HD Activity Light Continuously Flashes at regular intervals

[CreepieDeCrapper]

I searched the Antec, ASUS and Seagate websites/manuals but can't find any information about this. For some reason, even though my PC is completely idle (no programs running and letting it sit overnight), the HD activity light flashes on a regular basis. It actually looks like a timed interval, maybe once every second or less.

I opened up Photoshop to utilize the HD and the light did what I expected. It flashed more 'violently' and stayed lit for a second here and there while Photoshop was opening. After it opened, it went back to flashing regularly again.

Is this an intended operation?

Antec P180b
Seagate 7200.10
ASUS P5W DH Deluxe

Thank you very much!

 

[stevem326]

Hmm, that's a good one. When my computer is completely idle the HD light will flicker every now and then but not on a regular basis like your's is doing. The fact that it's going on and off every second or two in a rhythm makes me think it's doing something...trying to locate a file or write something?

Try running all of your utilities (virus scan, spyware scan, defrag, Windows check disk, and the Seagate diagnostic tools)...and then see if that has any effect. If that doesn't work, contact Seagate perhaps...

 

[CreepieDeCrapper]

Yea I would expect it to flicker every now and then, just not at a constant/regular interval. I'm trying to 'thin out' my services so I don't have too much crap happening at once (you know how a new build and fresh XP install can go), so maybe I'll find it that way. I'm also going through some diag stuff as well. I'll let you know. Thanks for the FB.

 

[CalvinHobbes]

Use some tools like FileMon and DriveMon. I had the same issue and it turned out it was my AV writing to a log file. FileMon should show you all the reads/writes that are occuring.

 

[CreepieDeCrapper]

I'll check those tools out, thanks for the tip. I also just ran a chkdsk on C: and it found some problems. Something about free space marked as allocated or vice-versa. I'm rebooting now to let chkdsk try and fix it. Hopefully I won't have to re-install Windows, or RMA the drive. At least my documents are on a separate partition.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: CreepieDeCrapper
Yea I would expect it to flicker every now and then, just not at a constant/regular interval. I'm trying to 'thin out' my services so I don't have too much crap happening at once (you know how a new build and fresh XP install can go), so maybe I'll find it that way. I'm also going through some diag stuff as well. I'll let you know. Thanks for the FB.

use this program - http://www.nliteos.com/ so the next time you install the os, it can be pre-trimmed down

 

[CreepieDeCrapper]

I keep going in circles. Running a chkdsk on my C partition shows that I have 'problems with the file system.' Windows tells me to re-run with the /f parameter. I've done this 3 times now (it requires a reboot in order to perform the 'fix') and each time I come back into Windows I run a regular chkdsk and I get the same error message!

"Windows found problems with the file system."

I even ran chkdsk with the /r parameter which takes longer is supposed to recover bad sectors. But each time I run chkdsk in Windows, it gives me that error message.

I also ran Seagates 'SeaTools' by booting to a CD with the app on there, and it said it found a problem with my 'File System Structure.' It also said I should use my OS's diagnostic tool (it even mentioned chkdsk) in order to fix the issue as it was probably caused by a system crash or poor shutdown, etc.

Is there another tool that does the same thing as chkdsk, but is better? Do I need to RMA this drive? I just received it last week and it's only been operating since Sunday.

Thanks everyone!

EDIT: Just found the results of my chkdsk that occurs on system restart in Event Viewer. It says...

"Windows has checked the file system and found no problems."

So running chkdsk before loading Windows gives me a 'clean bill of health' but running chkdsk within Windows doesn't. Any ideas?

 

[d3n]

It must be doing something important.

 

[CreepieDeCrapper]

Originally posted by: d3n
It must be doing something important.

What is? The corrupted file is doing something important?

 

[HyunYu]

Is the indexing service enabled? Do you have daily scheduled anti-virus/spyware scans?

 

[CreepieDeCrapper]

Indexing Service is set to 'Manual' and is not started. I don't have any anti-virus/spyware installed at the moment.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: CreepieDeCrapper
I keep going in circles. Running a chkdsk on my C partition shows that I have 'problems with the file system.' Windows tells me to re-run with the /f parameter. I've done this 3 times now (it requires a reboot in order to perform the 'fix') and each time I come back into Windows I run a regular chkdsk and I get the same error message!

"Windows found problems with the file system."

I even ran chkdsk with the /r parameter which takes longer is supposed to recover bad sectors. But each time I run chkdsk in Windows, it gives me that error message.

I also ran Seagates 'SeaTools' by booting to a CD with the app on there, and it said it found a problem with my 'File System Structure.' It also said I should use my OS's diagnostic tool (it even mentioned chkdsk) in order to fix the issue as it was probably caused by a system crash or poor shutdown, etc.

Is there another tool that does the same thing as chkdsk, but is better? Do I need to RMA this drive? I just received it last week and it's only been operating since Sunday.

