"A Disk Read Error Occurred" - New hard drive shows error on one PC but not another!

[cyberspark]

So, my weekend project was a Dell Inspiron N4110 that wasn't working for a year.

Initial diagnosis suggested a new Hard Drive and a new keyboard were in order. Got a HGST Travelstar 500GB 5400RPM and a Genuine Dell Keyboard.

Last night, I fixed the new HDD to the laptop and began to install Windows. Everything was going fine. The initial installation finished, the computer restarted and was asking me to choose my time zone. This is when things started to go wrong.

The screen turned blue with some text written for a fraction of a second and rebooted. Then I got an error:

"A disk read error occurred
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart"

Sure enough, a restart didn't help. I tried installing Windows again. But, the "Copying Windows Files" bit didn't cross 0%. I tried formatting, but it just froze at the formatting screen. I tried formatting with a bootable EaseUS, but again to no avail.

I thought the new HDD had conked off. Before deciding on the same, I removed the new HDD, fixed it to my desktop and proceeded to install Windows 7 on it. It went on flawlessly and the whole process was completed.

I then moved this HDD back to the laptop only to be met with the same error.

I restored BIOS settings to default and tried cleaning the disk using disk part. Now the error message showed "Operation System Not Found". When I tried to install Windows again, the same old disk read error showed up. But none of this happened on the other PC to which the HDD was connected.

The HDD is shown in the BIOS as well as the boot menu.

So the new HDD is working perfectly. But the laptop is unable to use the HDD as expected. I am suspecting a faulty SATA port on the motherboard. But my concern is, changing the entire motherboard will be very expensive. Is it possible to change only the SATA port? ie. If the issue is with the SATA port at all!

Any help will be much appreciated.

 

[Someone Somewhere]

It's not possible to change only the SATA port. You might be able to replace the ODD with a hard drive, though. That wouldn't necessarily fix, though.

Do you know what happened to it to stop it working? I'm guessing liquid damage.

 

[cyberspark]

It's not possible to change only the SATA port. You might be able to replace the ODD with a hard drive, though. That wouldn't necessarily fix, though.

Do you know what happened to it to stop it working? I'm guessing liquid damage.

Yes, I did think of removing the ODD, using a caddy and plonk in the new HDD to use a primary HDD.

Is the performance of using the optical bay with a HDD comparable to using a HDD with a dedicated SATA port?

As for what happened, by my reckoning, I had forgotten to fasten the screws of the HDD frame to the motherboard. So perhaps the weight of the sagging HDD caused the port to bend? This is the only reason I can think of.

 

[Someone Somewhere]

It shouldn't affect performance.

I doubt the weight would affect it, but it should be pretty easy to touch up the SATA connectors with a soldering iron if needed.

 

[cyberspark]

It shouldn't affect performance.

I doubt the weight would affect it, but it should be pretty easy to touch up the SATA connectors with a soldering iron if needed.

Any other possibility as to why this is happening, if not for the SATA port?

 

[Someone Somewhere]

Anything else on the motherboard, really.

I'd possibly try booting a linux ISO from a USB drive and seeing if it crashes, and running a memory test.

 

[cyberspark]

Anything else on the motherboard, really.

I'd possibly try booting a linux ISO from a USB drive and seeing if it crashes, and running a memory test.

I wanted to try the Linux bit as well. Will do so today.

What if it does boot successfully? What will that point that?

Will MemTest be a good option to run a RAM test?

Although, the Dell Pre-Boot Assessment I ran yesterday said the RAM was fine. Then again, it also said the hard disk was fine.

Another anomaly I remember about this laptop. The processor fan cannot be modulated. It runs almost always on top speed; close to 5200RPM. This is because I can see a wire that seemingly provides power supply from elsewhere on the motherboard and it seems to come from a terminal near the HDD port and the CD/DVD drive port.

 

[Someone Somewhere]

Most linux distros (at least all the ubuntu-derived ones) have a built in memory tester - hit space while it's booting, and select that option.

Weird layouts aren't uncommon on laptops. Is it a bodge job, or designed like that from the factory?

 

[cyberspark]

Most linux distros (at least all the ubuntu-derived ones) have a built in memory tester - hit space while it's booting, and select that option.

Weird layouts aren't uncommon on laptops. Is it a bodge job, or designed like that from the factory?

The laptop has two RAM sticks. 1GBx1 and 4GBx1 for a total of 5GB.

I tested the 1GB stick with Memtest and no errors were reported even after 7 passes. I then tried booting the laptop with only the 1GB stick installed, but again was greeted to the same error.

I also tried booting with the 4GB RAM stick alone. But again, same error. The 4GB RAM stick is currently undergoing Memtest and I will know the results once I get home. Will update the same here later.

This is definitely a botch job. The wire has been secured using cellophane tape! The laptop was previously given to the Dell guys for a variety of problems. I suspect this laptop was a lemon since the day it was bought.

I did try installing Ubuntu 12.10 as well. Oddly enough, it did install without any problems. But when it tried to boot, I got a "Read Error".

If the SATA port alone is indeed not replaceable, I think I can use a ODD Caddy and use the new HDD there as the primary HDD. Much more cost effective compared to changing the motherboard or buying a new laptop.

The 4GB RAM also showed no errors in Memtest.

Any other ideas to narrow down to the problem?

 

[Someone Somewhere]

Can you post a picture? Using tape isn't that rare in manufacturing.

 

[cyberspark]

Can you post a picture? Using tape isn't that rare in manufacturing.

I am at my workplace right not and they have blocked access to photo sharing sites. Will do this ASAP.

 

[BadAsAl]

I wonder what that black wire is doing? I looked at other N4110 motherboards and don't see that on them. So this might have been added by the Dell techs to try and fix something but either way it looks shoddy and if Dell techs did do it I would not be happy.

 

[cyberspark]

I wonder what that black wire is doing? I looked at other N4110 motherboards and don't see that on them. So this might have been added by the Dell techs to try and fix something but either way it looks shoddy and if Dell techs did do it I would not be happy.

The Dell techs here have done a very messy job overall.

Also, here's a surprise.

I went down to a repair shop today.

He tried install Win 7 with the new HGST 500GB Z5K500. The installation got stuck at "Copying Windows Files" at 0%.

He then swapped out the HGST Hard Drive for a Seagate one he had. The installation went on flawlessly!

But the same HGST Hard Drive works perfectly when loaded onto my desktop PC.

Only two differences I could spot in the two HDDs.

The HGST HDD is thinner by a few mm. Also, the Seagate had a jumper port while the HGST did not.

Although, I do not see any port that connects to the jumper port on the motherboard as well.

Any ideas?

 

[cyberspark]

So I put the new HDD in my desktop and ran a Drive Fitness Test, a HGST utility.

Results are here:

I want to flash the BIOS. But I am unable to do this as Dell only provides a .EXE and FreeDOS says "This program cannot be run in DOS mode"