Format C: or ...

[Shakermaker]

Ok, here's the deal. I have had an immense amount of trouble with Vista since installing Service Pack 2 last month. I won't bother you with the details, but my predicament is this: I most likely have a corrupted install of Windows. I can't fix that by re-installing Vista or installing Windows 7, because at the start of the installation process I get an error when copying files from my current install of Vista. Is it somehow possible to repair those corrupted files? Or should I just format my hard drive? And if so, how do I go about doing this? Any help would be very much appreciated.

 

[AtomicSpark]

Vista should have a "repair" option in the DVD options. I'm not sure how you find it. I think it prompts if it detects a prior Windows Vista OS installed.

You could boot with a Ubuntu Live CD, backup any important files, and do a clean install of either Windows Vista or 7.

Now you sound like you have issues copying files. Which files are these?

 

[Shakermaker]

Current situation:

I got the installation process for W7 running. As it turned out I had to boot from dvd, and hadn't been patient enough to wait for the whole process to start. That took about 7 or 8 minutes.
Anyway, I got as far as step 2 of the installation, expanding the Windows files. During that I got multiple errors for corrupted files in the C:Windows/winsxs directory. The install was cancelled and a popup advised me to run chkdsk. Which I did and that told me errors were found and it couldn't continue in read-only mode. I am now rebooting from HD again and chkdsk was automatically started. It is running as we speak.

EDIT It found an orphaned file amongst other things. That sounds sad

EDIT 2 I am assuming chkdsk fixed the corrupted file(s), so I started the installation process again.

 

[Shakermaker]

Vista should have a "repair" option in the DVD options. I'm not sure how you find it. I think it prompts if it detects a prior Windows Vista OS installed.

You could boot with a Ubuntu Live CD, backup any important files, and do a clean install of either Windows Vista or 7.

Now you sound like you have issues copying files. Which files are these?

Sorry, so focused on what I am doing at the moment, that I didn't properly reply to you.

Step 1 of the installation process is "copying files" and that is where I got errors yesterday and earlier today. That happened when I started the installation process after startup of the computer. I didn't get that error anymore when I booted from the DVD.

 

[AtomicSpark]

That doesn't sound very good. Maybe it's the DVD and not the hard drive? Windows doesn't come with a CD/DVD self-checker. All you can really do is check the MD5 of the download, unless your burning software has some advanced feature.

 

[Shakermaker]

It was probably fixed with chkdsk, because I didn't get any errors the second time around. It is now completing the installation.
/keeps fingers crossed

 

[Shakermaker]

Oh. My. God. What a ride. Blue screen of death right at the end of the installation process. Popup tells me to start over. Which I am doing right now. This is literally giving me a migraine and I almost never have headaches.

Assuming this install goes bad again, what would you suggest? I'd personally say get a new hard drive tomorrow and start from scratch. I am already far into uncharted territory (never installed Windows before), so I might as well persist.

/sighs

The only positive thing is that I backed up my music and pictures before doing this.

 

[Unfocused]

I think you should try burning an Ultimate Boot CD and running a HDD diagnostic tool from there.

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

IIRC, it helped me a few times in situations where chkdsk didn't do anything or just bluescreened and restarted my PC. Since I had a Seagate HDD, I used the SeaTools application from there; check the site for the recommended tool for your brand.

 

[Shakermaker]

I think you should try burning an Ultimate Boot CD and running a HDD diagnostic tool from there.

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

IIRC, it helped me a few times in situations where chkdsk didn't do anything or just bluescreened and restarted my PC. Since I had a Seagate HDD, I used the SeaTools application from there; check the site for the recommended tool for your brand.

Well, the problem is, the third install went fubar as well. As a result from all of this the PC can't start up Windows any more, because the computer thinks it has both Vista and W7 installed. I now booted from my Vista dvd and trying to install that again, but if that fails I give up and will try again with a new hard drive tomorrow. I need a new one anyway. This one is old, slow and small, so I needed an excuse anyway.

How does that work btw? Just put in a new HD, install Windows on it, get video drivers (which other drivers if any?)etc, and presto?

 

[AtomicSpark]

You seem to have good luck with Windows.

If you can't delete all your partitions using the Windows installer to start out fresh, you can use a Linux live CD or that Ultimate Wizardry.

 

[VirusType2]

checkdisk won't fix Windows files, it fixes hard drive errors like bad sectors. What you needed is the windows disc in the drive when you boot, and hit repair. If you don't have the Windows install disc you can't do that, but obviously you can't install from scratch either.

If you do have the Windows install disc, and for some reason you can't repair your corrupted files, then you can just install windows. You don't need a new hard drive, unless you are worried about loosing data. Windows should overwrite Windows, nothing more. So it shouldn't delete any of your stuff on other parts of hard drives. The exception is that it will probably delete stuff in your documents and pictures and your program files.

But, I think you'll find you have a 'backup and install' option when you install Windows, then you also have the choice of backing up everything before installing over the old windows. Everything, including the old install of Windows, will be in a folder called BACKUP [Todays Date]

I wouldn't worry. It's not like you are just going to give up and never use a computer again. These things are just a time consuming pain in the ass, but shit happens. Once you get up and running you'll feel better.

 

[PvtRyan]

BSOD is often indicative of hardware failure (nowadays at least) and combined with the corrupted files it's possible that your HDD is close to FUBAR.

