bad clusters/sectors on new laptop, chkdsk gets stuck trying to repair

I recently bought a new HP laptop with an extended warrantee.
In the past few weeks, often I would get the blue screen of death and
the system will just spontaneously crash and then I have to reboot. I
ran chkdsk and it says there are errors on the drive (no specifics).
It then tells me it couldn't repair the problems because the drive was
locked by other processes. I then entered in the command prompt
chkdsk /F/R and answered Yes for to authorize CHKDSK to run on reboot.
When CHKDSK runs on reboot everything is fine until stage 4/5 where I
get a ton of error messages, all the same
"the disk does not have enough space to replace bad clusters"
I then went into windows and noticed I have only 26GB filled with 74GB
free on a 100GB hard drive. There are no other partitions. So I don't
understand why I am getting this error.
I wonder if there is something seriously wrong with the hard disk
drive.
I want to avoid sending it in to HP as I don't want to be without a
laptop for a few weeks.
Is there anything I can do to fix this problem or diagnose it further.
Thanks

Sounds like the drive is bad. Get it replaced.

"the disk does not have enough space to replace bad clusters" has nothing
to do with the amount of free space you see available. Drives are made with
the expectation that some sectors will be/will become bad, and extra space
is available on the drive to map those sectors to when they go. When you
run out of the extra space, you lose disk capacity.

I haven't dealt with HP for a repair issue in a long time - perhaps they can
send you and exchange drive rather than your having to return the whole
laptop. Swapping out drives is a pretty easy, user-doable task.

Val

wrote in message
ups.com...
I recently bought a new HP laptop with an extended warrantee.
In the past few weeks, often I would get the blue screen of death and
the system will just spontaneously crash and then I have to reboot. I
ran chkdsk and it says there are errors on the drive (no specifics).
It then tells me it couldn't repair the problems because the drive was
locked by other processes. I then entered in the command prompt
chkdsk /F/R and answered Yes for to authorize CHKDSK to run on reboot.
When CHKDSK runs on reboot everything is fine until stage 4/5 where I
get a ton of error messages, all the same
"the disk does not have enough space to replace bad clusters"
I then went into windows and noticed I have only 26GB filled with 74GB
free on a 100GB hard drive. There are no other partitions. So I don't
understand why I am getting this error.
I wonder if there is something seriously wrong with the hard disk
drive.
I want to avoid sending it in to HP as I don't want to be without a
laptop for a few weeks.
Is there anything I can do to fix this problem or diagnose it further.
Thanks

wrote in ups.com:

I recently bought a new HP laptop with an extended warrantee.
In the past few weeks, often I would get the blue screen of death and
the system will just spontaneously crash and then I have to reboot. I
ran chkdsk and it says there are errors on the drive (no specifics).
It then tells me it couldn't repair the problems because the drive was
locked by other processes. I then entered in the command prompt
chkdsk /F/R and answered Yes for to authorize CHKDSK to run on reboot.
When CHKDSK runs on reboot everything is fine until stage 4/5 where I
get a ton of error messages, all the same
"the disk does not have enough space to replace bad clusters"
I then went into windows and noticed I have only 26GB filled with 74GB
free on a 100GB hard drive. There are no other partitions. So I don't
understand why I am getting this error.
I wonder if there is something seriously wrong with the hard disk
drive.
I want to avoid sending it in to HP as I don't want to be without a
laptop for a few weeks.
Is there anything I can do to fix this problem or diagnose it further.
Thanks



You can call HP and ask them to send you a replacement drive under
warranty and then replace the unit yourself. The only downside is that
HP would require the old drive. I would download and run either DFT or
Seatools Desktop and write down the the error code that you receive from
either utility. HP is going to want some sort of proof that the drive
is bad.

In the event that HP denies your request to send a replacement drive, I
would find a local computer repair facility that will honor MFG Warranty
and replace the drive for you at no cost. Not sure how you feel about
them, but GeekSquad can perform warranty work on HP units in the store
should they have a direct replacement drive in stock, and you would not
get charged. They must also give you your old drive back, and you can
typically wait around for 10 minutes and insist that they replace the
drive for you right in your sight. I believe their only requirement is
that you must possess a receipt of purchase for the unit to verify
correct warrenty date.

