What should I do to fix this?

Question

My computer has been acting funny for a while....When I start it up it says "Smart failure predicted on hard disk 0 Hitachi_DK23FA-80-(PM) Immediately back-up data and replace your hard disk drive. A failure may be imminent.
Press F1 to continue.
It says that everytime I restart. Lately it has been shutting itself down and saying "Operating system not found" On a black screen.
I know a little about computers but not this much! I am assuming my hard disk drive is my C: drive..Correct?
I know this thing is going to crash eventually, but works for now. (kinda)
I found this website and I was wondering if I should get a "bare drive" and if that is what I need.
http://www.drivesolutions.com/cgi-bin/shop/ug2store.cgi?command=listitems&kind=sol&pos=0&type=itemid&itemid=sol1657
I ran it on PCpitstop.com and it said my C: drive was having issues. Should I get a Bare Drive? Or what?
I need my computer for school and can't afford a new one!
Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

First thing, backup any and all important files immediately. Your drive could fail completely anytime. Use a DVD burner to start burning it all onto disks, or onto a shared drive on another computer.

Also something that might make it easier for you when re-installing onto the new hard drive is the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. It will keep all of the appearance changes, mail settings and Internet sites you have. Basically help keep it the way it was before. I left a link to Microsoft's help on using it.

If you have the new drive before the older one dies you should be able to do a direct copy and leave everything intact. For that you could use something like Norton ghost, or look around for a cheaper or maybe free alternative.

And you should be able to get a drive at your local CompUSA, or even Best Buy. If you can wait a little longer you can find better deals on line and have it shipped to you. You can use the site you mentioned as a guide to the type of hard drive, but you might be able to find it cheaper elsewhere.

Answer 2

Your hard drive is about to die on you, especially if there are also funny noises. Back up NOW before you lose important data.

Hard drives are SO CHEAP nowadays. Better buy a replacement. It would be easier to transfer data on the new drive now while your old drive is on its last few breaths.

Answer 3

Sometimes that error can display for ever and your computer will be fine.

If you want to get a new hard drive, buy it from www.newegg.com, they are cheap and reliable. You need to know what kind you need.

Also, you will have to either reinstall Windows (you will need your CD) or you can get a imaging program (I use RTT Disk Backup)... this will make an exact copy of your entire hard drive and put it on the new one...

Answer 4

Wow, sounds like you are about to have a Crash! If you are able try going to SafetyLive.Com from MS and do a complete system scan, or if you have spybot search and scan then you could do that. Or at last, call hitachi and tell them, and they can try to clean it for you. Last but not least, perhaps you need to add your origional discs to your drive and reinstall your harddrive information from them.

Answer 5

I think its time to replace your drive. If you have data on it get it saved on cds.

1. Save your data
2.format your hard drive.. it may fix bad sectors.
3.reinstall the windows
4. if still don't work . get a new bare bone drive and install windows on it .

good luck

Answer 6

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Answer 7

GO TO THE BIOS\CMOS UTILITY AT STARTUP BY PRESSING F2 ,F1 OR DEL DEPENDING ON YOUR SYSTEM
NOW IN THIS UTILITY NAVIGATE AND SEARCH FOR A OPTION OF SMART REPORTING FOR HARDDISK
WHEN FOUND DISABLE AND EXIT THE BIOS\CMOS SAVING THE CHANGES.