 

[Shakermaker]

I wouldn't worry. It's not like you are just going to give up and never use a computer again. These things are just a time consuming pain in the ass, but shit happens. Once you get up and running you'll feel better.

Exactly. A lot better. I am typing this from my PC again. Vista install did the trick and I even managed to activate Windows, which started all my troubles in the first place. Currently downloading all the essentials, like Windows updates, drivers and TF2 (Steam was the second program I installed after Firefox ).

BSOD is often indicative of hardware failure (nowadays at least) and combined with the corrupted files it's possible that your HDD is close to FUBAR.

Could be, but it isn't giving me trouble anymore. Knock wood. If it does fail, I have everything backed up and I now know how to install Windows. An experience richer.

 

[AtomicSpark]

BSOD is often indicative of hardware failure (nowadays at least) and combined with the corrupted files it's possible that your HDD is close to FUBAR.

Lies. Depends on the type of BSOD he gets. Usually it's driver errors. I just had one with Windows 7.

 

[PvtRyan]

Lies. Depends on the type of BSOD he gets. Usually it's driver errors. I just had one with Windows 7.

Often. Not always. The other cause is indeed drivers. And combined with corrupt files, I wouldn't rule out (impending) harddrive failure.

 

[Asus]

I do recall one time I was installing WinXP and it was giving me issues which at the time I thought were HDD related (bad sectors). Repeated basic installs would give me corrupt files or BSODs.
I can't remember exactly but it turned out to be a setup issue possibly with the boot sector or something else not related to a bad physical drive. I remember it went away when I completely wiped the drive (write zeros) with Western Digital's diagnostic software (all drive manufactures have it) and tried some other things. But I didn't need to buy a new HDD.

 

[AtomicSpark]

You could also try to clear your CMOS. Why? Who knows! Someone was in a IRC channel stating how that has fixed hardware issues with him in the past.

 

[Asus]

What I was rambling about wasn't his issue but both I think are not hardware related. My point being that I would really hold off on buying a new drive with the symptoms he was explaining (back up of course but not $$).

 

[Shakermaker]

Windows seems to be running fine. Had some problems with three updates, but they weren't important so I didn't bother with 'em. DirectX seems to have been automatically installed, because I got an error suggesting it was already there. Just played TF2 to test stuff and that went without a hitch. I tried to run a scan tool from Seagate (I have a Maxtor HD), but that couldn't perform its scan somehow. So 90% success I should say.

 

[VirusType2]

DirectX, if it isn't installed with a game, it can be found on a game disc, if you browse the contents. So it was probably installed with one of your games.

 

[huntingbear]

Step 1: Run a HDD diagnostic utility such as HDD Regenerator on Hirens or UltimateBootCD.

Step 2a :IF BAD SECTORS FOUND > 3: Buy new HDD and hope you can recover files
Step 2b :IF BAD SECTORS FOUND <3: Hope the drive is now ok to use and reinstall Windows.

let me kno how this go's....word of caution, a HDD scan like the ones mentioned above will take 2-5 hours

 

[VirusType2]

I hear that it will mark all bad sectors as bad, so it will act like they aren't there and no longer store your data there. But, I heard it can make things worse. I've never ran a disc repair utility before.

 

[Unfocused]

Step 1: Run a HDD diagnostic utility such as HDD Regenerator on Hirens or UltimateBootCD.

Step 2a :IF BAD SECTORS FOUND > 3: Buy new HDD and hope you can recover files
Step 2b :IF BAD SECTORS FOUND <3: Hope the drive is now ok to use and reinstall Windows.

let me kno how this go's....word of caution, a HDD scan like the ones mentioned above will take 2-5 hours

You ditch the HDD when there are only 3 bad sectors? I think a HDD can take a bit more than that.

 

[Shakermaker]

Step 1: Run a HDD diagnostic utility such as HDD Regenerator on Hirens or UltimateBootCD.

Step 2a :IF BAD SECTORS FOUND > 3: Buy new HDD and hope you can recover files
Step 2b :IF BAD SECTORS FOUND <3: Hope the drive is now ok to use and reinstall Windows.

let me kno how this go's....word of caution, a HDD scan like the ones mentioned above will take 2-5 hours

It isn't bothering me at the moment. Everything seems to run fairly well. I always make things worse when tampering with them.

DirectX, if it isn't installed with a game, it can be found on a game disc, if you browse the contents. So it was probably installed with one of your games.

Yeh, I am guessing it was installed when downloading TF2 and / or Portal, the only games I have on my PC atm.

 

[AtomicSpark]

You ditch the HDD when there are only 3 bad sectors? I think a HDD can take a bit more than that.

Bad sectors get marked as being bad, and your HDD/filesystem is supposed to ignore them (reducing your HDD capacity as a side effect). You can keep this cycle up for as long as you like. However it's usually a sign of a failing drive and thus you'll want to replace it.

 

[huntingbear]

You ditch the HDD when there are only 3 bad sectors? I think a HDD can take a bit more than that.

yeah cause you want to keep using a HDD that's obviously dying and could possibly write some important data to a new sector that just went bad.
come on man, you know more than 3 sectors and it's obvious the drive is beginning to fail. yeah it will last a little longer but who's to say it doesn't just poop out the next day?