Is my HD on the way out?

When I run AVGfree 7.1.362 I get the following results:

In Safe Mode.
Partition Table (MBR)......Reading Error.
Boot Sector of Disk C:.....Reading Error.

In Normal Mode.
Partition Table (MBR)......OK.
Boot Sector of Disk C:.....Reading Error.

The effect is reproducable.
ScanDisk full scan finds no errors.

Occasionally (about once a month) I get a Blue Screen on boot.
Rebooting and all OK.
Otherwise the computer works OK.
I also use SpywareGuard , SpywareBlaster, Spybot SD, A-Squared, CWShredder
etc.
PS, the HD is at least 6 years old.
The Computer was for 2 years used by University Students.
I acquired it after the University upgraded their computers.
I don't want to have to replace the drive as I'm putting a new box together
as finances permit.
Should I format this drive and rebuild (I've done it about 10 times in the
last 4 years)?

Thanks in advance.
I.

In my own experiences, have found writing zeroes to the entire hard drive,
followed by a new install of windows does wonders.

You can save alot of time by saving the new install as an image file on
another hard drive, CD, or DVD. Writing zeroes will still consume the most
time. Use a current 80 wire ide cable on both mobo connections, may prevent
some occasional access problems.

--
Lil' Dave
Beware the rule quoters, the corp mindset, the Borg
Else you will be absorbed
"infidel" wrote in message
...
When I run AVGfree 7.1.362 I get the following results:

In Safe Mode.
Partition Table (MBR)......Reading Error.
Boot Sector of Disk C:.....Reading Error.

In Normal Mode.
Partition Table (MBR)......OK.
Boot Sector of Disk C:.....Reading Error.

The effect is reproducable.
ScanDisk full scan finds no errors.

Occasionally (about once a month) I get a Blue Screen on boot.
Rebooting and all OK.
Otherwise the computer works OK.
I also use SpywareGuard , SpywareBlaster, Spybot SD, A-Squared, CWShredder
etc.
PS, the HD is at least 6 years old.
The Computer was for 2 years used by University Students.
I acquired it after the University upgraded their computers.
I don't want to have to replace the drive as I'm putting a new box
together
as finances permit.
Should I format this drive and rebuild (I've done it about 10 times in the
last 4 years)?

Thanks in advance.
I.

I think it is something with the AVG.
Do a thorough scandisk in dos mode. This way you can see if there are any
bad sectors.
At the prompt type scandisk C:
After the first scan it will ask if you want to check surface conditions
also. Answer Yes.
Why I said it may be your AVG...I was getting the same errors. I uninstalled
and reinstalled AVG and do not get the errors as of now.
Go to Grisoft and download ( Save ) the AVGFree to its own folder.
Then when you are off the internet you can uninstall and reinstall with no
worry of virus attack while your doing it. Plus you will always have a backup
installable AVG.

"infidel" wrote:

When I run AVGfree 7.1.362 I get the following results:

In Safe Mode.
Partition Table (MBR)......Reading Error.
Boot Sector of Disk C:.....Reading Error.

In Normal Mode.
Partition Table (MBR)......OK.
Boot Sector of Disk C:.....Reading Error.

The effect is reproducable.
ScanDisk full scan finds no errors.

Occasionally (about once a month) I get a Blue Screen on boot.
Rebooting and all OK.
Otherwise the computer works OK.
I also use SpywareGuard , SpywareBlaster, Spybot SD, A-Squared, CWShredder
etc.
PS, the HD is at least 6 years old.
The Computer was for 2 years used by University Students.
I acquired it after the University upgraded their computers.
I don't want to have to replace the drive as I'm putting a new box together
as finances permit.
Should I format this drive and rebuild (I've done it about 10 times in the
last 4 years)?

Thanks in advance.
I.

"infidel" wrote:

When I run AVGfree 7.1.362 I get the following results:

In Safe Mode.
Partition Table (MBR)......Reading Error.
Boot Sector of Disk C:.....Reading Error.

In Normal Mode.
Partition Table (MBR)......OK.
Boot Sector of Disk C:.....Reading Error.

The effect is reproducable.
ScanDisk full scan finds no errors.