Thanks everyone!

EDIT: Just found the results of my chkdsk that occurs on system restart in Event Viewer. It says...

"Windows has checked the file system and found no problems."

So running chkdsk before loading Windows gives me a 'clean bill of health' but running chkdsk within Windows doesn't. Any ideas?

i thought all of the chkdsks had to be done on a reboot before windows loads. that is how it is done in diskeeper and even when you type in chkdsk at the prompt, you reboot and then it does it...honestly didn't even know you could run chkdsk in windows

 

[CreepieDeCrapper]

Originally posted by: bob4432
i thought all of the chkdsks had to be done on a reboot before windows loads. that is how it is done in diskeeper and even when you type in chkdsk at the prompt, you reboot and then it does it...honestly didn't even know you could run chkdsk in windows

Yea it lets you do a 'read-only' chkdsk right from the standard command prompt. If you specify a parameter like /f or /r then it flags the drive as 'dirty' so the next time Windows starts up, it halts loading and then runs the full chkdsk to repair errors.

In my case, when I do the full-reboot-chkdsk no errors are found. When I do the read-only chkdsk in Windows, file system errors are found. So they don't check out.

Additionally, SeaTools (which also runs outside of a Windows load) also reports file system errors. It, unfortunately, has no way of fixing them as they appear to be OS-related. I really don't want to have to re-install but I may have to.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: CreepieDeCrapper

Originally posted by: bob4432
i thought all of the chkdsks had to be done on a reboot before windows loads. that is how it is done in diskeeper and even when you type in chkdsk at the prompt, you reboot and then it does it...honestly didn't even know you could run chkdsk in windows

Yea it lets you do a 'read-only' chkdsk right from the standard command prompt. If you specify a parameter like /f or /r then it flags the drive as 'dirty' so the next time Windows starts up, it halts loading and then runs the full chkdsk to repair errors.

In my case, when I do the full-reboot-chkdsk no errors are found. When I do the read-only chkdsk in Windows, file system errors are found. So they don't check out.

Additionally, SeaTools (which also runs outside of a Windows load) also reports file system errors. It, unfortunately, has no way of fixing them as they appear to be OS-related. I really don't want to have to re-install but I may have to.

ahhh, i see i always use a switch. good to know though. good luck on finding your issue, but most every computer i have ever seen the hdd led flashes intermittingly

 

[stevem326]

Originally posted by: CreepieDeCrapper

Originally posted by: bob4432
i thought all of the chkdsks had to be done on a reboot before windows loads. that is how it is done in diskeeper and even when you type in chkdsk at the prompt, you reboot and then it does it...honestly didn't even know you could run chkdsk in windows

Yea it lets you do a 'read-only' chkdsk right from the standard command prompt. If you specify a parameter like /f or /r then it flags the drive as 'dirty' so the next time Windows starts up, it halts loading and then runs the full chkdsk to repair errors.

In my case, when I do the full-reboot-chkdsk no errors are found. When I do the read-only chkdsk in Windows, file system errors are found. So they don't check out.

Additionally, SeaTools (which also runs outside of a Windows load) also reports file system errors. It, unfortunately, has no way of fixing them as they appear to be OS-related. I really don't want to have to re-install but I may have to.

It looks like a re-installation might be your best shot here (even though you said you don't want to do that). It doesn't sound like a physical error on your hard drive. It sounds like the file system within the OS is hosed for some reason...something a reinstall should hopefully fix.

Did anything happen when you were doing this install in the first place? Any power loss or surge? Maybe that messed up the file system somehow. I've done dozens of Window installs and have never gotten a corrupt file system error like that. Something must have happened when you were installing it (I'm not saying you did anything wrong...but somehow something got messed up).

 

[CreepieDeCrapper]

Thanks for your input again, Steve. I'm about to re-install now actually. I figured I'd check this thread once more to see if anyone had an idea that I haven't yet thought of, but you and I are now saying the same thing! I've installed XP dozens of times as well without trouble so I'm just as puzzled by this.

The strange thing is that sometimes I can do a read-only chkdsk (within Windows) without getting any errors reported. Then I run the EXACT same test again, immediately, and the 2nd time get the error messages. I've gone through MS's knowledge-base and their resolution is to 'chkdsk /f' and Windows will then magically be repaired on the reboot. Well as you know I've tried this more than once w/o luck.

The last step I tried (which also made me very worried) is booting to my XP CD, and running a Windows repair. This takes you out to a command prompt where you can run a chkdsk and other diagnostics from a RAM drive. Well at the C prompt I tried to run chkdsk and it wouldn't even run. It said something about 'the volume is damaged and needs to be repaired', etc. When I booted back into Windows I was able to run the read-only chkdsk again, however. I just couldn't run chkdsk from the Windows 'recovery console' (that's the repair mode I'm talking about, which I'm sure you're already aware of).

