Hard Drive Problem

Factual Questions
1

This morning my hard drive (win98) decided to start writing something every second.

brr…brr…brr…brr…brr…brr…brr…brr…brr…brr…brr…brr…

I’m about to go insane.
Does anyone know of some freeware that will show me every process running? I’ve run two seperate virus scans, (both up to date) and I seem to be clean.
Turns up winamp to drown out HD

2

1: How much hard drive space do you have left? If very little, drive might not have enough for temporary memory scrolling files.

2: System configuration applet in Programs>Accessories>System Tools> System Information > Tools> System Configuration Utility >Startup will show you what’s initalizing at startup.

3: Alt-CTRL-Delete will list all resident non-hidden processes.

You could have a media surface defect. Run Scandisk in non-protected (ie real) DOS mode from a floppy boot.

3

astro-

1)60% HD space available

  1. msconfig showed the usual crap on startup. I disabled everything down to the “hafta have’s” and I’m still unable to isolate the problem.

  2. CAD shows my usual guys running.

  3. I already did my surface test in DOS, with no problems.

4

Try disconnecting all IDE devices from the cables except for the C: hard drive and see if problem persists.

Check your listed RAM. If system does not think it has enough RAM it might be trying to use hard drive virtual memory. Reseat your RAM chips.

5

Nope, I went for that first thing.

I’m really at a loss here.

6

If’s that’s the case I’m down to incipient mechanical failure of the drive. Backup now and get a new drive.

7

I thought about that too, but wouldn’t it make the noise in DOS?

8

Hmmm… you didn’t say that before. Drives don’t really have that much to do much in DOS so possibly the background workload under WIN98 is simply making a near failing drive work harder than it wants to, or alternatively it’s some goofy windows related issue. If the latter I’m sort of out of ammo re solutions other than a re-format > re-install to test the hypothesis of some damage to windows drivers or other windows discombobulation.

9

I downloaded some software called “Another Task Manager” from downloads .com.

It showed all of the processes running, and I picked a likely candidate called “CPQDFWAG.exe”.

I shut it down, and the noise stopped. Now I’ll see if I can find what caused it to start up in the first place.

10

Evidently you have a Compaq. If so, it would have been helpful had you said so initially. Compaq PCs have their own idiosyncrasies not shared by most vanilla clones.

11

Tell me about it.

I never thought about it being a Compaq though, as it has gone through so many mutations. I forgot the HD was part (the only) of the original system. I really need to get off my wallet, and go but a copy of XP.

Thanks for the help guys.

12

MSCONFIG32.exe comes with windows and will tell you every task running.

you can also run the pcpitstop.com test and it will tell you

so will belarc advisor
http://www.belarc.com/Download.html

so will sisoft sandra

13

I am running win98se and I see basic MS tasks:
Kernel32, msgsrv32, spool32, Mprexe, mmtask, explorer, ddhelp, systray. Then I see very few more things which I know what they are and what they do (firewall and DSL modem). That’s it. Everyone should check to make sure they know what is running and why If you see any names you do not recognise, look in the disk to see what folder it runs from and look in the Net to see wht you find

14

Programs>Accessories>System Tools> System Information >software environment>running tasks

Thats for Me.

15

handy, System Information is a shortcut to MSINFO32 which I mentioned