This thread is now about chipset controllers and how they are silly

Flippy_D

Go down to post 4 unless you're interested in the background info or think it's relevant.

Will try to keep this brief:

- 2 hard drives, C (windows) and X.

Start getting errors. Bluescreens. Reason that X is probably damaged due to games being on X. Send X off. X proves fine. X out of the picture because shitty company want £20 to return it. Will probably end up having to pay it, but consider it gone for now.

Presume SATA cables. Replace cables. Problems wane, but come back again. Computer bluescreens after sustained periods of gaming. Computer starts to bluescreen when downloading large files. Computer tempermental when doing scanning or other disk-related work. Presume hard drive dying.

Buy brand new hard drive (L). Western Digital. Unplug C. Install windows on L. Things fine. Re-plug C. Transfer tonne of data to L from C. C occasionally completely disappears during transfers - seems to confirm corruption. Go on my merry way. Installing drivers on L aaaand... delayed write error. Shit.

Consider notion that I may have somehow spread corruption from C to L. Reformat L. Partition L into two, windows and data. Re-import much more filtered data from C very carefully, not changing sensative files this time. However, suspect that have moved two corrupt files, a .zip and an .avi. Not overly worried. Unplug C.

L seems to be very healthy. Installing, patching, updating, downloading etc. All fine. Run HDDScan, no bad sectors (unlike C). Starting to conclude that C was just bad and I somehow spread the problem.

Attempt to unzip suspect .zip file. Bluescreens on 99%. Figures. Restart, delete that and the .avi file. Hangs again, and I figure that's because even in the recycle bin the file is still corrupt and causing issues. But even after files are gone system... struggles. System starts to lock up. System fraught with delayed write errors. System starts to crashcycle. Cannot open docs. Cannot click anything. Cannot DO anything. System occasionally cannot even find windows. Horrendous.

Still, within reason to suspect motherboard fittings, PSU cable, Sata cabling again etc. Start to cycle connections. No improvement.

Now get this: I'm currently back on C, using the same sata cable and mobo port, and the same fitting on the same PSU cable. I know that if I try to run games or move lots of data the HDD will die, so I'm limited to music, internet etc. That's not terrible but I know this disc is faulty and I want off. What the fuck is going on?

Is it possible to spread a brand of corruption from disc to disc that will simulate or cause delayed write errors and read errors on a new HDD even though the originator can be used at half capacity?

What should I do? Reformat L again and be even more meticulous in my data transfer? Leaving most of this data behind is not an option (though the zip and avi are happily unneeded). Halp

Flippy_D

I'm going to reformat and try one more [tiny]fucking shitty goddamn[/tiny] time. I will check back on this thread, though god knows which hdd I'll be using.

Brian4120

Hmm, sounds like a harddrive failing (your C) or even it could be the SATA controller on your mobo failing (OH NOEZ)

(sorry if I didnt read your post fully)

I would try booting a live linux distro (I usually use GParted because I'm used to it) and try copying the data to another drive.

Do you have another computer to test/copy your drives? (If you do and you can, it could be a problem with the controller. But then again i have been wrong before.)

Flippy_D

Okay, after a lot of trial and error and more rebooting than should ever have to be endured in a single 24-hour period, I have discovered this:

- New hard drive appears to be absolutely physically sound. No bad sectors that I can find, and chkdsk... er.. checks out.
- Disabling Local Area Connection (it's a habit of mine to disable the connections I don't need) means my computer will crash upon restart. I found this out because something kept happening to crash me when booting, yet last known good configuration would fix it. I cycled through individual actions and finally figured it out.

So the problem appears to be with software controllers. I downloaded the updated intel drivers (IP35v), but I don't know if it's had any effect. All I know is that it appears that so long as I don't disable that connection, my computer - thus far - will be stable.

However, this is still less than optimal. Does anyone know why I would have these issues with controllers? Maybe they didn't install properly? When I was installing the chipset drivers I had to manually reboot because the stupid thing disabled my mouse, but it seemed complete.

And for the record I don't believe that my old HDD (refered to as C above) suffered from these errors. I'm pretty sure that one was shot.

So, yes. Controller expertise, anyone?

ToyD

yay onboard controllers. Can you disable unused controller options in the BIOS and see if it stops?

Things like Wake On Lan, and other (mostly) useless options for the masses? Your other options is pretty much a new mobo if it is indeed the controllers failing.

Flippy_D

Are controllers not to some degree software-related?

ToyD

Some are, that's why we have things like VIA drivers to control those chipsets. If you have the latests drivers from your motherboard manufacturer, then the best you can do is try to disable unused things and hope one of those was your problem.

Flippy_D

Sorry to press a point, but could you spell it out for me?

Basically, could I ever fix this from a purely software POV, and could it ever be caused from a purely software POV. The latter is important because fuck me if I'm sending off my motherboard to be RMA'd if I'm not 90% sure it's at fault. Costs money, dog.

Say I'm right in my vague suspicion the installation messed up (I'm using the same cd that's always worked, on a blank install). Is it safe to uninstall these files and reinstall? Would that damage anything?

ToyD

Ok, I was trying to give vague pointers. So we've ended up at looking at motherboard drivers. Do you happen to know what the make/model of your motherboard is?

Did you build the computer or is it a pre-built?

We can try to nail down the chipset drivers and make sure those are up to date. All this is possible most easily if you know, or can find, the motherboard make and model.

Flippy_D

It's an IP35v by intel, it's self-built, and I've got the updated chipset drivers here.

However, they don't change all the values. They only update certain bits of it. I'd like to reinstall the original drivers but I would need to uninstall the ones on the system first. My question is, is that safe to do?

ToyD

Well, define safe.

Back up your data, the worst you'll have to do is a reinstall. It's not going to fry hardware. You're loading software on a hard drive. If it's the wrong software, it will lock up like you describe now.

Firmware is a different story, but that's not what we're talking about here.

Flippy_D

Sorry, went to bed

I suppose that if the worst that happens is I have to go through this arduous process of reinstalling and transferring again, then it's worth it.

Last question is then, I suppose, how do I uninstall then in order to reinstall afresh? I can't see it in add/remove programs.

ToyD

You actually have to do it through the device manager.

Usually something like Performance and Maintenance->System->Hardware Tab->Device Manager.

That's the XP version anyway, not sure on Vista. In the device manager, you can highlight specific devices or drivers for something and uninstall them. When you reinstall them, make sure you check Have Disk, or it will try to install the newest one again.

Flippy_D

Excellent, thanks very much.

ToyD

Good luck Flippy.