The Phoenix is dead!

[Dymetrie]

So there I was this morning happily browsing the forums, catching up with everything that happened last night when my interweb died, when I got a BSoD..

Error code was 0x00000124 (I've tried googling but all I can find is stuff on forums which I can't access due to the firewall at work).

So I restart.

Get the boot up screen, as usual select 'boot as normal'... Nothing... Restart again, do the same thing, get the Vista loading screen and then nothing... Restart a third time and after the BIOS POST screen I get:

A disk read error has occured.
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart.

And that's all I can get.

:'(

So my thoughts are:

1) HDD has failed. It's a 200GB Seagate SATA which is about three or four years old so not unlikely.
2) The SATA header has killed itself so the disk can't be read properly. A bit of a bugger that would be.
3) Windows has corrupted itself. Easy to fix but bloody annoying.

Can anyone see if they can find out what the error code means as if it is a HDD failure then I can get a new one today (to be delivered tomorrow when I'm off work) and hopefully Phoenix can rise from the ashes :)

In case it's important, here's the system spec:

AMD 64 X2 4200
DFI Lanparty something (jarp knows!)
2GB PC3200
Radeon X1950
200GB Seagate SATA
120GB Seagate IDE

Thanks

Dym o/

[Garp]

There seem to be suggestions about nVidia graphics drivers causing that.. or having core 2 duo chips.. or a BIOS upgrade fix (I'd consider that a 'last ditch' option). None of which probably apply to you :-/

[Stan_Lite]

Some of the Google hits suggested it might be Vista audio drivers and that disabling the C1E function in the BIOS was a possible solution.

As for the "A disk read error has occured. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart." message, have you tried booting from the Vista disk and trying the repair facility? - it's usually pretty good for boot errors.

[Dymetrie]

disabling the C1E function in the BIOS was a possible solution.

Wuh?

Soundcard is a Soundblaster 5.1 Live! card (older than the internet!) as Jarp can't find the onboard sound module...

As for the "A disk read error has occured. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart." message, have you tried booting from the Vista disk and trying the repair facility? - it's usually pretty good for boot errors.

BSoD was at about 6.40am this morning, I left for work at 6.55am this morning... No time to try that out :(

Will give it a go when I get home :) According to Aria I have until 17.55 to order a new HDD and get it delivered tomorrow (should be home about half four) so that's all good. Might be worth grabbing a new 500GB SATA2 drive anyway :p

[kaiowas]

Given that the machine won't reboot I would worry about diagnosing the BSOD too much. Looks like something related to disc access has died (drive is more likely than the controller) and the error code was just a symptom of whatever was the first important thing to fall over whilst trying to access the disc.

[Daz]

Agree with kaiowas, if the disk is dying/dead (and it seems likely) and BSOD codes are likely red herrings.

If you'd like though I could take a look at the crash dump for you and see if that gives you any clues :) I believe the rig was stable for a while though so you're looking at hardware failure in all likelihood.

[Mark]

He would of course need access to the disk to get the crash dump. :p

I'm with the rest - broken hardware - in order: disk, SATA cable, controller.

[Daz]

:o

[Dymetrie]

:o

n00b :p

Well I've ordered this (https://www.aria.co.uk/Products?search=HDA-ST3500320AS) for delivery tomorrow.

Will have a play with stuffs when I get home to see if I can get it working, but chances are then I'll go with reinstalling onto the new drive anyway even if I can get the old drive working tonight.

Hurrah for getting to talk to M$ tomorrow when I try and activate Vista again :/

Daz, I'll chuck you the crash dump if I can get the system running and I can find it (this will involve me figuring out where it is :p).

Phoenix shall rise from the ashes :D

[Daz]

%SystemRoot%\Minidump by default :) Ask Jarp to boot it into one of his (I'm sure numerous) Linux CD's, there's a fair chance it'll be salvageable, but it'll probably be useless anyway.

[Dymetrie]

%SystemRoot%\Minidump by default :) Ask Jarp to boot it into one of his (I'm sure numerous) Linux CD's, there's a fair chance it'll be salvageable, but it'll probably be useless anyway.

d'oh...

Gave him back his Ubuntu CD last night ;D

[Garp]

Still on my desk, left hand side :)

[Dymetrie]

So I got home and fired Phoenix up... Jumped into the BIOS and ensured that the onboard audio wasn't turned on (it was :embarassed:) then let it reboot...

Got the vista boot menu...

Selected normal start up and she booted into Vista :o

"bollocks", thought I "that fixed it and I've wasted £80 on a new HDD...."

About 3 minutes in I get the same BSoD and disk error message on startup...

I know that the temps are fine so it's pretty likely it's a hardware problem.

Have grabbed Jarp's Ubuntu disk and am running a memtest at the moment (74% on first pass and no errors so far). Once I'm happy with that (will run two passes) then I'll chuck the Vista CD in and see if I can repair the OS.

At least I should get a shiny new 500GB HDD delivered tomorrow and so can rebuild the system and everything will be fine (I hope). And the fact that she managed to boot (albeit once and only for a short time) makes me think that if the disk is the problem then at least I should be able to get some of my stuff off the drive and onto the new one :)

[Daz]

If you have data you want to save I'd leave the current disk alone until you've done that dude. Keep poking it and, if it is faulty, sooner or later it'll tell you to f*** off.

[Dymetrie]

Keep poking it and, if it is faulty, sooner or later it'll tell you to f*** off.

Sounds like a girl :shocked:

[Tak]

Sounds like a girl :shocked:

Well you do have a habit of calling it "her" :p

[Dymetrie]

Well you do have a habit of calling it "her" :p

That's because Phoenix is a her!

You guys'd talk far more if I was spending that much time with a 'he' :p

[Dymetrie]

Much against everyone's advice.....

...I've been poking the HDD this morning.

Running in safe mode I have managed to back up all the important stuffs to my secondary drive and am just transferring my music collection off.

New drive is at the delivery branch and so should get shipped out to me soon (I hope) and I can rebuild her... I can make her stronger, faster, better :D

[Dymetrie]

HOLY **** SHE'S FAST!!!

That old 200gig drive must've been proper knackered, everything is running seriously fast and smooth on the new build :D

[Mark]

32MB cache on the drive will help there I'll wager - most are 16MB or less.

[Feek]

HOLY **** SHE'S FAST!!!

32MB cache on the drive will help there I'll wager - most are 16MB or less.

That gives me an idea *ponder*

[Dymetrie]

Checked Seagate's website and get some nice messages :)

In Warranty
Expiration 28-Dec-2009

In Warranty

* This drive is covered by a Seagate warranty.

* It may be returned for exchange. You will not receive your original drive in return.

* Please back up all data before returning the drive.

Something for me to sort out next weekend methinks :)