I/O Disk Error...Please help - Page 4

Monstermile · 06-08-2003, 09:26 AM

Redwolf: The WD disk I have been speaking of all along is the Data Lifeguard Tools. I bought an OEM drive so it didn't come with any software so I downloaded that from the WD site. I ran the quick test and extended test (took about 50 minutes) before and that is where I got no errors. I also used it to do a low level format. But now when I put the disk in I got the error I listed above:

Bad or missing command interperter
Please enter a vaild file name or hit enter to retry

That disk also has the utilities to partition and format. I was using that because the vesion of FDISK on the Win98 CD does not support drives over 64g and this is an 80g drive.

AlexanderAkulick: Because I can't run FDISK from the floppy I have to use the CD. The version of FDISK does not support drives over 64g as I stated above.

I am getting the impression this is the hard drive. And it is beginning to sound like I didn't have a bad motherboard before and that it was the hard drive all along. So I returned the mobo for nothing. Should I just RMA this damn thing (hard drive) and be done with it??? I just wanna make sure that this is my only problem.

Thanks

06-08-2003, 01:33 PM

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Monstermile · 06-09-2003, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AlexanderAkulick
The drive is not likely to be the problem, I have seen a bad bus on the mobo cause similar problems and your refurb board could have this problem although unlikely.

Ok trust me I am not trying to be a smartass. But you said it is unlikely the drive and highly unlikely it's the mobo. So where do I stand???

I'll try to update the bios and see what happens. If that doesn't do anything I'm just gonna RMA the drive.

06-09-2003, 03:32 PM

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Redwolf · 06-09-2003, 03:43 PM

Okay, use the data lifeguard tools to 'Zero' your drive. IE to write zeros to EVERY sector of the drive. Thsi will take a long time, but is more certain than a low-level format. Get a 98 boot disk (Or boot with the CD, if possible) and try to run it.

If it runs, do an fdisk, and make a partition. Then format the partition with:

format c: /u

After that, run setup. If Windows will not install, or if the drive is still giving beef, RMA your Mobo. The drive is okaym, since if it were having a problem with the symptoms you describe, the drive's S.M.A.R.T. would have detected it and so would have the Extended Test you ran on it.

That would leave either the cable or the mobo. You said you have tried different cablesalready, but it's best to double check. If it still doesn't work, RMA the mobo.

Monstermile · 06-09-2003, 05:35 PM

Redwolf: As I stated in a post above I can't even run the lifeguard tools now. When I do I get this:

Bad or missing command interperter
Please enter a vaild file name or hit enter to retry

And just for the heck of it I tried booting from the CD again and trying to FDISK. When it goes to check the drive integrity it just hangs at 0% and doesn't move.

I have no idea what is going on. It would be alot easier to RMA the drive because I can do it directly to newegg. Unfortunantly with the mobo I screwed up and didn't realize you could RMA with them for up to a year so I RMA'ed my first one directly to MSI. I really don't want to deal with them unless I absolutely have to.

thronka · 06-09-2003, 05:47 PM

Have you made sure that you have turned on the IDE controllers (primary and secondary) in the BIOS? My mobo when I had it was turned off and I have to turn them on to get the OS installed.

DoctorReno · 06-09-2003, 05:51 PM

Monster you can get the new FDISK from bootdisk.com

Personally, I would also download a new Win98 startup disk from there also and put the new FDISK on that floppy.

Redwolf · 06-09-2003, 06:25 PM

Oh, really? I must have misunderstood.

It sounds more and more like a screwed-up mobo. Try resetting the BIOS to the fail-safe defaults and if that doesn't help anything, then I think it's safe to say it's either the mobo or the cables.

Monstermile · 06-09-2003, 09:21 PM

thronka: Yup both IDE controllers are turned on

DoctorReno: I have tried several boot disks, all with the updated FDISK and still get the original I/O disk error. I went and downloaded the Windows 98 SE Custom, No Ramdrive boot disk. I honestly don't know exactly what that means. Well I actually got it to boot with that one. When I went into FDISK it hung again when checking the driver integrity.

Redwolf: If it is actually the mobo why did I get the same I/O disk error when I put the hd into my good machine and tried to boot?? Also from earlier in this thread I am still getting the no 80 pin connector message and I have an 80 pin connector in.

Sorry to be a PITA, but I just hate to RMA this mobo to MSI and have it end up being the hd. I never thought building my own system would be such a nightmare.