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Question

My laptop HDD is slow

Apr 28, 2015 5:45PM PDT

Hello everyone. I need some help. My hard disk is somehow too slow. Windows 7 takes about 3 minutes to start up. Thumbnail show images takes time to load and preview. While extracting a zip file, It's not possible to watch a video and so on.
The hard disk continuously makes noise but it is not loud. I ran a test with HD Tune and the result doesn't seem very normal to me as the minimum transfer rate is 0.1 Mb/s and, as you can see, it had dropped to almost zero at intervals. And at the second image you can see that health is OK but Interface CRC Error.

http://i58.tinypic.com/2rp5n39.png
http://i60.tinypic.com/155t7pg.png

So, what's the problem? What should I do?

My laptop is:
MSI laptop cx61
cpu i5-3230m
vga gt 645m
ram 6gb ddr3

Win 7 64-bit SP1, free of viruses, and defragemented.

Thanks.

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Did you try a new cable and drive?
Apr 29, 2015 12:12AM PDT

I see Kees noted the Linux test too.

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Answer
Re: hard disk
Apr 28, 2015 6:00PM PDT

If it's the same if you boot from a Linux disk or after resetting Windows to factory conditions, I'd replace the hard disk and if that doesn't help the motherboard.

Booting from Linux is easy and harmless, resetting Windows is easy also, but a lot of work to undo, unless you make an image backup to external disk first. But if you are already convinced it's a hardware issue, you can skip those diagnostics and start with a new disk immediately.

Kees

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Re: Hard disk
Apr 28, 2015 6:13PM PDT

What is communication errors? HD Tune says it may be caused by damaged cable. Is it also a possibility?

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Not an easy answer
Apr 29, 2015 2:02AM PDT

If you wanted some easy quick fix, that may not be in the cards. Too often when a HD seems to be slow, its either some malware or physical damage(h/w based). The HD itself maybe slowly losing its ability and only a replacement will do. If you noticed severe "heat build-up" which in laptops is curse, then the HD has gotten the worse of it. If you hadn't yet, then clean out the dust bunnies, using "canned air". Also, in laptops they tend to reduce their speed by design in order to save themselves if too hot. If your fan seems to be loud or in constant high RPMs, that's a sign. Another is the exhaust port is really "hot", super hot. If a malware issue, then too much in backgrd. tasks, hidden of plain baddies are at work. Boot into "safe mode w/networking" and run your AV pgm. and any other protections by scanning. Visit the>>>> http://forums.cnet.com/spyware-viruses-security-forum/ and follow advise or use the recommended pgms. from there. There are no shortcuts for malware, repeated scans maybe needed.

If the HD is becoming bad, being slow is a sure sign, that too will require a replacement HD no matter what. You can try the other suggestions as well, but don't think just easy fix, it may not be present. If it appears the laptop mtrbd. is at fault, well, how big is your wallet?

tada -----Willy Happy

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Re: cable
Apr 29, 2015 3:34AM PDT

Replacing a cable certainly is easier than replacing a disk. So it might be worth a try.

Kees

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Free stuff
Apr 29, 2015 8:23AM PDT

Reseat the hdd data cable both ends a few times.
That means off/on....off/on...etc....test.

If no help....swap the data cable with the cable from the optical unit....test.

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Answer
hi
May 5, 2015 12:45AM PDT

The most probable reason for your computer being/booting slow is a hard drive issue. I would advise you to check out what brand is your HDD and test it with brand specific testing tool. This will show you the overall health status of the drive.

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Answer
have you saved any....
May 12, 2015 11:37AM PDT

....large files to your desktop? It should only have links to files, not the actual file in the desktop folder, or that can slow it down, since it has to load the entire folder on boot.