Is my hard drive going bad?

Derek12 · Jul 19, 2013

Oftentimes, randomly, but it happens more while browsing, my computer starts to freeze gradually.

First the taskbar, then the desktop, then any opened program, until everything stops working altogether, showing the spinning circle. I can move the mouse around, I can move windows and such, but I cannot open any new program, nor the task manager, and I have to reset.

I have no errors in event viewer no BSODS, SMART data is fine, no bad sectors, and the computer never hard freezes. Any help would be appreciated.

McSteel · Jul 19, 2013

Sounds like a software/OS issue, though I see why you'd think it's HDD-related (since it looks like the system hangs on waiting for reads/writes)...

Try it in safe mode with networking (so you'd be able to browse the net and not be bored for several hours), see if it solves anything. If it does, I'm probably right, and if not, you probably are.

Crap Daddy · Jul 19, 2013

I'd also point to OS. Maybe a fresh install.

itsakjt · Jul 20, 2013

Yeah. If you have checked SMART data and all is fine, I would suggest you check the OS.

Jetster · Jul 20, 2013

You install anything resently?

Derek12 · Jul 20, 2013

Many thanks for the replies, reinstalling would be the last resort as it's a pain in the a** to reinstall everything specially the games

I mostly suspect the HD because the HD light goes completely off when this happens except for some brief blink.

I have scanned with many programs including chkdsk, SFC /scannow, vivendi and all of them came clean.

I haven't installed anything new but I've update some things as the browsers, Steam, CCleaner, VMware Player, and installed some Windows updates, etc

I will revert the Windows updates and try safe mode.

itsakjt · Jul 20, 2013

Derek12 said:
Many thanks for the replies, reinstalling would be the last resort as it's a pain in the a** to reinstall everything specially the games

I mostly suspect the HD because the HD light goes completely off when this happens except for some brief blink.

I have scanned with many programs including chkdsk, SFC /scannow, vivendi and all of them came clean.

I haven't installed anything new but I've update some things as the browsers, Steam, CCleaner, VMware Player, and installed some Windows updates, etc

I will revert the Windows updates and try safe mode.

The HDD light being off tells you that the HDD is not at fault. If it really was, then the light would be steady on meaning it is trying to read data..

micropage7 · Jul 20, 2013

does your hdd give you strange sound that unusual? if yes maybe your hdd start to get in trouble

RejZoR · Jul 20, 2013

Install "Crystal Disk Info" and you'll know. That's why i run CDI in realtime on all my systems. It saved me once so far...

ThE_MaD_ShOt · Jul 20, 2013

have you done a virus/malware scan?

Derek12 · Jul 22, 2013

Many thanks to all, after defrag with mydefrag and a stringent cleaning it hasn't happened for 2 days so far but I will keep an eye on it.

The drive doesn't make any noises even after freeze except the normal parking heads click (it's a laptop drive) I have scanned with Windows defender without any findings.

This is what CDI reports:

View attachment 51959

EDIT: $·%/&(/ Spoke too soon, it froze AGAIN just after posting this. I will try to record a video.

itsakjt · Jul 22, 2013

^The link is broken. Upload the pic to techpowerup.org and copy the IMG code below.

Derek12 · Jul 22, 2013

Here's the video

Forgive the bad quality and lack of sound. Recorded with my netbook webcam.

As you can see, Chrome is the only program that works, Paint (with the previous CDI screenshot) is totally unresponsive.

If you watch carefully you will see the spinning circle when cursor is over the taskbar. It is totally frozen.

The W8 right panel barely visible on the video appeared until I clicked a option then it wouldn't appear again.

CTRL ALT DEL and ALT TAB were unresponsive as well as I tried several times during the video.

The only thing I could do is to reset the PC as I did at the end.

I'll reinstall if not choice but I want to avoid this at any price. Hope anyone can help.

WhiteLotus · Jul 22, 2013

Bad ram?

Derek12 · Jul 22, 2013

itsakjt said:
^The link is broken. Upload the pic to techpowerup.org and copy the IMG code below.

It's uploaded here in TPU, try reloading

WhiteLotus said:
Bad ram?

I doubt it as the computer won't BSOD or crash so far anyway I will try Memtest overnight, Prime95 doesn't work at all, it freezes the computer completely because it takes 100% of the RAM..

itsakjt · Jul 22, 2013

Derek12 said:
Here's the video

Forgive the bad quality and lack of sound. Recorded with my netbook webcam.

As you can see, Chrome is the only program that works, Paint (with the previous CDI screenshot) is totally unresponsive.

If you watch carefully you will see the spinning circle when cursor is over the taskbar. It is totally frozen.

The W8 right panel barely visible on the video appeared until I clicked a option then it wouldn't appear again.

CTRL ALT DEL and ALT TAB were unresponsive as well as I tried several times during the video.

The only thing I could do is to reset the PC as I did at the end.

I'll reinstall if not choice but I want to avoid this at any price. Hope anyone can help.

Get a USB flash drive and download the USB version of Memtest86. Then boot with that drive and it should eliminate any RAM problems. After it is done, get a live linux copy e.g. Ubuntu. Boot with it and check the system.

Derek12 · Jul 22, 2013

itsakjt said:
Get a USB flash drive and download the USB version of Memtest86. Then boot with that drive and it should eliminate any RAM problems. After it is done, get a live linux copy e.g. Ubuntu. Boot with it and check the system.

Many thanks, I have memtest on a USB drive already, I will try it overnight

Anyway my lighbulb turned on, I will shrink my C partition and install another Windows 8 alongside this and make a easier transition to the new Windows install and check, hoping it's not a HW issue.

de.das.dude · Jul 22, 2013

reinstall chipset drivers

itsakjt · Jul 22, 2013

Derek12 said:
Many thanks, I have memtest on a USB drive already, I will try it overnight

Anyway my lighbulb turned on, I will shrink my C partition and install another Windows 8 alongside this and make a easier transition to the new Windows install and check, hoping it's not a HW issue.

Ahaa.

Yeah I am 95% sure it is software related. Time will tell.

Derek12 · Jul 22, 2013

de.das.dude said:
reinstall chipset drivers

I will try it.

itsakjt said:
Ahaa. Yeah I am 95% sure it is software related. Time will tell.

I hope

specially as I can't afford anything

Derek12 · Jul 25, 2013

Froze again while playing music and it looped, the new install seems fine so I will format.

silkstone · Jul 25, 2013

malware, virus or memory leak would be my guess.

Download and put the KAV tool on usb and give it a thorough scan. I can;t see if you are using AV software on the video, If you are using something decent then start looking for memory leaks.

jboydgolfer · Jul 25, 2013

re-install O.S ONLY after doing a back-up first, that way it is a MUCH smaller headache then the other option.

http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp?swid=119&wdc_lang=en

Go to the Western Digital download page, and get the Acronis Back up software. It's free to You( according to Your System Specs), and other western digital owner's, and will give you either a bootable, or a back up copy of your current O.S. set-up, so re-install is much easier.

Good Luck

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Is my hard drive going bad?

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