Very fed Up - a HD problem

[Kizzycrew]

Right, ever since I bought my PC there's been something wrong with it. Basically, it won't download files properly, it corrupts everything. I try to download Direct X9, no, it's corrupted, same with a million other files that extract, install, or perform CRC checks.

Now, even things from CD's are naffed. I recently bought Farenheit for the PC, marvellous game. Got halfway through, but now it doesnt work. i've tried repairing, uninstalling, re-installing but it's no good, it just corrupts it the second it touches the PC.

I even sent it back to the company I bought it from, and they said their diagnostic tools detected NO PROBLEMS and then decided to charge me ?100 for reinstalling windows + delivery. Great.

Even when they sent it back, on the day I got it, I tried installing the Moto GP 3 demo, and downloading it many times. Same old ****e, ?100 lighter.

Will buying a new hard-drive work, or is there greater problems at hand than just a naffed HD?

ANY light that could be shed is useful, i'm this close to throwing the damn thing out of the window. Already would've if it didn't cost me about a grand by now.

Thanks!!

~~Kieran

[yosai]

Check the RAM with a memory scanner and run Chkdsk from a command line.

http://www.hcidesign.com/memtest/MemTest.zip

[marcus]

Thats unusual, except in cases where its infected with a malicious virus, have you ran a uptodate virus checker through the system? If its as bad as you say, Id have no other intention than to reinstall the OS myself, although they have already done this. Once reinstalled, id test the PC one stage at a time to hopefully work out whats causing the problem, if you have no XP disc then let us know as theres other things to try.

generally though -

virus scan it
run adaware
remove all unwanted software/apps
run chkdsk either via cmd prompt, or right click the C drive/properties/error checking
run sfc /scannow from cmd prompt provided you have the original disk
try the painstaking method of reinstall, and add components one by one i the hope that you can isolate the problem, same with apps
if you can, get all the available windows updates

theres more to do, but id do that as a starting point

[Kizzycrew]

Wiping the PC really doesn't help, and I do have an up to date virus and adware scanner and do them fairly regularly.

Occasionally, Windows says my HD is corrupted before logon, and does the fix (and rendering files useless, annoying!) and it'll say it's fine.

Unfortunately, I do not have any original Windows XP disks. Sorry!

But, I'll do the steps I can that both of you suggested, and report back.

[MiG]

It sounds to me like you have bad sectors on your hard disk...

What brand is it? , maxtor are notorious for doing this.. find out the brand of your disk and go to the website and download the diagnostic tools for your particular brand .. you may need to run it using a boot disk.. this should check the disk for bad sectors or any other problems without windows getting in the way. It definately sounds like a hardware problem to me...

If you do find anything I would send it back to those lazy ass people you bought it from get them to put a new hard disk in it and get them to refund your 100 quid..

[bob123]

strange. im having similar problems. Mines a new system and after performing a new installation of xp i couldnt install anything. it kept on saying that the installer had become corrupted with everything i tried to install. Funnily enough my HD is a Maxtor. What specs do u have? Mines

Athlon 64 X2
Abit A8N SLI
Maxtor 200GB diamond max 10

Now the damn thing doesnt boot up. i initially thought it was my xp that was corrupted. Now i think its probably my HD. gonna take it back for fixing.

[ExpertKing]

I've encountered this problem numerous times with Maxtor drives , it can be really annoying.My solution was to experimenting partitioning the drive. I managed a few partitions (2x30 - 1X40 )before the last 20gb wouldn't format at all. So I left it unallocated.No problems now when booting ,thankfully.
Although I wount be buying any Maxtor drives again.

[vertigo]

Right, ever since I bought my PC there's been something wrong with it.

Send it back.
Full stop.
End of.

[vertigo]

And if you bought it from a retailer (in which case you can send it back), they are obliged to send you an original Windows XP disc because you've paid for the OS.
I still think it's pretty disgusting that retailers don't do this and leave consumers to fend for themselves.