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Dysfunctional Hard Drive Diagnostics – Part 2

We previously wrote an article on issues that you may encounter with a hard drive. You need to take the right steps to diagnose the issue. Some of the diagnostic procedures that you will need to follow are listed below.

Steps for Diagnosing a Failing Hard Drive

1- The first step is to see if the disk is recognized by Windows. If it is recognized, but it still causes errors such as crashes or restarts the PC, is to use CHKDSK the Windows disk repairer.
You need to use an application to check and repair damages in the file system of the disk that orders and saves the information.
We should check the file system of our disk with CHKDSK for any of the following symptoms:

  • Files with strange names that have never been seen before.
  • Pictures and documents give an error when opening them.
  • The computer crashes or locks up suddenly.
  • The computer reboots unexpectedly.
    All of the above indicate that there may be damage to the allocation table (MFT), faulty sectors, cross-linked files, or directory errors.
    To successfully use the Disk Repairer with all possible options, it is necessary to use it via the command line. It is not difficult at all.
    To quickly check and correct errors on a disk do the following:
  • Open the browser or MiPC and identify the letter that corresponds to the drive to be checked.
  • Open the Run tool using the keys: Windows + R.
  • Type the following and press the Enter key:
    CHKDSK D: /f
    Replace D with the letter of the drive that corresponds to the disk.
  • Wait for the result of the review.
    Read a complete tutorial with all the steps to repair a disk on another page: Reviewing, checking, and repairing a hard disk with CHKDSK
    2- If Windows does not recognize the disk, it is necessary to access the configuration tool of the motherboard of the PC, known as the SETUP or BIOS.
    It is the program included in a chip that is in charge of connecting and initializing all the devices physically inserted in the motherboard.

Check in the BIOS or SETUP the configuration of the hard disk

  • To access the SETUP turn off completely and start the PC.
  • The first information displayed on the screen indicates the key required to enter the SETUP. The most used is DEL (DELETE) and F2 in small equipments.
  • Press the necessary key.
  • Check that in the information tab the disc is listed.
    The following image is a capture of the information tab of the SETUP of a PC, with three hard disks connected and recognized correctly.
    By selecting one of the disks and pressing the Enter key you can get the information of the device.
    Hard disks correctly recognized in the SETUP of a PC

If a hard disk is not recognized correctly, try the following measures:
? Restart the BIOS to the default values.
This can be done using the option included in the menu itself, but the most effective way is to remove the small battery that powers the board for a few seconds and reinsert it.
? If the disc is not recognized in the SETUP try to change the power cable and the data cable.
? On IDE disks the data cable (a wide tape) occasionally deteriorates, replace it if possible.
? Connect the disk to another port (SATA) or another connector on the tape (IDE). Sometimes this is just a disk configuration problem.
? Use another power connector (there are several on the power supply).
? Disconnect another device that is not essential and can consume excessive power (fans)

Filed Under: Communications

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