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Thread Author: Bromptonaut Replies: 15
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New Fri 31 Jan 14 18:42 
 More Laptop Woes - Bromptonaut
The coming demise of XP is going to force me to retire by 2006 Fujitsu-Siemens. It's a bit slow but does all I need.

Before dashing out on line for a replacement (likely to be a tower desktop) I thought I'd see if I could resuscitate The Lad's Packard Bell - Core i3, 3MB RAM & Win7. It was replaced for him after the HDD failed and problems installing a larger new one just before he went to Uni.

Basic problem is it's pitifully slow. I started a full re-install from the Recovery Discs at around 16:00 yesterday. Initially it seemed OK loading data from first 3 of 4 recovery discs. Then at stage 5 of process it went through restoring system reasonably fast but slowed when at updating stage. Stuck solid at around 81% for all of last night and I left it on retiring to bed at 22:45.

This morning it was on 91% and demanding final restore disc which I inserted and then left for a day in London. Initially it sounded busy, alternating reading the restore disc with bursts of fan suggesting CPU activity.

It's now silent, still at 91% but with HDD activity light going 20-dozen.

I'm sure last time I did this it took a couple of hours.

Should I just assume it's fubar or give it longer - If it goes into windows at least I can run diagnostics.

Alternatively are there user friendly diagnostics I can use another OS such as Linux (I had it running after a fashion in Ubuntu yesterday)
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New Fri 31 Jan 14 18:44 
 More Laptop Woes - RattleandSmoke
Are you sure the new hard drive is ok?
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New Fri 31 Jan 14 18:55 
 More Laptop Woes - Bromptonaut
In short no. In fact the problems are consistent with a slow communication rate with the HDD

The replacement is larger than the original Both are SATA, original was a 320MB Hitachi while new one is WD 500MB. FWIW it appears to have been correctly recognised by the BIOS.

Thread on earlier problems is here:

www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?f=6&t=10938
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New Fri 31 Jan 14 19:39 
 More Laptop Woes - Zero
>> In short no. In fact the problems are consistent with a slow communication rate with
>> the HDD

Its not slow communication with the drive, its coin that at a fast rate. The data however is not recognised int he disk and is constantly rewriting the same old data.

Its one of three things.

1/ The disk is bucked

2/ The disk needs to be formatted again

3/ the installation media (its possibly an image type format and is expecting a disk of a fixed size - i.e. the one you had on it before)


If Ubuntu works ok on it, the disk is probably ok. Get a proper instal cd of win 7 and install that, ensuring it formats to the full 500mb. Use the key you have fixed on the machine.
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 31 Jan 14 at 19:40
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New Fri 31 Jan 14 20:00 
 More Laptop Woes - RattleandSmoke
Also make sure the disk is set to AHCI and not IDE in the BIOS. It could actually be the hard drive controller on the motherboard that is at fault, so it is worth testing the drive on another machine.
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New Fri 31 Jan 14 20:18 
 More Laptop Woes - Bromptonaut
Thanks Ian,

I'd worked through settings and confirmed AHCI (which seems to be default) was OK.

I've now got the drive in a caddy and will erase/format it from there. If it's not the drive then something on MoBo is fubar. Possible as lad was in habit of using it on his bed where cooling vents may have been obstructed.
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New Fri 31 Jan 14 21:20 
 More Laptop Woes - rtj70
Was Ubuntu running as a live CD or was it installed on the HD? I'd try Ubuntu as either a live CD or better still then installed on the HD to see how it goes. If it works then it might be the install media for rebuilding it.

Could be the old drive never failed but a problem with the connector/motherboard. Hard to know without someone checking it out.

If it installs Ubuntu okay on the HD and it works then get hold of other media disks for windows 7. Don't need a key to initially install it but sort that out later.
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New Fri 31 Jan 14 21:36 
 More Laptop Woes - RattleandSmoke
I would check the SMART status of the drive using this tool crystalmark.info/software/CrystalDiskInfo/index-e.html (download the portable zip to avoid the adware)

It is very useful although even if it gives the green light to the SMART status it doesn't mean the drive is ok. The best way of testing a drive it to download the manufactures own diagnostics software.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Fri 31 Jan 14 at 21:36
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New Fri 31 Jan 14 21:41 
 More Laptop Woes - Bromptonaut
Ubuntu ran OK from DVD but poor/slow when installed on 'new' HDD. Old drive definitely failed; tested in caddy which failed due bad sectors and will not install Ubuntu.

I think either 'new' HDD is a dud or something else is faulty affecting read/write to HDD or banjaxing it more generally.

Not proving easy to read 'new' HDD via caddy.

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New Fri 31 Jan 14 21:46 
 More Laptop Woes - RattleandSmoke
I have had to return a few new drives because they are faulty. I have seen faulty hard drive controllers but I would say from the tests you have done it is more likely this new drive is faulty.

Hopefully a new drive will sort it but would be worth doing the tests I mentioned above to be sure.
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New Fri 31 Jan 14 21:59 
 More Laptop Woes - Zero
the drive is screwed.
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New Fri 31 Jan 14 22:07 
 More Laptop Woes - RattleandSmoke
At least it is only a £35 fix instead of a new laptop :)
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New Fri 31 Jan 14 22:51 
 More Laptop Woes - rtj70
See if the laptop will install to/boot from a USB attached drive in the caddy. Or a decent size memory stick. If USB won't be unusable although slower than a HDD attached via SATA or IDE. Don't use a drive with anything on it.

Another test if you have another recent system is doing the same but using a different computer but the problem drive. But is sounding like the 'new' drive isn't working properly if it has a problem in the caddy.
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New Sat 1 Feb 14 13:47 
 More Laptop Woes - Bromptonaut
>> At least it is only a £35 fix instead of a new laptop :)

New drive ordered from Amazon for delivery on Monday.
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New Tue 4 Feb 14 08:59 
 More Laptop Woes - Bromptonaut
New drive (Seagate this time) arrived yesterday and installed last night. Now posting from my 'new' laptop

Thanks to all for their help.
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New Tue 4 Feb 14 12:22 
 More Laptop Woes - RattleandSmoke
Good luck, try not to drop the laptop down the stairs this time :D.

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