windows 7 - Can't install any OS, hdd errors

07
2014-07

pdmonx

I am trying to install any OS on a netbook (Samsung n150), I tried win xp, which hangs trying to boot saying something like (hd0,0). I tried win 7, which loads the installer setup but when it reaches the point where you create partitions it shows some incompatible hardware error. I tried several linux distros (including system tools like clonezilla and gparted). and they all start booting until they show something like this:

ata1.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x0
ata1.00: BMDMA stat 0x25
ata1.00: failed command: READ DMA
ata1.00: status: { DRDY ERR }
ata1.00: error: { ABRT }

And they keep repeating that forever.

Is there something I could try to recover this computer? Because since I wasn't even able to run linux live cds I can't even test the disk for errors and such. Or should I assume the hdd is dead and can't be recovered?

Answers

Ruslan Gerasimov

I am pretty sure that this is the hard drive hardware failure and you will need to change your drive to a new one.

Nevertheless, open your netboot, diconnect this drive and then boot your machine from USB drive. Most Linux installation images have "Live CD" mode, it is "Try" , not "Install" menu at beginning. Select "Try" and have your test that machine works itself without your problematical hard drive. I think it will, because most likely it is the hard drive fault/failure.

Related Question

hard drive - Impossible to create/format install Windows 7 on unpartitioned HD

windows-7 hard-drive boot partitioning

fra pet

I am going nuts reinstalling Windows 7 on one of those Acer aspire all-in-one... The original OS (Windows Professional x64) was not starting, after the initial screen the BIOS was prompted. So

Step 1: I tried to access the system partition and reinstall everything but could not get to that point
Step 2: I set the BIOS to native IDE and I tried to insert my original copy of Windows Professional and do a clean installation, but it does not allow me to format/create another partition for the installation mask
Step 3: I tried to install Ubuntu and I cleaned the whole hard drive, I was getting an error at some point during installation so I decided to get back to Windows
Step 4: Windows 7 again, at the disk screen of the Windows installation I opened the prompt and played around with DISKPART...
- I listed the disk and the HD was disk 0.
- I selected disk 0.
- I CLEANed disk 0 successfully.
- I tried to create a CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY but gave an error about the cache being corrupt and the disk not being up-to-date (after I tried to create a partition in disk 0 it disappeared when I try LIST DISK and I have to restart before it can list DISK 0 again. RESCAN did not work).
- Tried CLEAN ALL (2 hours) and succeeded.
- Tried again to create a primary partition and failed, same errors
- Tried to install my old copy of Windows XP Pro and it seems to work, it creates a partition, formats (only "quick" worked, slow mode was at 0% and after 1 hour so I stopped), it starts installing and at around 90% installation it says it could not copy a file and it stops.
- Back on Windows 7 again, it says that the hard drive has 490+GB unpartitioned but won't create a partition and format.
- I tried again with DISKPART as I thought I messed up the MBR when I installed Ubuntu, so I did all of these instructions.

The errors were:

On bootsect:

the system partiton was not found, Data error cyclic redundancy check
on bootrec /FixMbr:

A device attached to the system is not functioning

But it did not work, and I still can not partiton/format/install on a blank HD. I tried some bootable clean disk tool and started an infinite loop on the same errors.

The BIOS setting are: SATA: native IDE. If I set AHCL (or something like that) it does not load the HD and the DVD. Quick start/quiet start: disabled.

Are there any other options or tools I can try before I change the HD (that is my last option)?

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windows 7 - Can't install any OS, hdd errors