Iastor.sys is corrupt

[Marshall_Banana]

First, here are my specs:
Windows 7 Ultimate
Intel i5-3570k
Asus P8Z77-V Pro
Asus Geforce GTX 760
8GB DDR3
1TB Western Digital OEM

I recently built a computer. Everything was running fine for a few days until one day, on starting the computer up, it fails to start and sends me to the Startup Repair, which tells me it cannot repair the issue. The diagnoses claims:

"Boot critical file D:\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\iaStor.sys is corrupt"

So I tried restoring the system to an earlier point. The restore always fails. Ran a memory diagnostic, and no issues were found. Checked the forums here for some solutions and tried as many as I could. These included booting with the controller in RAID (didn't work), AHCI (didn't change anything, although this was the default for my motherboard), and so on. I tried replacing the apparently corrupt driver with an up to date one (admittedly could have done this wrong, but as you'll see, it doesn't really matter). I then noticed that the driver in question is in the D:\ drive, which as far as I can tell is the optical drive (which doesn't seem to make sense to me since this seems to be the location of the corrupt driver regardless whether there is a disk in the optical drive).

And here's the kicker. I've gone through this process several times already. When I reach the limit of what I can see as possible solutions, I just re-install the OS. Then, several days later, the same error happens. This is now the third or fourth time that this has happened to me. Every time I re-install the OS I install all the drivers for the mobo etc, and the system runs through the standard millions of updates and service packs and so on, and yet this error still occurs.

So if it is simply a corrupt driver, then what should I do? And if it isn't that, then it would appear that the problem is with my hard drive. If that's the case, do I have to replace the hard drive all together?

 

[Flyfisherman]

Hi,
iastor.sys is for INTEL'S Rapid Storage Controller and not a Microsoft file.
There are only one HDD and you cannot use RAID configuration then.
RAID http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAID

First you must make sure that AHCI is enabled in BIOS Setup.
Do "Load Optimized Defaults" [F5] and then check the disk boot priority. Save & Exit [F10].
Btw. While you are at the BIOS, check the BIOS version also.
Latest BIOS ver. is 2003 http://support.asus.com/download.aspx?SLanguage=en&p=1&s=39&m=P8Z77-V%20PRO&os=8&hashedid=euntYpCDv4qZjTYS

If you decide at a later point to upgrade BIOS, place the BIOS Rom file on a USB stick formatted in Fat32.
Do Not flash BIOS from within Windows, instead use ASUS EZ Flash 2 directly from BIOS Setup meny. Take a look in the manual how to do this, very simple and easy.
Caution! Do Not turn off the PC or remove the USB-stick during BIOS Flashing.
BIOS Update Manual Page 3-36 (pdf 108/164)

"Boot critical file D:\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\iaStor.sys is corrupt"

This suggest that the computer is booted from the DVD?

Take a look on the drive itself and see if it says AF in a small box. If so, this implies that this is an Advanced Format drive and could be the source of your problem.

Also check all cable connection to and from the motherboard, especially the SATA connectors (both ends) and the SATA power connectors to the drive.

Connect the hard-drive SATA cable to the Intel SATA port #1 or #2 (Grey).
Manual page 2-17 (pdf page 26 and 27) item number 8

The latest Intel Rapid Storage Technology (IRST) SATA AHCI/RAID driver Download .

Which file to choose
iata_enu.exe: provides English-only files if you have an English version of the operating system.
iata_cd.exe: provides multiple language files if you have an operating system other than English.

Optional: one of the following F6 Driver Diskettes (depending on your operating system):

f6flpy-x86.zip - for 32-bit versions of the operating system
f6flpy-x64.zip - for 64-bit versions of the operating system

In the Release notes says that there have been some bug fixes for the iastor-file among other tings.

Best Regards from Sweden

 

[Marshall_Banana]

Yea, I was originally (defaultly) using AHCI configuration, but on a suggestion from another forum member I tried the others (only briefly). Thanks for the information though.

The optical drive doesn't appear to be an Advanced Format drive.

I rechecked all the connections on the motherboard, and I made sure that everything was in tight. I moved the HDD SATA connection from the dark blue SATA port on the motherboard to the grey SATA port.

Lastly, I have downloaded the iata_enu.exe file to make sure I have the latest IRST drivers.

Hopefully one of those things will have worked, and in that case, this will probably be my last post in this thread. Thank you very much for your input.

 

[Jef312]

Take a look on the drive itself and see if it says AF in a small box. If so, this implies that this is an Advanced Format drive and could be the source of your problem.

Also check all cable connection to and from the motherboard, especially the SATA connectors (both ends) and the SATA power connectors to the drive.

Connect the hard-drive SATA cable to the Intel SATA port #1 or #2 (Grey).
Manual page 2-17 (pdf page 26 and 27) item number 8

The latest Intel Rapid Storage Technology (IRST) SATA AHCI/RAID driver Download .

Which file to choose
iata_enu.exe: provides English-only files if you have an English version of the operating system.
iata_cd.exe: provides multiple language files if you have an operating system other than English.

Optional: one of the following F6 Driver Diskettes (depending on your operating system):

f6flpy-x86.zip - for 32-bit versions of the operating system
f6flpy-x64.zip - for 64-bit versions of the operating system

In the Release notes says that there have been some bug fixes for the iastor-file among other tings.

Best Regards from Sweden[/quotemsg]

__________________________

Greeting from Florida,

HP Elitebook 8560w
Seagate 500GB ''AF" drive
Win7 Pro64 is current OS (trying to dual boot to XP- Pro64)

In your answer to the 'iastore.sys is corrupt' error during XP64 install ... you mentioned the AF Box on the drive itself as a problem.

I had created the install disk with Nlite and included SP3 with all the correct files from Intel. Also tried the F6 method ... both resulted in the same iastore.sys corrupt.

I think the Advanced format issue is next on my checklist. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks
Jim

 

[Flyfisherman]

Hi Jim,
I am sorry for my English grammar.

You are using Windows XP and with this there are some issues to be aware of.
This 500GB drive of yours is not the root cause, rather than it's existing file system into the file table.
Try EasyBCD http://neosmart.net/EasyBCD/

But Seagate 500GB has a known firmware bug and you should download and install the newer version.
Please see this article: http://www.tomshardware.com/news/seagate-hard-drive-firmware-bricked,6889.html

Best Regards from Sweden