You can use a linux live disc with ntfs-3g built in to access the data
on the bad drive and copy it off to an external. I personally like slax
with the ntfs-3g module installed.

DFT..: http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/download.htm#DFT
Seatools Desktop..: http://preview.tinyurl.com/yww3ek


--
Ds.Laptop.Repair at gmail dot com
[{540}·{905}·{7686}]

wrote in message
ups.com...
I recently bought a new HP laptop with an extended warrantee.
In the past few weeks, often I would get the blue screen of death and
the system will just spontaneously crash and then I have to reboot. I
ran chkdsk and it says there are errors on the drive (no specifics).
It then tells me it couldn't repair the problems because the drive was
locked by other processes. I then entered in the command prompt
chkdsk /F/R and answered Yes for to authorize CHKDSK to run on reboot.
When CHKDSK runs on reboot everything is fine until stage 4/5 where I
get a ton of error messages, all the same
"the disk does not have enough space to replace bad clusters"
I then went into windows and noticed I have only 26GB filled with 74GB
free on a 100GB hard drive. There are no other partitions. So I don't
understand why I am getting this error.
I wonder if there is something seriously wrong with the hard disk
drive.
I want to avoid sending it in to HP as I don't want to be without a
laptop for a few weeks.
Is there anything I can do to fix this problem or diagnose it further.
Thanks


The disk has had it.

The type of disks fitted to PCs theses days have a number of spare clusters
on them that are not normally used. When the disk firmware detects a
cluster that is less than reliable, it copies the cluster to one of the
spares; marks the original as bad and then remaps its intenal cluster table
to point to the new one (this is somewhat simplified, but nevertheless is
essentially what happens). Eventually, it uses up the supply of spare
clusters and can't go any further. That's when you start getting the error
messages that you are getting.

Unfortunately, you are going to have to return the thing to HP to get the
disk changed, but make sure that you copy off any files that you don't want
to lose first.

"M.I.5¾" wrote in message
wrote in message
ups.com...
I recently bought a new HP laptop with an extended warrantee.
In the past few weeks, often I would get the blue screen of death and
the system will just spontaneously crash and then I have to reboot. I
ran chkdsk and it says there are errors on the drive (no specifics).
It then tells me it couldn't repair the problems because the drive was
locked by other processes. I then entered in the command prompt
chkdsk /F/R and answered Yes for to authorize CHKDSK to run on reboot.
When CHKDSK runs on reboot everything is fine until stage 4/5 where I
get a ton of error messages, all the same:
"the disk does not have enough space to replace bad clusters"
I then went into windows and noticed I have only 26GB filled with 74GB
free on a 100GB hard drive. There are no other partitions. So I don't
understand why I am getting this error.
I wonder if there is something seriously wrong with the hard disk drive.
I want to avoid sending it in to HP as I don't want to be without a laptop
for a few weeks.
Is there anything I can do to fix this problem or diagnose it further.
Thanks


The disk has had it.

Nice try, Bozo.


The type of disks fitted to PCs theses days have a number of spare clusters
on them that are not normally used. When the disk firmware detects a
cluster that is less than reliable, it copies the cluster to one of the
spares; marks the original as bad and then remaps its intenal cluster table
to point to the new one

Nonsense.

(this is somewhat simplified, but nevertheless is essentially what happens).

Pity the drive doesn't have clusters, Bozo, it has sectors. Clusters are a
filesystem storage unit which the drive knows nothing about. Like the OP
described the OS is trying to find free clusters to copy data to that it
thinks to save from badly readable used clusters, but it can't find any.
Whether that last part is true is under debate. It may be one of those
unexplainable chkdsk quirks.

Eventually, it uses up the supply of spare clusters and can't go any further.
That's when you start getting the error messages that you are getting.

Utter nonsense.


Unfortunately, you are going to have to return the thing to HP to get the
disk changed, but make sure that you copy off any files that you don't want
to lose first.

What he needs to do is run the drive diagnostics from the drive manufacturer.

