(long) HD errors hosed parts of computer - what to do?

[Guest foobar5@home.com]

My daughter has a Lenovo laptop running XP Home, SP2.

 

I get on it periodically for maintenance (my account on that computer

is admin; hers is not).

 

Earlier this week, I had the yellow shield alerting me that SP3 was

downloaded and ready for installation. The installation proceeded

smoothly and uneventfully until about 2/3 of the way through, when it

had a problem copying a file. Stupidly, I said to proceed without

copying that file, but then the next file copy had a problem too, so I

aborted the SP3 install.

 

The installation looked like it smoothly "rolled back" to SP2 and the

computer restarted. But then I had no internet access, even though

the WLAN was detected, with strong signal strength. After fiddling

with that for a while (disconnecting and reconnecting, uninstalling

the wireless card and having XP find it again, all the usual stuff)

and coming up empty, I used System Restore to put the computer back to

where it was the day before.

 

That's when things really went south. On startup, the black XP screen

with the three blue dots scrolling across it would be up for five

minutes before the login screen appeared. After logging in, the clock

would freeze for a few minutes while "stuff" happened behind the

scenes, then would resume.

 

Skipping over several other things I tried, I finally used Scandisk

with both boxes checked. The process ran for more than three hours on

a 40% occupied 60 gig drive. Among some of the things that occurred:

 

* repairing the security file record segment

* cleaning up 699 unused index entries from index $sii of file 9

* cleaning up 699 unused index entries from index $sdh of file 9

* cleaning up 699 security descriptors

* fixing mirror copy of the security descriptors data stream

 

And Windows replaced bad clusters in hundreds (100+ that I noted, but

there were lots of times I was away from the computer) of files.

 

Several were from the system restore area. Several were from various

parts of the \windows folder, leaving me scared. There was also a

file called usbport.sys that had bad clusters replaced.

 

Naturally, I was completely shocked when the computer seemingly

returned to full functionality, including the boot/startup sequence

shortening down to normal. And we have 100% reliable internet

connectivity.

 

Obviously, a bunch of issues are in play here. Just among the ones

I'm aware of:

 

It's not normal to have so many file problems and disk errors. I am

attributing this to my daughter's penchant for dropping her laptop

while it's in use (off her bed, short drop to floor, but not exactly

acceptable care for a sensitive device), and to walking around with

the laptop open and in use. I am about to purchase Spinrite, about

which I've heard many good things, to assess and optimize her disk. I

had problems copying files off of it last night, so I know that the

disk is in shaky shape; just not yet sure how shaky.

 

Because system restore files were damaged, I turned off System Restore

to clear that stuff out, then reenabled System Restore to start anew.

 

The USB port doesn't work, which doesn't surprise me since usbport.sys

was damaged. What's the easiest and best way to restore port

functionality?

 

Although I am certain that several Windows components were damaged,

again, the computer seems to function wonderfully; I am sure I'll run

in to other odd behavior that will need to be repaired. Is there any

way, short of reinstalling and updating Windows from scratch, to

assess what updates are needed? Other than SP3, the computer was 100%

up to date on Windows updates.

 

Speaking of SP3, I specifically saw portions of the SP3 download that

had bad clusters replaced. How can I just delete the download from

the machine, then go back to Windows Update and get a new one

downloaded?

 

Long post, I know. Hope the information answers relevant questions.

My own questions for now boil down to three really:

 

1. How do I restore USB port functionality?

2. How do I assess and replace Windows updates that were damaged?

3. How do I get a fresh SP3 for download and install?

[Guest Andrew E.]

RE: (long) HD errors hosed parts of computer - what to do?

 

As far as XP SP3,download the update from

here:http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5B33B5A8-5E76-401F-BE08-1E1555D4F3D4&displaylang=en

Also,with youre current problems,system restore you might want to have on,the

old restore dates are now eliminated,also,in disk-clean up

utility,locate,the tab

to "clean-up other areas",scroll to the bottom,use the "eliminate all

restore dates

but the most current"..In the future it does help.As for USB,go to the

chipset

mfg web site (intel/amd,etc),locate the chipset installation utility for

youre chip

set & install,this tells XP how to configure USB,among other things....

 

"foobar5@home.com" wrote:

> My daughter has a Lenovo laptop running XP Home, SP2.

>

> I get on it periodically for maintenance (my account on that computer

> is admin; hers is not).

>

> Earlier this week, I had the yellow shield alerting me that SP3 was

> downloaded and ready for installation. The installation proceeded

> smoothly and uneventfully until about 2/3 of the way through, when it

> had a problem copying a file. Stupidly, I said to proceed without

> copying that file, but then the next file copy had a problem too, so I

> aborted the SP3 install.

>

> The installation looked like it smoothly "rolled back" to SP2 and the

> computer restarted. But then I had no internet access, even though

> the WLAN was detected, with strong signal strength. After fiddling

> with that for a while (disconnecting and reconnecting, uninstalling

> the wireless card and having XP find it again, all the usual stuff)

> and coming up empty, I used System Restore to put the computer back to

> where it was the day before.

>

> That's when things really went south. On startup, the black XP screen

> with the three blue dots scrolling across it would be up for five

> minutes before the login screen appeared. After logging in, the clock

> would freeze for a few minutes while "stuff" happened behind the

> scenes, then would resume.

