Hard Drive issues in a Dell Inspiron zino HD 400

[ZPR]

It's a 640 GB Western Digital Blue hard drive running Windows 7. Upon boot the PC blue screens and I get the PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA. First thing I test is memory, passes multiple MemTest86+ passess. Even swapped with known good RAM. Next I boot off of a Parted Magic live cd to look at the SMART data, no reallocated sectors or unrecoverable sectors, although the UDMA CRC Error Count is over 800. Decided to run an extended scan and that passed just fine.

Now here's where it gets strange, I can browse the files just fine in the Parted Magic Live CD but when I try to boot Windows PE I get the same blue screen. Even plugging the drive into my own PC with Windows 7 causes a blue screen almost instantly.

GParted will not check the drive without running ChkDsk and rebooting twice which I am unable to do. The main thing they care about is their pictures so at this point I am thinking a new Hard Drive is needed and to just copy that one folder using the Parted Magic Live CD.

But does anyone have any last ditch tips I could use to repair NTFS or is copying the needed files via Parted Magic the best solution at this point.

 

[RegEdit]

First step of every repair I do is to test the hard drive. Western Digital Drive Fitness Test boot CD. Short test... if it fails then you know to replace the drive. If it passes then do the long test.

 

[brandonkick]

If there is important data, the first thing to do is image that drive. Then try to recover from that image. It is a very good habit to get into.

Sounds like it could be either a botched install OR a bad drive, and you fiddling with it by running tests could finish it off and lose those pictures save a very very expensive data recovery service.

Image the drive, and then recover from the image. Then you can try to wipe and reload the hard drive if you'd like.

 

[lcoughey]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the last thing you should do is run a test on the drive. Just imagine reading every sector during the test and then the drive fails at 98%...how much data do you have? None. The first step should be to get a full sector by sector clone of the drive with a program like ddrescue.

If you cannot get a full clone of the drive, there is no more DIY steps that you can do that will get your data off the drive...sorry.

It should be noted that it is not uncommon for the heads to fall apart on the Blue Western Digital drives...so, if you are hearing any odd noises, you may want to consider professional help before it is too late.

 

[ZPR]

Alright I'll try to clone it from inside Parted Magic and see how that goes.

Is there a way of checking for a botched install in Linux once I get this drive imaged and the important data copied off.

Normally before I do any repairs I'ld boot up Windows PE and image the entire drive or use unstopable copy if errors, but Windows PE wouldn't even load without blue screening if that drive was plugged in. Which is what stage I was at when I tried Windows PE.

So far I haven't noticed any strange noises I had the case open the entire time about two feet from me and nothing out of the ordinary.

 

[HFultzjr]

1st thing I do on ANY drive that comes in the door is make an image or clone.

I've seen so many failing drives that I assume that every one of them has issues. I probably see as many or more with issues, than without.

It has saved my butt more times than I can remember.

Bring it in, start the clone/image, do the paper work, or let it run overnight. I rarely start work on a system the instant it's brought in.

Then start figuring out the problem(s). If you get in a pinch, at least you have their data.

At least that's what I try to do.......LOL

ddrescue is the way to go
if you don't send it to a pro!

 

[ZPR]

Was able to do a full clone using the Parted Magic Live CD. Zeroed out the drive and I've reinstalled Windows 7 and copied back their files and so far so good. I checked the SMART data after doing all that and still no Relocated or Unrecoverable sectors, will keep the backup for a while just incase.

@HFultzjr typically unless I am already working on a PC or I'm fixing to leave I tend to start working soon after a PC is dropped off, but I do leave it at night running a memtest. So maybe it's about time I invest in a NAS and start doing that for each PC and just pull the drive during memtest.

@brandonkick Thanks for the suggestion that the Windows partition itself was corrupted, I wouldn't have even given that a though.

 

[HFultzjr]

Was able to do a full clone using the Parted Magic Live CD. Zeroed out the drive and I've reinstalled Windows 7 and copied back their files and so far so good. I checked the SMART data after doing all that and still no Relocated or Unrecoverable sectors, will keep the backup for a while just incase.

@HFultzjr typically unless I am already working on a PC or I'm fixing to leave I tend to start working soon after a PC is dropped off, but I do leave it at night running a memtest. So maybe it's about time I invest in a NAS and start doing that for each PC and just pull the drive during memtest.

@brandonkick Thanks for the suggestion that the Windows partition itself was corrupted, I wouldn't have even given that a though.

I know that doing an image 1st has saved my butt a few times.....i learned the hard way.....just trying to help you avoid what I did. Sounds like you're getting a good plan/procedure in place.

 

[RegEdit]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the last thing you should do is run a test on the drive.

Goes without saying. [Once you get to the diagnostic stage] the first thing you test is the HD.