Hard Drive Problems

[Bubbaleone]

Okay. I'm going to attempt to repair with the original disc first. If that fails to resolve the issue, I will attempt the non-destructive reinstall.

Just a heads-up on running the WinRE Repair tool; If the repair fails run it again. Often, the repair tool will automatically reboot the computer to complete a repair but, if it doesn't and the repair has failed, run the repair tool a second or even third time. That tool isn't anything like perfect but it will often times get the job done, if you give it two or three tries.
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[Drerunsit]

The repair tool indicated there were no problems detected. I'm nearly done with the non-destructive reinstall.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

it gives your HD more time to spin up

This is a problem with some "green" drives, it just takes too long to spin up so the BIOS misses it on cold boots. Rebooting doesn't shut down the drive so it works fine then. One solution is go into BIOS and set it to do a memory check on boot. This gives the drive time to spin up and will work fine after the memory check.

 

[Drerunsit]

This is a problem with some "green" drives, it just takes too long to spin up so the BIOS misses it on cold boots. Rebooting doesn't shut down the drive so it works fine then. One solution is go into BIOS and set it to do a memory check on boot. This gives the drive time to spin up and will work fine after the memory check.

I'm not sure where to find this option in the BIOS. I've looked around but can't see anything related to memory test. Also, I have Built-in EFI Shell as an option for Boot priorities. Not sure what that is.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

I'm not sure where to find this option in the BIOS. I've looked around but can't see anything related to memory test. Also, I have Built-in EFI Shell as an option for Boot priorities. Not sure what that is.

I'm not seeing the option in the user manual, so try the Setup Prompt Timeout under Boot options. Set it to 3 or 4, see what happens.

 

[John Connor]

I'm curious to know whether that drive is bad. Download crystaldiskinfo and run it. http://crystalmark.info/redirect.php?product=CrystalDiskInfoSetupEn

In addition I would run HDTune and do a surface scan. There are better tools but they cost.

 

[bononos]

This is a problem with some "green" drives, it just takes too long to spin up so the BIOS misses it on cold boots. Rebooting doesn't shut down the drive so it works fine then. One solution is go into BIOS and set it to do a memory check on boot. This gives the drive time to spin up and will work fine after the memory check.

Never heard of this issue about green drives being too slow for cold boots. Its some models of harddrives and not green drives in particular.

The correct bios option to delay disk initialization is the 'delay for hdd' option on gigabytes for example.

 

[Drerunsit]

I'm curious to know whether that drive is bad. Download crystaldiskinfo and run it. http://crystalmark.info/redirect.php?product=CrystalDiskInfoSetupEn

In addition I would run HDTune and do a surface scan. There are better tools but they cost.

Well, drive health shows Good. Also, I confirmed this morning that the problem is still there. After shutting down last night, I went to turn it on today and there was no HDD light activity. I had to hold the power button until it turned off and then when I powered it back on, it worked. Back to square one.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

Also, I confirmed this morning that the problem is still there. After shutting down last night, I went to turn it on today and there was no HDD light activity. I had to hold the power button until it turned off and then when I powered it back on, it worked. Back to square one.

Did you set the Setup Prompt Timeout?

Try setting the optical drive as first boot device, then put a non-bootable disk in it, and see if it boots from hard disk from cold boot.

 

[Drerunsit]

Did you set the Setup Prompt Timeout?

Try setting the optical drive as first boot device, then put a non-bootable disk in it, and see if it boots from hard disk from cold boot.

Going to try this once I get home from work.

 

[Cr0nJ0b]

Based on a quick scan of this thread, I would suggest looking into hardware issues. Don't concern yourself with any of the OS solutions. If you are having the issue on boot, then the OS hasn't started, so your issue is likely the Motherboard or configuration. I have had this type of issue a number of times with ASUS boards. I generally fix it by changing the port that the first HDD boots on, or by removing certain components from the system.

to troubleshoot take everything out of the system, cards USB etc. try booting with just the CPU, HDD and 1 stick of memory. Set HDD as the only boot device. Swap ports until it boots correctly. If it never boots correctly you likely have a motherboard issue. You can try to check the memory with a memory scanning tool, but My guess would be a motherboard malfunction. Also try checking the some of the bios settings related to the HDD like AHCI, RAID, SATA whatever. Play around with it until the HDD boots.

If you get it to boot correctly, then start adding things back and figure out where it stops working. Likely you won't see the issue again.

