one of 2 options
-- If I continue normally, I get to my login screen and as soon as I try and type my password, the computer freezes

-- If I continue in safe mode it loads the drivers and ALWAYS hangs at
--> Loading... ... ahcix64s.sys

I've searched that driver and everything points to an AMD system...

My warranty service is about to come replace my hard drive and call it good. However, I think there might be more to it and possibly a temporary fix to at least boot up and secure another backup.

PS This is my 2nd Hard Drive replacement in 2 weeks. The first drive lasted a year or so and began failing so they replaced it with this "Certified New" drive. Was working fine for approx 2 weeks and now I'm in a loop and can't get into my system.

Any suggestions out there?

Thank You,

Mike

Have you tried disabling AHCI in BIOS ?
Use a Live Linux system like Ubuntu to boot and backup.
If by chance you have Seagate HDD then they have bootable ISO that attempts to repair HDD.Worked for me twice

.

MikeAce00 · Jun 28, 2011

Slug said:
Hi Mike,

Something's definitely screwy here. That's a 64-bit RAID driver for AMD chipsets, so there's no way it should be loading on an Intel-based system.

What model is the computer and what OS is the system running? Is there just the single hard drive installed? Did this problem occur out of the blue, or did it coincide with anything like a change of hardware/software?

Yes completely out of the blue. It was working fine one day, and next it just stopped. I agree, looks screwy to me.

The PC is an HP- Pavillion Elite HPE, Intel Core2 Quad CPU Q9300, 2.5Ghz Running Windows 7 64-Bit

The only hardware change I made was the Hard drive replacement 2 weeks ago when the original failed. But this failure is very different. It was out of the blue and I cant get in at all.

On the previous failure I was getting failed shorts tests on a CPU Check. I had plenty of time to secure backups, called my warranty company and had it replaced... This time it just seems different.

I don't recall any software changes... perhaps a recent windows update or automatic update of Avast Antivirus. But no software changes immediately preceding the failure that I can recall.

MikeAce00 · Jun 28, 2011

karandpr said:
Have you tried disabling AHCI in BIOS ?
Use a Live Linux system like Ubuntu to boot and backup.
If by chance you have Seagate HDD then they have bootable ISO that attempts to repair HDD.Worked for me twice .

How do I disable AHCI? I'm in BIOS and see SATA controller (IDE/AHCI) and its on IDE. Does AHCI show up somewhere else too?

Yes the Hard Drive IS a Seagate 1TB Certified rebuilt (from the warranty claim)

Where can I get the bootable ISO?

I have a PC laptop I can use. I know nothing about Linux or Ubuntu but willing to learn if it means I could save my data.

I have a system image from 2 weeks ago. And most files should be backed up online. So I am not totally hosed, but I really don't want to set everything back up if I don't have too.

THANKS EVERYBODY FOR HELPING OUT!

Mike

karandpr · Jun 28, 2011

MikeAce00 said:
How do I disable AHCI? I'm in BIOS and see SATA controller (IDE/AHCI) and its on IDE. Does AHCI show up somewhere else too?

Yes the Hard Drive IS a Seagate 1TB Certified rebuilt (from the warranty claim)

Where can I get the bootable ISO?

I have a PC laptop I can use. I know nothing about Linux or Ubuntu but willing to learn if it means I could save my data.

I have a system image from 2 weeks ago. And most files should be backed up online. So I am not totally hosed, but I really don't want to set everything back up if I don't have too.

THANKS EVERYBODY FOR HELPING OUT!

Mike

Yes ,change it to AHCI
Different BIOS have different locations.Cant pinpoint .Try toggling to AHCI instead of IDE.Some PC's crash on IDE ,some in AHCI.
Trial and Error is the best option.

The Seatools for DOS option .Download it.Burn it to CD .
Boot the PC with faulty HDD ,from the CD.
Run
Short DST and then Long DST
If both the tests are passed then your HDD is not faulty.
AHCI is Intel standard.
I think AMD just has the driver registered in their name :rolleyes:

Best thing wile learning linux is use a old pendrive .
Download Ubuntu or Linux Mint .
Go to http://www.linuxliveusb.com/ and download LiLi
Create a live USB and test it on your PC !!!!
No hassles ,No changes to your HDD ,no downloads !!

MikeAce00 · Jun 28, 2011

There is a SMART Status Check, SMART Short Test, SMART Long Test-

I get Imminent Failure on all of them.

I'm working on the Seagate DOS test for confirmation...

Slug · Jun 28, 2011

From the results posted it does look as if the drive is on the way out, but using a Linux LiveCD or LiveUSB might allow you to read data on it and pull the important stuff off to an external drive.

karandpr · Jun 28, 2011

MikeAce00 said:
There is a SMART Status Check, SMART Short Test, SMART Long Test-

I get Imminent Failure on all of them.

I'm working on the Seagate DOS test for confirmation...

Then your HDD has failed the exams.I am sorry .Please try again next semester.

Jokes apart
It is indeed the HDD's fault.
Next time the engineer comes with the spanking new HDD
ask him to wait an hour and check the HDD via Seagate tools
will save his and your time.
And do check is the mode of HDD .AHCI or IDE.
Query the engineer about that.

MikeAce00 · Jun 30, 2011

Guys you have been very helpful, thank you so much.

I used the Seatools and failed the long test w/ 86 errors. There was an option to make repairs but the repairs failed to.

The new HDD arrives today. I'm not sure about the engineering quality of the person coming out. The last person wasnt very helpful beyond pulling out the old and inserting the new.

I've got my HDD ripped out now and I'll probably just install the other one myself.

Is it better that I use IDE or AHCI in the BIOS? Is there a way for me to test what might system might be used best for?

Thanks again for the input. I really appreciate this portion of the forum being available. Very helpful when not discussing cell phones! Thank You.

Slug · Jun 30, 2011

MikeAce00 said:
Is it better that I use IDE or AHCI in the BIOS?

As it's a SATA drive use AHCI; there are definite performance benefits.

karandpr · Jul 1, 2011

MikeAce00 said:
Guys you have been very helpful, thank you so much.

Is it better that I use IDE or AHCI in the BIOS? Is there a way for me to test what might system might be used best for?

.

AHCI as Slug said.

Imminent Hard Disk Failure!!!

Well-Known Member

Check six!

Android Expert

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Android Expert

Well-Known Member

Check six!

Android Expert

Well-Known Member

Check six!

Android Expert

BEST TECH IN 2023

Smartphones

Best Android Phones

Upcoming

Best iPhones

Upcoming

Tablets

Best Tablets

Upcoming

Laptops

Best Laptops

Upcoming

Televisions

Best TVs

Upcoming

Game Consoles

Best Game Consoles

Upcoming

Wearables

Best Wearables

Upcoming

Smart Home

Smart Home Tech

Upcoming

Similar threads