Comments on: A Hard Drive Warning From an Old Computer

By: Joshua Pace

Joshua Pace — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 23:42:20 +0000

Thanks Rei Vilo, I wasn’t aware that you could use a utility to retrieve this info.
- Josh

By: microsoft » A Hard Drive Warning From an Old Computer [Mossberg’s Mailbox]

Sun, 07 Oct 2007 14:00:27 +0000

[...] All Things Digital wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptDismiss Mossberg’s Mailbox Here are a few questions I’ve received recently from people like you, and my answers. [...]

By: rei vilo

rei vilo — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 19:14:24 +0000

Bonjour,
About the Disk 0 on a Dell computer: I experienced the same problem on my 8-years old Siemens laptop.

Actually, the hard disk drive is SMART capable, that is self monitored: temperature, number of switch on/switch, number of hours used, … are recorded. When one or more values pass a limit set by the manufacturer, the disk could be at risk and a warning pops up.

A SMART reader utility could give you the explanation of the message.

Don’t wait too late to 1. backup your disk and 2. change it for a new. I did both and my old laptop seems faster now.

Best regards,

By: Richard Mitnick

Richard Mitnick — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 20:19:07 +0000

For the start-up delay on the Toshiba:

I had this same problem on two XP Home machines after I upgraded ZoneAlarm from 6. to 7. I had this problem even though in 7. When I bought 6., I only bought the AV software. I did not want a suite. The upgrade to 7. was free. But when I looked at it, it was the suite.I had the firewall turned off. I use the Windows firewall.

On the advice of a technician, I got rid of the ZoneAlarm. I looked around for AV, searching on the phrase “just ani-virus”. I got hits on a bunch of forums and mostly, I saw recommendations for AVG 7.5 Free Anti Virus. That is what I installed.

No more problems on either machine.

So, if the Toshiba owner is using ZoneAlarm, that is something to at least look at.

>>RSM

By: Glenn Howes

Glenn Howes — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 15:58:46 +0000

There is no way I would waste time going to a service tech to check on or fix a 7 year old hard drive. I go on the one strike you are out theory of hard drives; they are too cheap in comparison to their cost of failure. Get a $40 replacement online, clone the original (I guess you might have to find a techie to do this), throw the original in a closet in case the clone fails. End of story.

By: Wilhelm Evertz

Wilhelm Evertz — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 14:33:45 +0000

Dear Mr. Mossberg:

This is the second time I see you referring readers to ‘msconfig’. There is a much better way, also from Microsoft, called Software Explorer. Go to Start/Settings/Control Panel/Software Explorer. It identifies each start-up program in great detail and allows you to disable or remove it.

I have used Startup Cop for years. When I tried to buy the upgrade some months ago I was unsuccessful. I have not tried it recently, however.

Sincerely,

Wilhelm Evertz