Recently, I have been receiving an error:
Microsoft Windows
Windows detected a hard disk problem
Back up your files immediately to prevent information loss, and then contact the computer manufacturer to determine if you need to repair or replace the disk.
Start the backup process
Ask me again later
If the disk fails before the next warning, you could lose all of the programs and documents on the disk.
Although I can start my computer in a normal way, the error box keeps on re-appearing. I am running Windows 7 on my Acer Aspire laptop. My hard disk is a 250GB Hitachi HTS543225L9A300 ATA Device. My computer keeps on crashing and every time I work on something, it will take a while before it loads.
When I format my whole system to perform a clean install, there is a message below that I cannot install on any partitions because it will just crash. Even if I can still install my OS with the system partition, after successfully installing the Windows 7 and all its drivers, the error will pop up again and my system will crash and will not work properly.
What will I do?
Windows detected a hard disk problem
As I understand, you have followed almost all the possible trouble shooting steps like updating drivers, defragment a hard drive, virus scans etc., but still facing the same issue.
May I know if you are facing frequent power outage or bad weather? If your answer is yes, then the chances are that your system may have errors on Hard Disk Drive. Frequent power outage or bad weather may also cause system slow performance issue. I would recommend a few steps to check if the issue is getting resolved.
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First and foremost, I would recommend you run diagnostic tests on System hard Drive. You can run diagnostic test getting into “One Time Boot Menu” by start taping F12 key immediately after pressing the power button >> select the last option for Diagnostic. Check for error code if any. Error Code – 0142 and 0146 are related to Hard drive.
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Replace Hard drive if Error Code is 0142. Try to Debug Hard Drive and reinstall the OS, if error Code is 0146. You may use the Drivers disk to debug from the command prompt or can perform Disk Part form Windows OS Disk.
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If no error found then you can perform disk checks. Here are the steps to perform check disk >> Click on Start >> Select Run >> Type CMD in empty box >> A black command prompt window gets opened up >> type chkdsk. This will perform Check Disk of Hard Drive. Alternatively you may also >> click on start >> select My Computer >> locate C: and right click >> select properties >> select Tools from popup window >> select check now from the error checking option. You will get a small pop up window Check Disk Local Disk C: >> check mark all the option >> select start. This will check for any errors on Hard drive.
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You can also try deleting temporary files and prefetch files. To do this >> Click on Start >> Run >> Type temp on the empty space >> Temp folder will open up >> Select all >> Press Shift + Delete >> close the folder. Now Click again on Start >> Run >> Type “%temp% in the empty space >> Temp folder will open up >> Select all >> Press Shift + Delete >> close the folder. Now to delete prefetch files >> Click on Start >> Run >> Type prefetch in the empty space >> prefetch folder will open up >> Select all >> Press Shift + Delete >> close the folder.
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Perform disk clean up >> click on start >> My Computer >> Right Click C: >> Properties >> select Disk Cleanup. When you click on Disk Clean up then this will start calculating space which can get freed up by removing these files from your computer.
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You may also try disabling startup and services by performing msconfig. Click on Start >> Run >> Type MSCONFIG in the empty box >> press enter >> you will see System Configuration Utility window >> Click on Services tab on top >> put a check In Hide all Microsoft Services >> Disable All >> Click on Startup from Top >> Select the items you do not want to run on window startup >> Disable All >> Apply >> OK. This will reboot your system and will speed up the Windows booting.
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You may also activate automatic windows update by clicking on Start >> Control Panel >> Click on Automatic Updates >> Select the option Automatic Recommended >> OK.
Windows detected a hard disk problem
It seems like your hard drive is already damaged. Before doing anything, please ensure that you have backup your drive. Then download and run any utilities for hard disk. So that you can scan for possible errors on your hard disk or measure the drive’s performance and securely fix the errors on your HDD. You can try HD Tune here http://www.hdtune.com/.
In the mean time, you can also run check disk to fix logical file system errors. To do this:
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Click Start then Run
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Type chkdsk c: (or choose the drive that you want to perform the scan)
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Press Enter
Or
Click Start then double-click Computer
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Then right-click the drive you want to scan for errors preferably C: or the Local Disk where your system is installed. Go to Properties.
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Under the Drive C: Properties, click the Tools tab
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On Error-checking, click the button check now
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The check disk option box will open, with options:
Automatically fix file system errors (this will repair the problems found)
And
Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors (this will take long and performed a deeper scan)
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When you are done configuring, hit the Start button below.
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If your disk is currently in use, a box will open asking you to schedule the scan the next time your computer restarts. Choose the schedule disk check if you want to run chkdsk on startup or cancel if not.
If this won’t fix the error, get back to me after the HD Tune scans your hard disk and send me the result so we can know what to do next. Otherwise, if you have another hard disk with the same as you are using, try inserting it and see if you will still encounter the same problem. But ensure that you have knowledge on fixing hardware’s most especially hard disk.
Windows detected a hard disk problem
The hard disk has been damaged and needs a replacement. I already bought a new one and the error is all gone now. Thank you for considering my problem and for helping.
