Error 0xc00000e9 ; computer won't start, hard drive suspected

[denabu]

So I hopped on my computer this evening after coming home and it was already on, I open up the start menu to open Skype and the start menu just stops doing anything, so explorer.exe was freezing, alt ctrl del to try to fix it, could not display that screen, offered to restart computer. Attempted restart and the computer would not restart and stopped just as it was suppose to display advanced boot options and says

Windows has encounter a problem communicating with a device connected to your computer.

Tis error can be caused by unplugging a removable storage device such as an external USB drive while the device is in use, or by faulty hardware such as a hard drive or CD-ROM drive that is failing. Make sure any removable storage is properly connected and then restart your computer

If yo continue to receive this error message, contact the hardware manufacturer.

File: \Boot\BCD
Status: 0xc00000e9
Info: An unexpected I/O error has occurred.

I've had no previous problems with anything other than the graphics card which has had a few problems with the graphics driver stopping responding but always recovers immediately. The problem, according to the error, must be either the hard drive, or the CD-ROM drive, which I've not used in the past 2 months so I doubt.

If I attempt to reformat and reinstall windows, it'll boot from the CD and never leave the windows loading screen so I can't reformat / restore.

I currently have a warranty but I would love to not have to send this back to have it fixed as I use this computer for all of my college programming work.

OS: Windows 7
Bought from: Ibuypower

Ive attempted to disconnect and reconnect the hard drive and both cd roms to no avail, along with any other connections such as mouse and keyboard.

If anyone has an idea on how to identify for sure what component it is, please let me know, and if possible, a way to fix it without replacing anything! That'd be amazing. This is a lot of typing for an iPad lol. Thank you in advance for any information given. As I said I do have the back up plan of sending it back to ibuypower to have them fix it, so at least there's no pressure.

 

[joshyboy82]

googled:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_vista-system/unable-to-boot-error-0xc00000e9/c874be58-416f-4f1a-9827-d112a1d07b6a

 

[denabu]

Sorry but that link does not help me, as I stated I am unable to get to the advanced boot options screen and therefore cannot start in safe mode. It also means I am unable to do repair from said menu

 

[memadmax]

Sounds like the SATA controller took a dump on ya.
If u are not able to use either the hard drives or dvd rom drives, more than likely controller failure.
Just to be sure thou, try and use a different PSU if you can.

 

[denabu]

Not even sure what you mean by SATA controller or PSU lol. I just got off the phone with ibuypower and he said that it was the hard drive based off the diagnostics we tried. Something else I want to know, if I were to buy a hard drive and it not be the problem, is there any way to return said hard drive after trying to hook it up?

 

[memadmax]

But you said the DVD player wasn't working either?
If it doesn't work either then the problem is with the motherboard(sata controller on the motherboard), not the hard drive.

 

[denabu]

Not exactly sure if the cd-rom drives are working because it'll recognize any cd I put in (the windows 7 cd or my cd for my motherboard that has drivers on it and such) but just cannot boot to the cd and will not tell me why, just loads indefinitely. I would think that would be the hard drive because it can't find anywhere to load these files that it's suppose to be getting from the disc? Sorry I'm not much of a hardware person I'm more software myself.

Edit: gonna be gone for a little while to do an online exam on my brothers computer, thank you for all the suggestions so far. If it ended up being the sara, I see that sata cards are fairly cheap, would it be as simple as buying one and replacing or would the whole motherboard have to go?

 

[nalerian]

It is a slight toss up between the hard drive and SATA controller (motherboard component) based on what you've described. If you have a small Linux shell or something to load into memory that could bypass the hard drive altogether, that'd be the way to test. But with the Windows 7 OS disk, it could be getting stuck at some point of heavy loading (from the DVD, thus showing it could be a SATA controller / motherboard problem) or it could be getting stuck when it tries to write stuff to the hard drive (which is where previously mentioned data goes...).

As for returning hard drive for refund, I'd suggest a local shop and ask them their return policy. That's going to be up to individual reseller, not something others can tell you with any certainty.

 

[denabu]

Called best buy this morning and asked about a return policy, apparently even on internal hard drives they offer a 30 day money bck guarantee. I was shocked, so I headed down and grabbed a new 500gb one for 80 dollars (man hard drives are expensive right now) and I put it in, and I'm installing windows 7 as I type! Gonna bring my old hard drive back to best buy to attempt to get my old files off of it. Thank you all for your help and suggestions and I'm just glad that it didn't end up being the motherboard.

 

[denabu]

Best answer selected by denabu.

 

[xjbear]

If you know your hardware is good and your installing from an iso or disc copy and you get the error message 0xc00000e9 then you need to download and install the win7 usb/dvd iso burning tool. it will not work without it and you will get the error code.
Heres the link read the instructions and follow them, Download or create your win7 iso, download and install the tool, open the tool and follow the instructions, it will burn a perfect iso disc for you thats bootable or opened with in windows

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msstore/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool

 

[violentpursuit]

If the problem was not with the SATA controller on your motherboard (because it worked with a new HDD) were you able to recover the data from your old damaged HDD?

 

[zeetnez]

Only need other disc MS Windows 7

 

[TeamBills]

I'm getting the same problem. How do I know if it's the hard drive or something else.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

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