On Jul 31, 1:40 am, wrote:
I recently bought a new HP laptop with an extended warrantee.
In the past few weeks, often I would get the blue screen of death and
the system will just spontaneously crash and then I have to reboot. I
ran chkdsk and it says there are errors on the drive (no specifics).
It then tells me it couldn't repair the problems because the drive was
locked by other processes. I then entered in the command prompt
chkdsk /F/R and answered Yes for to authorize CHKDSK to run on reboot.
When CHKDSK runs on reboot everything is fine until stage 4/5 where I
get a ton of error messages, all the same
"the disk does not have enough space to replace bad clusters"
I then went into windows and noticed I have only 26GB filled with 74GB
free on a 100GB hard drive. There are no other partitions. So I don't
understand why I am getting this error.
I wonder if there is something seriously wrong with the hard disk
drive.
I want to avoid sending it in to HP as I don't want to be without a
laptop for a few weeks.
Is there anything I can do to fix this problem or diagnose it further.
Thanks


You can buy ($89.00 US) and download Spinrite (http://www.grc.com/
spinrite.htm) to scan the drive. It will scan for bad sectors and if/
when it finds one it will try to recover the data in it.

In one of the user testimonials I read a while back a user said that
he scanned his drive and it found bad spots, so he called the laptop
manufacturer and told them what Spinrite had reported and the
manufacturer sent out a replacement drive; no questions.

They also have a moneyback plan, although I don't think it's stated on
the webpage, that says if Spinrite doesn't help you out they'll refund
your money if you delete the program.

Steve Gibson (the author of Spinrite) does a podcast on security
issues in the computing world (http://www.grc.com/securitynow.htm) and
at the beginning or near the end of most podcasts he reads user
feedback on Spinrite.

Have a look and a listen, maybe It'll work for you.

I could explain why you are getting the error, but it's a long
explanation that I don't feel like typing. [The short version is that
you are out of a type of reserved space that only exists within the
drive .... it's not visible from outside the drive, and is neither part
of your used OR your free space.]

Bottom line: your drive has died (some would argue that it's just
"dying" and isn't yet dead. Whatever).

You need a new hard drive. There is no way to avoid it.

wrote:
I recently bought a new HP laptop with an extended warrantee.
In the past few weeks, often I would get the blue screen of death and
the system will just spontaneously crash and then I have to reboot. I
ran chkdsk and it says there are errors on the drive (no specifics).
It then tells me it couldn't repair the problems because the drive was
locked by other processes. I then entered in the command prompt
chkdsk /F/R and answered Yes for to authorize CHKDSK to run on reboot.
When CHKDSK runs on reboot everything is fine until stage 4/5 where I
get a ton of error messages, all the same
"the disk does not have enough space to replace bad clusters"
I then went into windows and noticed I have only 26GB filled with 74GB
free on a 100GB hard drive. There are no other partitions. So I don't
understand why I am getting this error.
I wonder if there is something seriously wrong with the hard disk
drive.
I want to avoid sending it in to HP as I don't want to be without a
laptop for a few weeks.
Is there anything I can do to fix this problem or diagnose it further.
Thanks

For $89 you can buy a new hard drive. And spinrite, while a very good
program, is not likely to help in this case.


Tazz wrote:
On Jul 31, 1:40 am, wrote:
I recently bought a new HP laptop with an extended warrantee.
In the past few weeks, often I would get the blue screen of death and
the system will just spontaneously crash and then I have to reboot. I
ran chkdsk and it says there are errors on the drive (no specifics).
It then tells me it couldn't repair the problems because the drive was
locked by other processes. I then entered in the command prompt
chkdsk /F/R and answered Yes for to authorize CHKDSK to run on reboot.
When CHKDSK runs on reboot everything is fine until stage 4/5 where I
get a ton of error messages, all the same
"the disk does not have enough space to replace bad clusters"
I then went into windows and noticed I have only 26GB filled with 74GB
free on a 100GB hard drive. There are no other partitions. So I don't
understand why I am getting this error.
I wonder if there is something seriously wrong with the hard disk
drive.
I want to avoid sending it in to HP as I don't want to be without a
laptop for a few weeks.
Is there anything I can do to fix this problem or diagnose it further.
Thanks


You can buy ($89.00 US) and download Spinrite (http://www.grc.com/
spinrite.htm) to scan the drive. It will scan for bad sectors and if/
when it finds one it will try to recover the data in it.

