Disc read error

[dick_dastardly]

Heeeeeeeeelp!

When I try to boot up my PC it generates the error message :-

" A disc read error occurred. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart ".

The same thing happens when I restart it.

I'm no IT expert but this sounds like major surgery to me.

Anyone got an idea what the problem could be ?

dd

 

[Racer]

Try doing a web search using that sentence (or modifications of it), you should be able to find a solution like that.

That is how I found out how to use a old ISA card that wasn't compatible with Win2000 and didn't have any drivers available cos it wasn't supported any more... but I found out how to get it to work when it shouldn't have done at all!

 

[Trader333]

Make sure that you have not left any disks in the floppy drive.


Paul

 

[rossored]

I would try resetting the BIOS to the default settings (press delete or F2 as the PC starts to boot to go into "setup".).

Make a note of all the values in the BIOS so that you can change them back if nessercary.

One of the options at the bottom should be to load the default settings. Choose this, save and restart and see if that helps.

 

[Volatile]

If you have an emergency boot disk somewhere, then try booting off it, then at the command prompt type in CHKDSK C: /R
This should initiate a scan of your hard disk for errors. It's not necessarily going to be a major problem.

 

[Volatile]

Sorry I meant CHKDSK C: /F

 

[dick_dastardly]

Racer

Seems that everyone who has had this problem in the past ended up reinstalling windows which I don't really want to do. However this might be a good idea as I forgot to switch off Norton AV when I installed SP2 and it's never been quite right since.


Trader333

Booting up, removing a disc from drive A and then rebooting is a daily ritual for me, so I know it's not that.


Rossored

The current settings in BIOS are the same as the previous ones and I can't see an option for loading the default settings.

Volatile

Tearing the house apart now looking for these discs.

dd

 

[rossored]

What make of hard drive is it?

Most (all) HDD manufacturers will have a speficic error-checking tool for their disks.

However, you can download a "master CD boot disk" that contains most of the drive manufacturers programs on it, and set the PC to boot from CD. Its a big download but I've used it countless times for lots of little niggly problems, so worth a go.

http://ubcd.sourceforge.net/download.html

I'd download the ISO file if you have a CD burner available, although its 120Mb - the .exe is only about 80Mb I think.

 

[Racer]

Volatile

Tearing the house apart now looking for these discs.

dd

Go to www.bootdisk.com if you can't find them

 

[dick_dastardly]

Found em !

Called the manufacturers help line and they told me to run Restore from the Application and Support disc. It started OK but the progression bar has been stuck on 14% for over an hour and a half now ( the IT guy said it would take about 15 mins ).

Can anyone in the house speak German and tell me what Restzeit means ?

I suspect it means restore time. If it does then its more complicated than he thought.

I'm afraid I can't download anything, I'm using an old PC at the moment which is very limited and painfully slow.

I'll give it until after lunch then phone them back.

Thanks guys.

dd

 

[Racer]

Found em !

Called the manufacturers help line and they told me to run Restore from the Application and Support disc. It started OK but the progression bar has been stuck on 14% for over an hour and a half now ( the IT guy said it would take about 15 mins ).

Can anyone in the house speak German and tell me what Restzeit means ?

I suspect it means restore time. If it does then its more complicated than he thought.

I'm afraid I can't download anything, I'm using an old PC at the moment which is very limited and painfully slow.

I'll give it until after lunch then phone them back.

Thanks guys.

dd

Time remaining

 

[dick_dastardly]

Oh dear !

Time remaining = 11hrs 30 mins and rising

 

[dick_dastardly]

Back in business

To cut a long story short,

in the end sent it in to get repaired with a suspected IDE control fault ( whatever that is ) and then they decided that it was just a corrupted hard disc.

PC now reinstalled to factory load.

At least now I know I've got a clean machine and have now reinstall AV software correctly.

Thanks to all who offered advice.

dd