 

[LoveMachine]

That case only has a 250W power supply in it. If it was my my machine, I would set the boot order to Externals (like USB) to boot from a flash drive, The CD, The Hard drive. Hard drive is always last in case I need to boot diagnostic routines and such. I'd set it this way, if nothing else it gives your HD more time to spin up, then replace the power supply with at least 350W, my preference is 500.

Since the APU is a relatively low power chip, and there are only a few peripheral devices, I doubt it's a lack of power, though a *faulty* PS is a possibility. Even if the 250W claim is dubious (which many OEM PS's are), even at full draw I can't imagine the system is drawing more than 100W. If you have a spare power supply, that might help rule it out as a source of the problem.

 

[Nec_V20]

- AMD A4-3400 2.7Ghz
- ASRock A75M-ITX
- Corsair 4GB (2x 2GB) DDR3 1333 Memory
- Western Digital Caviar Green 500GB
- APEX MI-008 Mini-ITX
- Sony BWU-500S Blu-Ray Burner
- Windows 7 Ultimate

OK now for my tuppenceworth, there is one part of the above hardware configuration which raises a red flag with me, because I had a similar problem.

The hardware component I am referring to is the "Corsair 4GB (2x 2GB) DDR3 1333 Memory". I had Corsair XMS 2GB memory modules installed in my system and I had a very similar problem of the system just not wanting to cold boot whenever it had been turned on after being shut down for a period of time.

It took a couple of reboot tries and then the system came up normally and remained stable.

If I just did a warm reboot there was no problem.

This didn't happen very often because I normally have the system running 24/7. The fact of the matter is that the RAM would only run stably at 1066. When I upgraded the system to 4GB RAM modules (also from Corsair) my problems disappeared.

I tried running the RAM with the XMS profile in the BIOS and that just resulted in my system totally playing silly buggers.

If you can get your hands on some other RAM and try that then it might just cure your problems. As far as my own system was concerned with the 2GB modules I put it down to a quirk of the system and just grinned and bore it because I do not cold reboot all that frequently. In fact I was so used to it that when I put in the 4GB modules and the system came up normally I was genuinely surprised .

I would also advise you to set hibernation to never and to delete the hiberfil.sys. To do this you have to run the "Command Prompt" as administrator and type in "powercfg –h off".

 

[Drerunsit]

Well, I removed everything from the computer except one stick of RAM and the HDD. After adding everything back EXCEPT the other stick of RAM, I'm having no boot problems. As a matter of fact, it's booting exceptionally fast. I'll continue to monitor just to make sure it's not a temporary fix.

 

[John Connor]

Looks like RAM.

 

[Virgorising]

Well, I removed everything from the computer except one stick of RAM and the HDD. After adding everything back EXCEPT the other stick of RAM, I'm having no boot problems. As a matter of fact, it's booting exceptionally fast. I'll continue to monitor just to make sure it's not a temporary fix.

I am SOOOOO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!:biggrin::thumbsup:

BRAVO!!!!!!!! And BRAVO NEC!!!!!!!:thumbsup:

 

[Drerunsit]

Let's not get too excited just yet. I'm going to keep testing it out for a couple of days. I did successfully wake from sleep, though.... that's another good sign.

 

[Virgorising]

Let's not get too excited just yet. I'm going to keep testing it out for a couple of days. I did successfully wake from sleep, though.... that's another good sign.

I totally get yr self protective caution/cynicism in light of all you have been thru in this. I DO.

[FONT=&quot]Also true, I identify with The Other, esp. when the Other is clearly a fine human, and, the second I get something is finally put right, or any other little triumph, I right off leap into the air. I was born like this. Ask my mom. lol

The only truly terrifying event I have endured in anything computer-related involved the system I just moved up from. Pretty sure I posted this somewhere here, not sure where. Suddenly, not only would this perfect in every way system not POST, all manner of things were happening, not only error lights I did not understand, but scariest of all, there was an anguished, muffled scream emanating from the board!!.....totally Silence of the Lambs.

Then, I had no idea ram sticks could fail! Not a clue. I sat on the floor, practically inside the box, while people came by and tried to drag me out to dinner.....for SEVEN HOURS.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I tried everything I could think of (including switching out the PSU)....until, “OMG, Maybe RAM????” FINALLY struck me. At which point, I did the test each stick alone in every slot thingy.....and, as it turned out, the two sticks I had bought used on eBay a year before, had both died. The two which came with the system were still fine.

