Laptop new 500GB hdd randomly disappears (its Disastrous)

Saahib

Cyborg Agent
Hi,

I have 2 years old laptop, acer 4530, yesterday its 160GB stock hard disk finally died (was giving sign from long), I replaced with 500GB WD500BPVT and issues started..

Now original hdd is useless, but somehow I was able to make its image so I have all my data and its not issue... but here are plenty of other issues...

Here is the brief: and I desperately need a ray of light

1. I cloned image to new 500GB wd drive, it booted first time fine, I used it for 1 hour so and was faster and better then using "disk utility" of windows 7 , I thought to use remaining space and deleted a logical partition and extended nearby partition.

2. I then restarted and it gave me BSOD showing 0x0000024 error (meaning that I have issue with filesystem).

3. I tried fixing things using windows automated recovery but now it won't even let windows start, then I hooked it into my desktop using USB interface. Checked it using disk utilties, but getting back to laptop, doesn't work .

4. Now issue is that it won't boot , I even deleted everything on new hdd and again copied image but its not working as it worked for first time.

-------
Then I get to know about new stuff that my HDD is using Advanced Format - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and may this is the reason that my hdd boots but fails later.. and give BSOD (blue screen of death).

So, it says if I have made clone then I need to align it , Read more about it : WD Support / Downloads because I am cloning non-AFD device to a AFD device (Advance Format Disk) .

If thats true then its an issue , I did all alignment using software but one partition says Can't continue on partition with bad blocks.. ..

I checked that partition using windows chkdsk and thirdparty tool, it says all normal..

Anyways, I left that one and still my laptop won't boot.. :(

Another thought (Question):
Is it that I cloned dying disk, does it mean that it has also cloned improper sectors which looks bad to but are not really bad as its new disk ?

And the real issue..
I noticed that if I boot laptop after a while, it starts and new hDD works but if I restart it then new HDD is not detected even in BIOS. And if I wait for 10 min or so, again its detected and boots..

One more question
Is it possible my laptop doesn't support 500GB disk ?
It means I have to by new HDD (320GB) ?

This is driving me crazy and you can see from my long post I am struggling with from last 2 days and this process is slow of copying / syncing .. !!!

And looks like I have no clear answer for any of my doubt and hence view from fellow tdf members.
 

dashing.sujay

Moving
Staff member
*i.imgur.com/u0JWV.png


From first look at image above it feels like your laptop's max HDD capacity is 320GB. But that can also be max specification provided by Acer.

so, considering that, I'll seriously suggest you to update your BIOS from here before doing anything.

And be sure to "clean" your disk via diskpart before proceeding with new installation of OS.

If everything fails, you know the answer.
 
OP
Saahib

Saahib

Cyborg Agent
Bios thing looks promising, how do I update bios when I can't even boot. Its not a linux program else would have used Livecd ... in days of win98, you can boot to DOS.. I think I should put hd in laptop when bios is updated.. Win7 won't let you cmd if there is no os to repair.

Btw, regarding partition with bad block, it says on chkdsk that its good however "If you were copying files and not fully copied then you should copy them again." So, most probably its not bad block but its bad files since I have cloned it from bad partition.
 

dashing.sujay

Moving
Staff member
Bios thing looks promising, how do I update bios when I can't even boot. Its not a linux program else would have used Livecd ... in days of win98, you can boot to DOS.. I think I should put hd in laptop when bios is updated.. .

1) Through Mini XP mode of Hiren Boot CD.
2) Different recovery CDs which let you boot into DOS.

Win7 won't let you cmd if there is no os to repair

It does. Chose recovery mode/advanced tools (something like that, I don't exactly remember), and there comes a option to enter DOS mode. If you fail to find the option, ask me, I will boot and tell you.

Btw, regarding partition with bad block, it says on chkdsk that its good however "If you were copying files and not fully copied then you should copy them again." So, most probably its not bad block but its bad files since I have cloned it from bad partition.

Correct.
 
OP
Saahib

Saahib

Cyborg Agent
OK I was exploring windows 7 " Repair" and I got the command prompt, however bios flash utility has two version, one for GUI and one for DOS..
I copied dos version and trying to execute ,it says file not find. .. but if I copy, rename then it works on that file.. I think there should be something like chown / chmod similar to linux here.. or I can't run external program on windows repair console ?
 

dashing.sujay

Moving
Staff member
I already saw the two versions yesterday. What do you mean it worked by renaming? How is it possible? And what happens after the file is executed? BIOS is updated?
Nevertheless try mini xp mode of hiren boot cd as I suggested earlier.
I can't comment on 'chmod' command as I don't know anything about linux. The latter issue may be a problem (running external program from repair console). I had a feeling about it.
 
OP
Saahib

Saahib

Cyborg Agent
Well.. went to dealer today when I tried everything from my arsenal (apart of trying to boot using other stuff. .like mini xp as suggested) ...

He sent me to his service guy, he tried various hdds, problem was coming with all.. he said something is fishy with laptop ... not with hdds
( he tried.. used 160gb samsung, new 320 GB wd, new seagate 320 GB) .

He also said that AFD drives are not issue as he has replaced same in similar laptops..

PS: flash utility is not running from windows repair console..

I also tried icacls of MS(similar to chmod stuff of linux) .. but no gain..
 
OP
Saahib

Saahib

Cyborg Agent
Ya, its there.. its in Win7 ul , pro and enterprise edition I guess...
For time being I am withdrawing from this problem..
See *www.thinkdigit.com/forum/laptops-netbooks/157344-good-deal-samsung-i3-laptop-dealer.html

I have now plan to repair this lappy and sell off .

And I forgot to tell you, I have returned HDD !
 
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