Occasionally (about once a month) I get a Blue Screen on boot.
Rebooting and all OK.
Otherwise the computer works OK.
I also use SpywareGuard , SpywareBlaster, Spybot SD, A-Squared, CWShredder
etc.
PS, the HD is at least 6 years old.
The Computer was for 2 years used by University Students.
I acquired it after the University upgraded their computers.
I don't want to have to replace the drive as I'm putting a new box together
as finances permit.
Should I format this drive and rebuild (I've done it about 10 times in the
last 4 years)?


Go to the hard drive manufacturer's web site and get their free
diagnostic test utility. Run this to check out the drive.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm

On Wed, 02 Nov 2005 05:36:55 GMT, "infidel" put
finger to keyboard and composed:

When I run AVGfree 7.1.362 I get the following results:

In Safe Mode.
Partition Table (MBR)......Reading Error.
Boot Sector of Disk C:.....Reading Error.

In Normal Mode.
Partition Table (MBR)......OK.
Boot Sector of Disk C:.....Reading Error.

The effect is reproducable.
ScanDisk full scan finds no errors.

If the boot sector is unreadable, then how does the system boot?

You can view the boot sector in a Windows DOS box using the Debug
command as follows:

debug
-L 100 2 0 1
-D 100 3ff
-Q

-- Franc Zabkar

Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

On Thu, 03 Nov 2005 07:23:07 +1100, Franc Zabkar
put finger to keyboard and composed:

On Wed, 02 Nov 2005 05:36:55 GMT, "infidel" put
finger to keyboard and composed:

When I run AVGfree 7.1.362 I get the following results:

In Safe Mode.
Partition Table (MBR)......Reading Error.
Boot Sector of Disk C:.....Reading Error.

In Normal Mode.
Partition Table (MBR)......OK.
Boot Sector of Disk C:.....Reading Error.

The effect is reproducable.
ScanDisk full scan finds no errors.

If the boot sector is unreadable, then how does the system boot?

You can view the boot sector in a Windows DOS box using the Debug
command as follows:

debug
-L 100 2 0 1
-D 100 3ff
^^^
Sorry, should be 2ff

-Q

-- Franc Zabkar

Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

"infidel" wrote in message
...
When I run AVGfree 7.1.362 I get the following results:

In Safe Mode.
Partition Table (MBR)......Reading Error.
Boot Sector of Disk C:.....Reading Error.

In Normal Mode.
Partition Table (MBR)......OK.
Boot Sector of Disk C:.....Reading Error.

The effect is reproducable.
ScanDisk full scan finds no errors.

Occasionally (about once a month) I get a Blue Screen on boot.
Rebooting and all OK.
Otherwise the computer works OK.
I also use SpywareGuard , SpywareBlaster, Spybot SD, A-Squared, CWShredder
etc.
PS, the HD is at least 6 years old.
The Computer was for 2 years used by University Students.
I acquired it after the University upgraded their computers.
I don't want to have to replace the drive as I'm putting a new box
together
as finances permit.
Should I format this drive and rebuild (I've done it about 10 times in the
last 4 years)?

Thanks in advance.
I.

AVG have been having problems lately - reporting MBR errors in Win9x when
there's nothing wrong with the drive.
Check your definitions date - it should be Program version 7.1.362, virus
base 267.13.7/182 or higher (dated 24 Nov) - if not then download a complete
new copy of the programs, remove the old one, and install the new one.

This may, or may not fix it - but it's about as good as you'll get until the
definitions get fixed!

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2006, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.crashfixpc.com/millsrpch.htm

http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's
"infidel" wrote in message
...

"infidel" wrote in message
...
When I run AVGfree 7.1.362 I get the following results:

In Safe Mode.
Partition Table (MBR)......Reading Error.
Boot Sector of Disk C:.....Reading Error.

In Normal Mode.
Partition Table (MBR)......OK.
Boot Sector of Disk C:.....Reading Error.

The effect is reproducable.
ScanDisk full scan finds no errors.

Occasionally (about once a month) I get a Blue Screen on boot.
Rebooting and all OK.
Otherwise the computer works OK.
I also use SpywareGuard , SpywareBlaster, Spybot SD, A-Squared,
CWShredder
etc.
PS, the HD is at least 6 years old.
The Computer was for 2 years used by University Students.
I acquired it after the University upgraded their computers.
I don't want to have to replace the drive as I'm putting a new box
together
as finances permit.
Should I format this drive and rebuild (I've done it about 10 times in
the
last 4 years)?

Thanks in advance.
I.