Need help getting a new HDD

[lord_sturm]

Hello everyone,

I have been getting a BSOD error for many weeks, driver_irql_not_less_or_equal which apparently originates from "ntoskrnl.exe".
I was told by a friend that it is most likely a HDD faillure. I am now looking at replacing my HDDs but I am confused as to what HDD is compatible with my motherboard.
My motherboard is a "Asus P5Q SE2 Intel P45 (Socket 775) DDR2 Motherboard". I have found many SATA II HDD, are they compatible with SATA motherboards?
Also, does anyone have any recomendations as to what HDD I should get. I am looking for performance over storage capacity.

Thank you in advance for the support.



Quick Edit: These are the two HDD I want to get, a small capacity one for the OS + software and a storage HDD
Western Digital Caviar Blue 160GB SATA-II 8MB Cache
Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB SATA-II 64MB Cache

Or is it better if I just buy the 2TB HDD and make a partition just for OS + software?

 

[johnnyq1233]

From what you just told us the BSOD error is not a HDD failure. It sounds like the "ntoskrnl.exe" has been corrupted by either a virus or an impropper shutdown...
What I would do is try to "RESTORE" the comp to a date before the BSOD started happening and run a complete virus scan...could take some time though.
If that fails do a fresh install of the OS...
Let us know how it went.....JQ

 

[hell_storm2004]

From what i know of this error. There's is a driver conflict on your PC. Uninstall all drivers you have and update them to the latest. For GPU use Drive Sweeper. Google for it.

This shouldn't be a HDD issue. Just dont spend the money because of a BSOD now. Exhaust all possibilities then buy.

Before going for a new HDD. You should try this:
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000646.htm

 

[lord_sturm]

I have re-installed Windows 7 three times, once as 32 bit, twice as 64 bit (on both hard drives) and I still get the BSoD.

I will try to install Vista and see if it works first. Thanks for the info ^^

 

[RetiredChief]

Have you run Prime 95 to verify no memory issues. And are temps/voltages nominal.

 

[johnnyq1233]

sounds like a mem module is giving you some trouble...try mem test 86+...
It will reveal any memory issues with your modules....

 

[davcon]

^+1 Memtest86+ your ram one stick at a time

 

[lord_sturm]

Well I already tried different combos of RAM but I will run memtest86 on each single one ... I guess maybe its possible that two sticks are dead and not just one (when I did combos I used 2 sticks and not a single one).

Thank you so much for the help, sorry if it went from HDD to BSoD to RAM ^^