Windows

[wadsy]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this but i need some advice.

For a while now this message has been popping up on my computer "Windows has

detected a hard disk problem" back up your files.

Has anyone else encountered this?

[Dame Starry]

If you get an error message, wadsy - always Google the exact wording and you will find others who have had the same message who will tell you what to do. I have acquired quite a bit of PC knowledge by doing that - and have recently ironed out several problems on my new PC that way.

If you put that error message in your search engine, there are several webpages to look through for help.

In the mean time, it would be a good idea to back up your files - last year my computer blew up and it was terminal and I'm now struggling to get my files off of the old hard drive, some of which are irreplacable.....all because I didn't back up my files.

My brother's now bought me a 'Clickfree' which is brilliant.

[wadsy]

Thanks Dame Starry. I did google the message & there are divided opinions as to whether its real or bogus.

Iv'e backed up my files so they should be ok. My computer is fairly new (12 months maybe) so I don't understand why

the hard disk should fail.

[Nick Dando]

Hard disks can fail at any time, usually without warning. At work, we are now responsible for securely disposing of failed hard disks brought to us by IBM and the other computer suppliers we use. We do have a lot of computers, but we have just purchased a £50,000 crusher to deal with the backlog of disks that we need to shred.

I'd recommend getting an external hard disk, particularly those which contain a number of separate disks which can be set-up as a RAID device. There are several types of RAID set-up, but the simplest is to copy the data to both disks at the same time (this halves the capacity of the disk, but if one disk fails, your data is still available to be recovered). I use a Western Digital 2TB disk, that acts as a 1TB RAID. The WD software automatically backs up all of my files, without me having to worry about scheduling them.

Nick

[Dame Starry]

Thanks Dame Starry. I did google the message & there are divided opinions as to whether its real or bogus. Iv'e backed up my files so they should be ok. My computer is fairly new (12 months maybe) so I don't understand why the hard disk should fail.

Did anybody report getting the warning message and their hard drive actually failing?
I looked on the Microsoft website and that error message doesn't come up when you search the site.

Nick is right, of course, hard disks can fail at any time - just keep your files backed up.

[wearysloth]

try chkdsk:

Bring up the file manager or Explore (not the internet)

right click on your C drive

choose
Properties

then the
Tools tab
click the Check Now button
check the 2 checkboxes

click the Start button

you may have to reboot to make this happen
it may offer you the option to run when you reboot, make it so and reboot ("try turning it off and on again")

watch with interest to see if any bad sectors are spotted or broken chain files
neither of which is the end of the world
but a lot of them might justify the message you were getting

may take a while to run

[Wolfgang]

You can go into "Device Manager" too and troubleshoot your hard disk, and make sure your driver is up to date. If you are not actually having problems accessing files it is most likely to be driver problem. If Chkdsk doesn't have any problems reading your disk I wouldn't worry about it.

[wadsy]

Well my hard drive well & truly packed up. luckily I still have a couple of months warranty

left so its been sent off to Toshiba to get fixed up. I'm currently using my godson's

computer (he's 7 years old & it took some bribery)!

The screen is about 6 by 8 inches but it works fine!

Thanks everyone for all the sound advice!

[Bernardo]

Windows 7 Service pack 1
Anyone else had loads of blue screens after this update?

[wearysloth]

Not here.

Are there any particular circumstances to it BSOD'ing? (Blue Screen of Death)

Looking over the net there seems to be a problem with Service Pack 1 and Hibernation/power saving modes on some pc's
Windows 7 - After installing SP1 the computer blue screens when awaken - Microsoft Answers

[michaelmace]

Windows 7 Service pack 1
Anyone else had loads of blue screens after this update?

I suspect that it inteferred with some software that allows me to bring up context menus with a right-click of the mouse and that, as a result, Windows Explorer kept shutting down and re-starting, sometimes several times a minute. No solutions appeared after extensive Goggle searching.

'Fortunately', I thought, 'I have a restore point'. I tried to roll it back but the damn thing kept freezing up in the middle of the restore.

As all of my data resides on my external hard drive, I decided to have a spring clean anyway and revert back to a cleaner imaged backup from several months ago.