See you back after a loooooooong format operation.

 

[CreepieDeCrapper]

Originally posted by: bob4432
ahhh, i see i always use a switch. good to know though. good luck on finding your issue, but most every computer i have ever seen the hdd led flashes intermittingly

Right, I understand what you're saying. It's just that in my case, it flashes as if it's on a timer, pretty much once per second... no matter what. Even when the PC is completely idle it flashes on this regular interval. I have to say, that's not intermittent!

 

[stevem326]

Originally posted by: CreepieDeCrapper
Thanks for your input again, Steve. I'm about to re-install now actually. I figured I'd check this thread once more to see if anyone had an idea that I haven't yet thought of, but you and I are now saying the same thing! I've installed XP dozens of times as well without trouble so I'm just as puzzled by this.

The strange thing is that sometimes I can do a read-only chkdsk (within Windows) without getting any errors reported. Then I run the EXACT same test again, immediately, and the 2nd time get the error messages. I've gone through MS's knowledge-base and their resolution is to 'chkdsk /f' and Windows will then magically be repaired on the reboot. Well as you know I've tried this more than once w/o luck.

The last step I tried (which also made me very worried) is booting to my XP CD, and running a Windows repair. This takes you out to a command prompt where you can run a chkdsk and other diagnostics from a RAM drive. Well at the C prompt I tried to run chkdsk and it wouldn't even run. It said something about 'the volume is damaged and needs to be repaired', etc. When I booted back into Windows I was able to run the read-only chkdsk again, however. I just couldn't run chkdsk from the Windows 'recovery console' (that's the repair mode I'm talking about, which I'm sure you're already aware of).

See you back after a loooooooong format operation.

Wow, that is REALLY odd. I mean, REALLY odd. I hope the reinstall solves the problem. It could be a physical problem after all, though. I dunno. "The volume is damaged and needs to be repaired" sounds like more than just the file system. Argh!

Well, I hope the format and reinstall solve the problem. Don't forget to post back here to let everyone know. Good luck!

 

[CreepieDeCrapper]

You got it! I also forgot that I have my laptop sitting right next to me So I'll still be online throughout the install process. If it turns out to be a hardware problem, I'm still within 30 days of my Newegg purchase. I can just RMA the drive and run up to a shop and buy a new one locally. I'll be back.

 

[CreepieDeCrapper]

I don't know what to think now. I just installed XP again (pre SP1 release) and immediately ran a read-only chkdsk as soon as Windows booted for the first time. I ran it before I changed the resolution or did anything else. Right away it indicated I had a file-system error, and something was wrong with the Master Boot Record. It told me to run chkdsk /f to repair. So I did that, and rebooted. It ran the chkdsk prior to loading Windows. After Windows loaded I reviewed the Event Viewer log from the pre-load chkdsk and it said there were some director indexes it had to clean-up. I ran the read-only chkdsk twice in a row and did not get any errors reported. I'm currently running SeaTools to see if that checks out as well.

I'm still concerned though because after the pre-Windows chkdsk, I let the PC sit idle with just the Desktop showing and the HD light was doing the same thing again - flashing at an almost constant interval. Although I will admit it was dimmer this time around.

 

[bob4432]

can you pick up another hdd to see if it still happens? cable good? ram good?

 

[CreepieDeCrapper]

Not without purchasing one

ASAIK both the RAM and cable are good. Although I could try my other SATA cable to test. BTW, what's the popular memory tester everyone uses around here that they usually let run overnight? I've been wanting to run that.

EDIT: Upgrading to SP2 now, I really should have slipstreamed this thing.

 

[CreepieDeCrapper]

Ok SP2 is installed along with a some 'high-priority updates' that Microsoft recommended. I still haven't loaded in any drivers yet, other than for my onboard NIC. But my onboard audio, my ATI video card, and other misc. drivers are not even installed yet. Anyway, running read-only chkdsk gives me problems with the file system still. I've gone through and ran chkdsk /f a couple times in a row. Even though it's fixing things (I can check Event Viewer to verify this), I keep getting the file-system error message when running read-only chkdsk.

I'm going to run the longer verification test that comes with SeaTools.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Did you run memtest to really test the RAM?

If you're overclocking have you tried going back to stock speed?

If this is a SATA-2 drive on a SATA-1 motherboard did you try using the jumper on the HD to force SATA-1 mode instead of relying on auto-negotiation?

 

[CreepieDeCrapper]

No I have not run memtest yet, but I know I need to. However, I'm not OC'ing at all. I let my mobo (P5W DH Deluxe) auto-detect and set everything for me while I got everything installed and configured. My HD is the Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320gb, which is SATA 3.0gb/s, I believe that's SATA-2 if I remember correctly. I also imagine that my board is SATA-2 as well, but I may be wrong.