But, I am still leaping on your behalf. I get this still feels like a bad slasher movie, and you are gripping your chair/holding yr breath, anticipating scary stuff returning any second......but if my leaping is not justified in this, I will be most surprised....forget, VERY SAD.

There are sooooo many, precious, savvy, experienced, generous humans in this community......sometimes, unofficially joining forces to get to the bottom of things (also educate).....it's awesome:thumbsup: (and I never say awesome).

My hope is.....very soon, YOU TOO[/FONT][FONT=&quot] WILL BE LEAPING.[/FONT]

 

[Drerunsit]

Wow... talk about thorough lol. My only problem now is deciding whether or not to get new RAM or just stick with 2GB. It's only used as a media center PC w/XBMC.

 

[Virgorising]

Wow... talk about thorough lol. My only problem now is deciding whether or not to get new RAM or just stick with 2GB. It's only used as a media center PC w/XBMC.

I think you should divest yourself of understandable fear (no, just do not let the fear stop you)....and get the new RAM! Only reason not to, would be if a slot is not healthy. Common....you are running 64-bit!

I truly think the slasher movie is ovah. But YOU need to see that for yourself.

Gotta say, I just read two new threads in this forum.....and they both made my tummy hurt. My God, what humans go thru re their systems! Veritable NITEMARES!!!!! Again, I do so love my big Optiplexes!!!!!

I also get and am thrilled by, so many helpers here are not only WORLDCLASS, with off the hook chops on levels I never knew existed....but also, kind and compassionate humans. Talk about awesome amalgams.

 

[Drerunsit]

Well, I may have celebrated too soon. I left the computer on last night and when I checked on it in the morning, the light on the power button was flashing (which happens when it goes to sleep). I was unable to wake it through the keyboard and even holding the power button down did nothing. I had to disconnect the power cable for a few seconds until the light went off.

This has happened before, but the only difference this time was that when I turned the computer back on, it usually wouldn't boot the first time. It actually did boot on the first try this go-around... I'm hoping this is indicative that the stick of RAM I've removed was indeed the source of that particular problem. So now, how do I fix this sleep/hibernate issue?

 

[Virgorising]

Well, I may have celebrated too soon. I left the computer on last night and when I checked on it in the morning, the light on the power button was flashing (which happens when it goes to sleep). I was unable to wake it through the keyboard and even holding the power button down did nothing. I had to disconnect the power cable for a few seconds until the light went off.

This has happened before, but the only difference this time was that when I turned the computer back on, it usually wouldn't boot the first time. It actually did boot on the first try this go-around... I'm hoping this is indicative that the stick of RAM I've removed was indeed the source of that particular problem. So now, how do I fix this sleep/hibernate issue?

K....now, first, I do not get why you leave yr puter on all the time. Despite what everyone says, it really isn't fabulous. nForget,. what is the point? My main system is plugged into a good surge strip along with all its peripherals....and, when I shut it down, I pull the strip's plug from the wall.

Next, unless we are back to is yr PSU being overloaded? I do think you are trying to run this system with very inadequate ram.

 

[Drerunsit]

Well, I just experienced a failure to boot again. Perhaps the RAM wasn't the issue. Based on all the comments, I'm looking at the PSU now

 

[Virgorising]

Well, I just experienced a failure to boot again. Perhaps the RAM wasn't the issue. Based on all the comments, I'm looking at the PSU now

:'(
Wow. I regret getting too happy too soon. It seems the slasher movie is not, in fact...over.

While PSU was my very first thought which is why I asked about it first, it got pushed aside in my brain.

Maybe it's a combo of things?

I will follow this as always,until it gets put right, but will leave nailing the issue and the fix to those with greater expertise and experience than my own.

But, I think, if there is anyplace on earth where there are highly qualified helper humans capable of getting to the bottom of this....it is right here.

 

[Drerunsit]

Okay, so an update here. I recently built a NAS, thus removing the need for external HDDs. I'm hoping that will help troubleshoot this issue, even though I already had all other devices disabled on the boot menu. Just a quick summary (details in the thread history) of where I am with this problem:

- Updated BIOS
- Used the MS FixIt Tool to "repair" sleep/hibernate issues
- Removed one stick of RAM (2GB)
- Completely disabled sleep/hibernate
- Disabled all devices from boot list except primary HDD

After all of this, I still have the problem. Without fail, every time I boot up the computer, I can't get past the BIOS and the hard drive light doesn't come on. As soon as I do a manual power down (hold power button for 5 secs), the next power-up yields a successful OS boot.