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By: rekha singh | 11 Apr 2010 4:40 pm

I am in California at my in-laws and they asked me to set up their computer that was put into storage two years ago. I had no idea what I would find. It is a Dell computer with Windows XP with Service Pack 2. Everything appeared to work and I opened Outlook Express and she had messages even download. I noticed there was no virus protection and I also noticed the computer was

VERY slow. I started deleting some old files and programs she did not need and one required a re-boot. When the computer restarted I got the following error message:

Primary Master Hard Disk S.M.A.R.T. Status Bad S.M.A.R.T. Error Detected The IDE Hard Disk Drive is operating outside of normal specifications. It is advisable to immediately back up your data and replace your hard-disk drive by calling your support desk or Dell Computer Corporation.

At the bottom was a choice of F1 continue which I hit. It when appears to continue booting up to the Desktop. I have tried to download a security package offered free by Time-Warner (roadrunner) who is their internet provider. It would not fully download and stopped at the virus portion. I uninstalled and tried to download AVG. It would not download. Does this computer have a virus? Another problem?

Fixable by a novice like me? Not worth it? They are in their eighties and would not purchase another computer. I have all the CDs to reinstall but don't know how to get rid of everything on the computer to start over. There is nothing on the computer worth keeping or backing up. Any suggestions?

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Well first I would go to www.avast.com and run their free scan. Then get their free Virus protection.

However that Dell message did not seem to be real because it would not have booted to Desktop

You could of course just Boot from a full windows version CD if there is one and run the set up in Custom mode and it will use the whole drive and remove all if you go that route.

By: rekha singh | 12 Apr 2010

If I received that message I would proceed with caution. I would begin removing whatever has value before doing anything else. While the error may itself have been an error, I wouldn't take the chance.

By: rekha singh | 12 Apr 2010

This Bad S.M.A.R.T. error detected is a normal message, usually a warning that the drive is on its last legs - imminent failure. That's probably why it's so slow. A drive turning bad will often slow down to treacle-like

speed. It's also normal to have to press F1 to continue. It will keep asking you to do that every time you start and it will boot happily to the Desktop after that. This can go on for a matter of hours, a day, a week or even

longer. There's no way to tell, but at a certain point the drive will seize up completely. Then the PC just won't boot at all.

See hits for "S.M.A.R.T error detected", like this:

http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/ S.M.A.R.T

Also see error code 159 on the WD site:

http://support. wdc.com/techinfo /general/ errorcodes. asp Here they leave no room for doubt - "The drive is defective. Replace".

Under normal circumstances, you'd first back up all your data as soon as possible to an external HD. Then get hold of a new internal hard drive and clone your existing drive to this with Acronis TI or Norton Ghost. Then replace the bad drive. That way you don't have to re-install everything. But you said there's nothing important on here to back up, which makes things easier. And cloning to a new drive might be a bit above and beyond the call of duty for your in-laws ;-)

You've nothing to lose so you can play around with it a bit first. Try running Chkdsk to see if that'll fix the bad sectors on the drive. It's easy to do. I'd recommend using the second method (from My Computer, or Windows Explorer) mentioned here: http://support. microsoft. com/kb/315265/ en-us selecting the full check, "Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors". The scan can take a few hours depending on the size of the drive but it's the most thorough method.

Some people have success formatting the drive completely with a fresh re-install using the Dell Windows CD. There is probably also a recovery partition on the drive that would take you back to day one. That's even

better because it's relatively quick and you have no issues with lost drivers. Sometimes you see that when the PC is booting - press F11 etc.

But this is a bit like clutching at straws. Re-installing helps sometimes, but I'm afraid it won't if the drive is failing mechanically. Try Chkdsk first.

By: rekha singh | 12 Apr 2010

Since you have nothing on the system you would like to keep, on dell systems if you toggle the F8 key on boot up it will take you to system restore. You should be able to restore the system to original factory settings from there. If this does not work use your disk it is quite simple to restore a system. Just follow the prompts after you insert the disk. If you do use the disk you will have to instert the disk in the drive and then reboot the system.

By: rekha singh | 12 Apr 2010

Thank you for the suggestions. I was unable to download avast or anything else and I could not boot from the restoration CD getting an error message that said the installed version was more advanced that the restoration CD. I deduced that Service Pack 2 had been installed at some point. There is nothing on the computer that needs to be saved so we could start over if needed.I am currently running chkdsk and there appear to be lots of corrupt or orphaned files. Will I need to defrag afterwards? Does this mean there is a
virus or something causing problems? Which free anti-virus problems are the best and why? They have cable internet and roadrunner offers a free security package to download. Is this something that would be recommended over a free program? Sorry for so many questions. I'm trying to resurrect this computer
for my 86 year old MIL and possibly use it as a backup for myself until I get my own back up lap top here in a few weeks.

By: rekha singh | 12 Apr 2010

The safest thing would be to purchase a new hard drive and start fresh. You could use the old drive as a backup.
Placing any amount of time into this system with a possibly failing drive in my view is wasted time. Spend a few bucks and then start fresh.

By: rekha singh | 12 Apr 2010

If they're going to use it (e-mail, or VIOP phone, etc.) then yes, it's wotth it, and you can. (HD failing SMART may or may not be indicative if imediate failure)

I would first disconnect from internet, boot to 'Safe Mode", (tappng F8 om most machines) when starting up, then once in Safe Mode, delete temporary internet files, run CHKDSK, then DEFRAG, then shut-down and reboot to "Safe Mode with Networking" or 'Last Known Good Config" and go nowhere online except MSFT Update and D/L and install all 'Critical" updates (including SP3, cause support is ending for SP2)). That's going to be a lot of updates. I would do them in bunches, four or five, reboot, then another 4 or 5, another reboot, etc. Then when I got them all, i'd disconnect again from net, reboot to Safe again, and Defrag again. Then... if all is fine, I'd go ahead and D/l an AV package (i have Roadrunner from B/H, and use the CA ISS which they have on their site no charge, 3 yrs now). After all this, you may have seen repeated HD SMART-failure warnings, or you may not. Then it's time to consider replacing it...