>

> Skipping over several other things I tried, I finally used Scandisk

> with both boxes checked. The process ran for more than three hours on

> a 40% occupied 60 gig drive. Among some of the things that occurred:

>

> * repairing the security file record segment

> * cleaning up 699 unused index entries from index $sii of file 9

> * cleaning up 699 unused index entries from index $sdh of file 9

> * cleaning up 699 security descriptors

> * fixing mirror copy of the security descriptors data stream

>

> And Windows replaced bad clusters in hundreds (100+ that I noted, but

> there were lots of times I was away from the computer) of files.

>

> Several were from the system restore area. Several were from various

> parts of the \windows folder, leaving me scared. There was also a

> file called usbport.sys that had bad clusters replaced.

>

> Naturally, I was completely shocked when the computer seemingly

> returned to full functionality, including the boot/startup sequence

> shortening down to normal. And we have 100% reliable internet

> connectivity.

>

> Obviously, a bunch of issues are in play here. Just among the ones

> I'm aware of:

>

> It's not normal to have so many file problems and disk errors. I am

> attributing this to my daughter's penchant for dropping her laptop

> while it's in use (off her bed, short drop to floor, but not exactly

> acceptable care for a sensitive device), and to walking around with

> the laptop open and in use. I am about to purchase Spinrite, about

> which I've heard many good things, to assess and optimize her disk. I

> had problems copying files off of it last night, so I know that the

> disk is in shaky shape; just not yet sure how shaky.

>

> Because system restore files were damaged, I turned off System Restore

> to clear that stuff out, then reenabled System Restore to start anew.

>

> The USB port doesn't work, which doesn't surprise me since usbport.sys

> was damaged. What's the easiest and best way to restore port

> functionality?

>

> Although I am certain that several Windows components were damaged,

> again, the computer seems to function wonderfully; I am sure I'll run

> in to other odd behavior that will need to be repaired. Is there any

> way, short of reinstalling and updating Windows from scratch, to

> assess what updates are needed? Other than SP3, the computer was 100%

> up to date on Windows updates.

>

> Speaking of SP3, I specifically saw portions of the SP3 download that

> had bad clusters replaced. How can I just delete the download from

> the machine, then go back to Windows Update and get a new one

> downloaded?

>

> Long post, I know. Hope the information answers relevant questions.

> My own questions for now boil down to three really:

>

> 1. How do I restore USB port functionality?

> 2. How do I assess and replace Windows updates that were damaged?

> 3. How do I get a fresh SP3 for download and install?

>

[Guest foobar5@home.com]

Re: (long) HD errors hosed parts of computer - what to do?

 

On Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:04:01 -0700, Andrew E. <eckrichco@msn.com>

wrote:

> As far as XP SP3,download the update from

>here:http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5B33B5A8-5E76-401F-BE08-1E1555D4F3D4&displaylang=en

> Also,with youre current problems,system restore you might want to have on,the

> old restore dates are now eliminated,also,in disk-clean up

>utility,locate,the tab

> to "clean-up other areas",scroll to the bottom,use the "eliminate all

>restore dates

> but the most current"..In the future it does help.As for USB,go to the

>chipset

> mfg web site (intel/amd,etc),locate the chipset installation utility for

>youre chip

> set & install,this tells XP how to configure USB,among other things....

 

Thanks.

 

I'm running SpinRite at this point. Miraculously, it's 6% done in

about ten minutes. I think hitting the bad parts of the disk will

slow it down markedly.

 

I forgot about System Restore, but my intent is to turn it off (losing

all probably corrupted restore data), turn it back on, create an

immediate restore point, and test, just to make sure that it's truly

working again. But I wanted to know the HD state first.

 

Probably not the brightest thing, but after failing to find a USB

driver for SP2 on Microsoft's site (found an SP1 driver, but Windows

wouldn't install that), I simply copied the driver from another XP

machine in the house onto the laptop, restarted, and the port worked

fine.

 

Once everything else is more steady-state, I will definitely download

SP3 from the site you mentioned and install it.

[Guest DL]

Re: (long) HD errors hosed parts of computer - what to do?

 

If you are saying the disk has errors, replace it, dont bother updating

untill this has been done

 

<foobar5@home.com> wrote in message

news:7ctld4dg2qnar6v0op8r2nja14oq0df5k5@4ax.com...

> On Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:04:01 -0700, Andrew E. <eckrichco@msn.com>

> wrote:

>

>> As far as XP SP3,download the update from

>>here:http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5B33B5A8-5E76-401F-BE08-1E1555D4F3D4&displaylang=en

>> Also,with youre current problems,system restore you might want to have

>> on,the

>> old restore dates are now eliminated,also,in disk-clean up

>>utility,locate,the tab

>> to "clean-up other areas",scroll to the bottom,use the "eliminate all

>>restore dates

>> but the most current"..In the future it does help.As for USB,go to the

>>chipset

>> mfg web site (intel/amd,etc),locate the chipset installation utility for

>>youre chip

>> set & install,this tells XP how to configure USB,among other things....

>

> Thanks.

>

> I'm running SpinRite at this point. Miraculously, it's 6% done in

> about ten minutes. I think hitting the bad parts of the disk will

> slow it down markedly.

>

> I forgot about System Restore, but my intent is to turn it off (losing

> all probably corrupted restore data), turn it back on, create an

> immediate restore point, and test, just to make sure that it's truly

> working again. But I wanted to know the HD state first.

>

> Probably not the brightest thing, but after failing to find a USB

> driver for SP2 on Microsoft's site (found an SP1 driver, but Windows

> wouldn't install that), I simply copied the driver from another XP

> machine in the house onto the laptop, restarted, and the port worked

> fine.

>

> Once everything else is more steady-state, I will definitely download

> SP3 from the site you mentioned and install it.