Is my hard drive bad?

[JKlebs9225]

I have a problem, and I would like the advice of the smartest computer nerds on the planet, the JL.com forum readers! I have two computers, and while upgrading ( I guess) to windows xp on one, it gave me one of those informative windows error messages and shut down. Now , when I try to re-install anything on it, there is some problem with the partitions. When I try to run fdisk from the windows cd, it freezes and I have to reboot. When I try to install slackware just to see if it will work, I get a message telling me that lilo cannot be installed and I would have to boot from a floppy. I wanted to know if anyone thinks this is a problem with the physical drive, or something software that can be fixed without buying a new HDD. Thanks.

[bsm2001]

Have you run memtest86? If not I would recomend to I was having the same prob turns out that one of my sticks was overheating. Iwas having the same prob. Make sure to ge V3.0 It os to big for a floppy so you will ned to put it on a cd.

[EnigmaOne]

Uh.....my nephew had a similar problem with a copy of XP he got from a Kazza peer.

How about it?
If that's the case for you, and you absolutely have to have XP, buy it. If not, ignore me. :D

If the memory testing pans-out ok....

You don't mention what brand drive it is, but you might want to visit the drive manufacturer's website and download their utilities/diagnostic software for your drive model.

[JamminJoeyB]

I wonder if slackware's complaints about not being able to install lilo could be fixed by a fdisk /mbr.

You didn't say were you tried to install lilo to.

[JKlebs9225]

I don't think it is the memory, because knoppix will run fine on it. The windows disk is a real copy. The drive is a western digital 40GB. I am starting to think that the drive is bad because I have just been informed that the computer was moved a bit while it was on, by some little hands ( my 1 1/2 year old niece ). I will look for a western digital diagnostic for it. Thanks for the advice.

[JKlebs9225]

Just to sort of close things up, I figured it all out. After finally getting millenium edition back on, I read on the web that there are some problems with the XP cd, and I was advised to copy the CD to my hard drive and install it from there. I did so and it worked fine. Thanks for the help folks!

[EnigmaOne]

Glad you posted a follow-up to that.

I guess I'm not surprised that ms screwed up a CD in that way, but it sure isn't the first item on my list of things to check.
I'll have to revise my list.