Hard Drive

My computer will automatically reboot itself. I know there are many things that can cause this, but I think it is the hard drive. Is there a way to check
the to see if the hard drive is bad?
I would appreciate any help.

 

To check the HD download the manufacturer's diagnostic utility. Usually Seatgate/Maxtor Seatools or Western Digital. Get the DOS version as an ISO and burn it to CD as an image file using Imgburn or similar burning software. Then run the short test to get a quick diagnosis and then the LONG test to try to fix any errors.

Is the computer randomly rebooting while you are working in Windows? Or do you mean it won't start Windows? The first would more likely be a HD problem.

 

It is randomly rebooting while working in Windows. I will try
your suggestion. Thanks.

 

If you can:

Right click on "My computer" select properties, click advanced tab, click settings under "startup and recovery", UNCHECK "Automatically Restart", click OK, click OK. Continue with what you were doing.

Next time the computer reboots, it should post a BSOD, give us that information.

 

I unchecked the Automatic start and rebooted. I first got a message "non-system disk please insert a bootable disk." Finally I got the following
message:

IROL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

***Stop: 0X0000000A(0XC1B4EABC, 0X00000002, 0X00000000, 0X804E39A7

I have download the Maxtor diagnostic utility, but I can't copy it on a cd as
an image file. I have used imgimage, dvd decrypter, and nero, but none of them
will do the copying.

Thanks in advance for any information.

 

Hi samj15 can you tell me what type of file you have downloaded? Is it an ISO? That is the DOS version you are looking to download it might be listed as for burning to CD.

I download the file SeaToolsDOS213bEURO.ISO

In ImgBurn just open the program choose "Write Image File to Disc" in the window that opens Add File click on the left icon(folder with a magnifying glass) and browse to the file SeaToolsDOS213bEURO.ISO click OK and then click the double icon at the bottom of the window to begin burning. [You are just using a blank CD do not format it before burning--just straight out of the box/spindle]

********
You can try the Windows version of SeaTools but if it finds errors using the Short test then I would still recommend that we get you a DOS version on CD before doing the Long test. It will need access to the whole HD and I don't think it can really get that if Windows is running.

 

I created the utility SeaTool Dos and ran both the short and long test. Both of them showed that the HD passed. Anyone have any suggestion?

I unchecked the Automatic start and rebooted. I first got a message "non-system disk please insert a bootable disk." Finally I got the following
message:

IROL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

***Stop: 0X0000000A(0XC1B4EABC, 0X00000002, 0X00000000, 0X804E39A7

Anyone know what this code means? I sure would like to know.

I thought I had a HD problem, but maybe it's some else. Any help would be appreciated.

 

see the "event viewer" in control panel> administrative tools
just to check what info it gives in there.
the code is very similar to the following
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314063