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Bad memory corrupts drive?

P

pbj75

Limp Gawd
Joined
Sep 30, 2003
Messages
208
Posted earlier about my ASUS P4C800Deluxe MB crapping out. Turns out the memory controller went bad. Also, both sticks of Corsair XMS memory died. Wonder if the controller took the memory with it. Hmmmmm......

But that's not the problem. The problem is now one of the hard drives is behaving strangely. I can look at it in windows explorer, but anytime I try to access some of the files, I get a message about the path being too deep. Trying to double click a file to play (video), generates a Windows Media Player semaphore error. I also get timeouts when I try a copy from a DOS windows.

Ran CHKDSK, and it locks up 1/3 of the way in. Likewise when I ran Norton DiskDoctor, hangs at 27% when "Checking the indexes".

My guess is bad info was written to the drive courtesy of the bad memory. The result is a corrupted file structure.

I downloaded Restorer2000 and had it scan my troublesome drive. The scan log returned a bunch of semaphore timeout errors, implying it could not read parts of the disk.

However, when I run the Western Digital tools (windlg10), they report every sector as being good.

I will try FileScavenger. It is going to take a LONG time, 200GB drive.

Three questions:
Is the drive bad, or is it just corrupted chains?
If it is just the file structure, isn't that what Restorer2000 and such are supposed to be able to fix/recover?
Assuming the drive is okay (per windlg10), will a reformat "fix" it?
 
1. with everything else going to hell, it sounds like a power problem, if the PSU is having the problem, that would possibly have effected the HDD, if the mobo was having problems regulating the power, then it would more thasn likely be unaffected

2. both File Scavenger and Restorer 2000 are direct scanners, they read each sector, they dont "fix" anything for that Id recommend Disk P)atch

3. Probably

4. Bad memory can scramble your OS, Filesystem and data

Corrupted Files!?
 
Thanks for the good info, especially the link to DiskPatch/iRecover.

I didn't rehash all the troubleshooting I did, but I did replace the PSU. I replaced a 400w Antec with a 430w TruePower Antec. Don't really know if the original PSU was bad or not, just wanted to be sure.

I will give DiskPatch/iRecover a try. Checking the link, it looks like iRecover might be another good option. Will try the demo's when I get home tonight.

Thinking about it, I suspect the best approach would be to run iRecover to get the files, then run DiskPatch to fix the file structure. Of course, then I need to buy both programs ($100 + $40). For personal use, that is a little pricey. I would be more comfortable at $100 for both. If I was confident DiskPatch would fix it, I could get by with just $40, but that would be taking a chance.
 
well iRecover, Restorer 2000 and File Scavenger are all the same kind of ap

and yes its always better to recover then repair
 
Now you've got me worried again. iRecover, Restorer2000 and File Scavenger are "the same kind of ap".

I was hoping iRecover was stronger.

I had poor luck with Restorer2000, same semaphore timeout error as Explorer gave me. Low level NTFS corruption perhaps? Oh well, I will try File Scavenger tonight and maybe the iRecover demo.

It would be nice if at least one of them could restore a file or two, but if the NTFS chains are really all dorked, I doubt any of them will be able to find their way around.
 
Tried FileScavenger v2.

The scan showed me a bunch of files. Highlighted one I was previously not able to copy and told it to recover. FileScavenger has been working on the file for 10 minutes now. It seems to have locked up, just like Restorer, CHKDSK, and Norton DiskDoctor.

Still seems strange that the WD tools can do a complete sector scan and find nothing wrong. I suppose I will try reformatting.
 
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