By: rekha singh | 12 Apr 2010

Don't worry about security software just yet, first you want to know if the HD is indeed okay or not. After CHKSDK, run defrag. Then right click on "My Computer" go to Properties, Advanced, and in "Startup and REcovery" click "Settings" and in the "System Failure" area make sure there is a check for "Write and event to the system log" and UNcheck "Automatically restart." Now you will be a able to go to Programs, Administrative Tools, Event Viewer, and when you click the "System" page you'll be able to see if there are any "Errors" or "Warnings" that are HD related. (also by UNchecking "Auto Restart" you will now get Blue-Screens with error messages which we can help you diagnose, rather than continued reboots which tell you nothing). Go nowhere else but MSFT Updates and bring that OS up to date. Upgrade to SP3. Reboot, get all the others in bunches, rebooting along the way. As you do this, keep checking Event Viewer that 'System' page and see if there are any 'disk' errors. If the machine is slow doing all this, and there are red 'disk' errors popping up continually in Event Viewer, let us know what they are. You can also to got Device Manager, check that you have updated driver(s) for the HD (that it is shown/recognized properly) and for IDE/ATA controllers. (of course you love your in-laws, but right now you're playing detective on an unknown machine).

By: rekha singh | 14 Apr 2010

Did Chkdsk sort out all the bad sectors? When you start up now, do you still get the S.M.A.R.T. error message?

If you're very lucky, Chkdsk will have sorted it out for you. I hope so. I would try to avoid starting over afresh with a complete re-install or going back to day one if possible because it's going to cost you a lot more time than updating everything as it is now. I did that recently and it was no fun. There was only Service Pack 1 on there and the computer was loaded with all the standard Dell excess garbage.

Did you look very closely at all the programs installed under Start and in the list of Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel to make sure there's no antivirus program on there already? The reason I ask is that you'll get problems otherwise installing any other antivirus program or if you don't, then you'll probably get conflicts later. I'm surprised there's no antivirus program on there since nearly all Dells are delivered with some kind of trial version antivirus. They're usually delivered with McAfee. Can you give a bit more info about the computer - type, model, amount of RAM memory (in Start- Control Panel- System), size of hard drive and how full it is (Start - MyComputer) etc.? All info helps.

This is what I would do personally if the drive is still in good shape:

1. Switch off Automatic updates in the Security Centre in the Control Panel (you want to pick your own time to do the updates, otherwise they'll be downloading in dribs and drabs and you'll have to re-start the computer time and again).
2. Go online and download CCleaner. Run this to clear out all the garbage like temp Internet files etc. This should immediately give you a few GBs extra space as well.
3. Disconnect from the Internet and defragment the hard drive completely until it's optimal.
4. Go online again and download and install a good free antivirus program (see below).
5. Go to Windows Update (under Start -All Programs) and start downloading all essential updates. One of these will be a huge one - Service Pack 3, which will take a good half hour to install. Do this onseparately from the rest. With some of these updates, you'll have to re-start the PC. Keep at it until you've downloaded every essential update. Then switch automatic updates back on.
6. Go to the Java website and download the latest version of Java, version 6.19 http://www.java. com/en/
7. Update any other programs if necessary like Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash etc.
8. Defragment the hard drive again.

Antivirus program - I would keep this as simple as possible if your in-laws are in their 80's. You want to set this up in a foolproof way so that they're not bothered with upgrades and pop-ups urging them to buy paid versions of anything. That's unsettling for some people. I wouldn't install the provider's free security package. This often includes a firewall, anti-spam and all the rest. Best to keep it basic. There are obviously several good free antivirus programs to choose from but each have their own little quirks. I normally install AVG Free or Avast but I use the most simple one in these situations - Microsoft Security Essentials. It's free, small, not intrusive and just works quietly in the background - basic but
very effective:
http://www.microsof t.com/security_ essentials/ default.aspx? mkt=en-us
It updates itself automatically like the others.

Another thing I would do here is install TeamViewer:
http://www.teamview er.com/index. aspx?split= A
This is an easy way to help them remotely if they run into problems (unless you think this is too much of a good thing.... ;-) Again, it's a very small program but it's very user friendly - and free for private use. No strings attached. Download the full version, install it on the Dell and put a shortcut icon on their Desktop. Then they just call you, double click the shortcut to open TeamViewer and tell you their ID number and current password (this changes each time they open the program). You fill those into
your own version of TeamViewer on your computer, then you see their screen and you can take things over from them while you're on the phone with them. You can then do anything on their PC as if you were working on your own. Ideal for an 86 year old.

By: rekha singh | 14 Apr 2010

I ran chkdsk and found lots of errors. Then I defragged. It sped up the computer LOTS. I downloaded the free security suite offered by the internet provider and it downloaded this time with no problem. Ran the anti-virus program and there were none. There were five low cookies which I deleted.When I restarted I no longer get the error message. It seems to be working now at a level that my MIL can handle. If it dies at this point we won't be replacing it. She is 86 years old and rarely does anything with it except look at photos her grands and great grands send to her. Thanks for everybody's advice and help.

By: rekha singh | 14 Apr 2010

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