In one of the user testimonials I read a while back a user said that
he scanned his drive and it found bad spots, so he called the laptop
manufacturer and told them what Spinrite had reported and the
manufacturer sent out a replacement drive; no questions.

They also have a moneyback plan, although I don't think it's stated on
the webpage, that says if Spinrite doesn't help you out they'll refund
your money if you delete the program.

Steve Gibson (the author of Spinrite) does a podcast on security
issues in the computing world (http://www.grc.com/securitynow.htm) and
at the beginning or near the end of most podcasts he reads user
feedback on Spinrite.

Have a look and a listen, maybe It'll work for you.

On Tue, 31 Jul 2007 18:37:50 -0000, Tazz
wrote:

On Jul 31, 1:40 am, wrote:
I recently bought a new HP laptop with an extended warrantee.
In the past few weeks, often I would get the blue screen of death and
the system will just spontaneously crash and then I have to reboot.

The blue screen is to provide information. You didn't tell
us what it stated, like stop code or any related filename
(if any).

Also, check Event Viewer.



I
ran chkdsk and it says there are errors on the drive (no specifics).
It then tells me it couldn't repair the problems because the drive was
locked by other processes. I then entered in the command prompt
chkdsk /F/R and answered Yes for to authorize CHKDSK to run on reboot.
When CHKDSK runs on reboot everything is fine until stage 4/5 where I
get a ton of error messages, all the same
"the disk does not have enough space to replace bad clusters"

Try running it without fixing or scanning, then if that
completes, run it again only fixing, then again with
scanning/recovery.


I then went into windows and noticed I have only 26GB filled with 74GB
free on a 100GB hard drive. There are no other partitions. So I don't
understand why I am getting this error.

MS' website is a good place to search for specific error
messages.

I wonder if there is something seriously wrong with the hard disk
drive.

It's quite possible, maybe even probable.

I want to avoid sending it in to HP as I don't want to be without a
laptop for a few weeks.

Either way, they're not a data recovery service and you will
lose anything on the drive when it's replaced unless you
copy or duplicate it youself (as much as possible given it
may be failing). You might want to use what opportunities
you have left to copy data off now, rather than putting more
wear on the drive, as a failing drive can sometimes act
funny but then suddenly everything is gone.


Is there anything I can do to fix this problem or diagnose it further.
Thanks

The standard procedure is to run the HDD manufacturer's
diagnostics. They're available for download from their
respective website. If your HDD maker is unknown, it may be
listed in Device Manager or there's always the physical
label sticker on the drive itself.



You can buy ($89.00 US) and download Spinrite (http://www.grc.com/
spinrite.htm) to scan the drive. It will scan for bad sectors and if/
when it finds one it will try to recover the data in it.

In one of the user testimonials I read a while back a user said that
he scanned his drive and it found bad spots, so he called the laptop
manufacturer and told them what Spinrite had reported and the
manufacturer sent out a replacement drive; no questions.


It should not require purchase of Spinrite. The OP could
either use the free HDD manufacturer's diagnostics, or for
the same ~ $89 or so, just buy a replacement drive now,
which might be handier anyway since it means both drives are
available for as much of a duplication or data copying to
the new drive as possible without an intermediary storage of
this "data".


They also have a moneyback plan, although I don't think it's stated on
the webpage, that says if Spinrite doesn't help you out they'll refund
your money if you delete the program.


The problem is, unless there is specific data that needs
recovered, it won't actually fix the problem that caused the
drive and/or data loss.

On Jul 31, 4:56 pm, Barry Watzman wrote:
For $89 you can buy a new hard drive. And spinrite, while a very good
program, is not likely to help in this case.


snip
Yea, that would be the best/easiest to do. With no spare sectors he
definitely would get a new drive if he sent it back, but who wants to
wait weeks without a their laptop. It took my Acer 7 weeks to get back
to me; same reason bad HDD.

The Spinrite suggestion was mainly to recover the data in the bad
sectors, but with no spares I don't know how that would work. Hmm. I
think that chkdsk will scan for bad sectors but when it finds one
it'll just swap it out so that data is gone.