The full message displayed is "a disk read error occured press ctrl+alt+del to restart, " whicj comes up just after the inital toshiba startup screen. When I push ctrl+alt+del, the process simply loops around until I get to that error screem comes up again. I have tried to get into safe mode (F8) with no avail, and I have also tried to run my Toshiba recovery CD directly with the use of the F6 key. I even tried to run BIOS, but since I didn't even get far enough into startup to open it up, I couldn't get to it. I've been surfing aorund, trying to find some info on this issue, but I can't seem to find anything helpful. I don't have any extremely important files on my computer, so while it would be nice to keep them AND get my computer to work, I'd be very grateful if anyone could even get me into a position to start fresh with a working computer. Thanks a lot!
2006-11-18 04:44:06 · 5 answers · asked by MusicIsLove 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Laptops & Notebooks
Ahhhh, the 'disk read error', i have had this problem alot over the years. Im sorry to say, but ur hard drive has gone bad. Thats why it doesnt read from it, and thus it wont start. Nothing would work, not even safe mode. Take it to your comp hardware store to confirm this, as then u would need to buy a new hard drive.
2006-11-18 04:57:11 · answer #1 · answered by rooney 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My guess is that the system isn't recognizing your hard disk drive. In your situation, the only way to confirm this is in the BIOS which you should really try to get it to. At the toshiba screen, don't wait...tab F2 immediately and continuously, and it should get you into to BIOS. From there you can see if the systems can read you hard drive.
And just to be on the safe side, you might wanna consider removing any diskette from the system (if any).
If nothing works, you should run the recovery console from the Microsoft Windows XP CD. Stick it in and allow the system to boot from the CD. It should stop on a screen that asks you if you wanna install windows, or if you wanna run the recovery console. Choose the later, and then if it's able to read your Hard drive, it should take you to an MS-DOS command line. It would ask you to choose the hard drive you wanna work with (I presume the C: drive should be your main hard drive, and it's always number 1...so pick 1). Afterwards, it should give you a command line prompt to type something. At the command prompt, type "chkdsk /r" (there's a space between chkdsk and /r) this simply tells it to check the disk for errors, and then repairs the errors in the process. The system should, at this point, begin to check the disk. One funny thing though...for some reason, while performing the check, the percentage fluctuates strangely. As in, it might show 50% complete, but by time you look again, you see 32%. That's normal, but I don't know why. Just let it do its thing.
The whole process takes time depending on the size of your hard drive and any errors. It will display the result when it's done and ask you to reboot.
I really hope this helps, so just give it a shot...Gud Luck!
Oh by the way, I hope you're using XP. Don't do anything that you are unsure of!
2006-11-18 13:07:32 · answer #2 · answered by ginG3R 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
IF you don't need to save any info from the computer, you can try making a win98 boot disk from another computer, you can download a program to make one at www.bootdisk.com, then boot to the boot floppy and repartition your drive, then repartition your drive and then do a full format. Allot of the times you get that error, the drive is usually actually fixable, it could just be a currupt file system on the front part of drive, if you do need info off, best bet is to take drive out and stick in a usb drive enclosure and hook to another computer as a slave drive, Might get a little technical for you and you might need to hire a pro. Just dont assume the bad is completely gone and unusable untill you do this. After your have formatted it, then try the recovery CD again
2006-11-18 13:08:50 · answer #3 · answered by Jon J 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
make sure, if you have a floppy disk drive, that there is no disk in the drive. This would cause the error. If there is a disk in there, eject the disk and reboot.
2006-11-18 12:48:00 · answer #4 · answered by tw0cl0n3m3 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like your hard drive is bad. If you pull the hard drive out then you should be able to get to BIOS setup page.
2006-11-18 12:47:50 · answer #5 · answered by Mike W 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