While I used to like the (relative) simplicity of using Windows, it's too problematic now. I'm thinking about moving to Linux Mint as it's very well supported and almost all of the (paid-for) programs that I use regularly on Windows have good, free analogues on Linux.

I've already stopped using MS Office at home in favour of LibreOffice.

Time to grow a beard and wear sandals

[michaelmace]

Windows 7 Service pack 1
Looking over the net there seems to be a problem with Service Pack 1 and Hibernation/power saving modes on some pc's

Yes, that was the other problem: it would freeze up within minutes of waking from hibernation and have to be rebooted. I didn't get the BSoD, though, just a freeze-up.

[Richard_in_wales]

No problems with W7, its the best Windows to date it seems.

Back up is vital, I have 3 X 2GB internal drives, 1 X 2GB and three 1GB external drives and any import data/photo's/videos are on all of them plus I store on DVD and photos go on Photobucket (private account) plus stored on the other four PC's in the house. Keep your anti virus up to date (I use Microsoft Security Essentials) and its worth installing something like Malwarebytes or Superantispyware to check your machine too.

Buffalo 1TB 16MB USB2.0 External Hard Drive - Retail | HD-LB1.0TU2-UK
Great company to deal with, always overnight delivery too...no connection to them just a satisfied customer.

[Bernardo]

I am glad it is not only me. I just had to remove SP1 from my other PC lodged under the TV as the hibernation feature was U/S since update, essential for a media PC. Yes I back up, and as I mainly tinker with video and audio, I have various hard discs attached. Never had any problem 'til now. Oh I think it makes the restore points vanish too! Might try loading it under 'Safe with network' when I have an afternoon to spare.
Really pleased with the feed back. Though interested in PCs since MS DOS (still have the programme floppies) the geeks on the help channels speak a language I have no dictionary for.

[Steve Crook]

No problems with W7, its the best Windows to date

Although that's a bit like being the best one-legged man in an arse-kicking contest

Steve

[Johnallan]

I'm still running Vista and I've never been able to download SP1 for the OS because it make me lose my internet connection. Like Bernardo says, the help forums tend to speak a language that is foreign to me.

[Steve Crook]

I'm still running Vista and I've never been able to download SP1 for the OS because it make me lose my internet connection. Like Bernardo says, the help forums tend to speak a language that is foreign to me.

I think that the biggest part of your problem might be in the first 4 words of your message "I'm still running Vista"

Microsoft tend to alternate between OK & naff with every operating system they release

Windows 95 - Naff
Windows 98 - OK
Windows Me - Naff
Windows NT - OK
Windows 2000 - Naff
Windows XP - OK
Windows Vista - Naff
Windows 7 - OK

Steve

[Arfur Teacake]

I'm still running Vista and I've never been able to download SP1 for the OS because it make me lose my internet connection. Like Bernardo says, the help forums tend to speak a language that is foreign to me.

Sounds like a slow/poor BT internet connection rather than the op system?

you could try connecting your computer to the main BT socket (usually the first one from the outside cable) see if things improve? if it does then it could be some ropy/damaged wiring the house?

other than that sometimes you can disks on Ebay for a couple of quid with SP1 & SP2 on, bboth are well worth having as they keep you up to date.

[Johnallan]

Thanks for your suggestions Arfur - I'm suffering from battle fatigue with my computer and am loath to tinker any more. It does work despite it running at the speed of a centipede jogging through treacle.

[MikeB]

Johnnallan - have you tried cleaning up your PC? Get CCleaner or whatever, and see if it runs a bit better, or even get a bit more RAM (£20 for a gig). And certainly check if you have a virus - a slow machine might be infected.

Frankly, running Vista is a PITA, and if you can get hold of Windows 7 and your PC will run it, then you might be better off. Certainly check your line (what the speed rating on your ISP?), but if you really stuck, then think about upgrading your machine. You can get a new laptop for less than £400 (they change every 3 months, so you can get a slightly old one, but with a good spec), which will have Windows 7. I must admit I've had no problems with my Windows 7 machine, and its way faster than my old XP system.