problems with HDD and windows xp compatibility

[jonj]

The last time i started up my computer i got a blue screen that said my hard needs to be checked for compatibility. it than deleted a bunch of files, most were called orphan files or files with a $ in front of them, than took me to the windows "welcome" screen. This happened to me about 2 weeks ago, and the next time i started my computer it would not let me log on ,so I had to reinstall windows xp again, it would not accept the password for admin. there was a forum on a different website that had the same problem. he said that his log in name had some how been changed under windows and it logged him out once he logged in.

I posted a thread on toms here called " broken hard drive or virus??" the first time i had the problem, but i cannot find it.(for anyone who might want to look at it).

I am afraid that this will happen again, just like it did last time, so i am backing up my data to an external HDD.
does anyone know what might make this happen, or how i could prevent it?? this is the second time it said that my hdd needed to be checked for compatibility, so is it bad or do i need to replace it?? Im kind of desperate so any help would be very apreciated. thank you.

 

[elpresidente2075]

Your filesystem has become corrupted. If the same thing has happened before, it is probably the drive showing signs of wear, and this means its time to replace it. You did the right thing backing up everything, because the problem will only get worse. Get a new HDD ASAP.

And before anyone jumps on me saying that a filesystem can be changed and reformatted at will, keep in mind that it should, barring any unfortunate consequences remain intact for the duration of its use. If it had only happened once, it possibly could be a virus, but since it's done it twice, it is indicative of hard disk failure. CheckDisk doesn't just call files "lost chains" for nothing.

 

[jonj]

after it happened the first time i had to reinstall windows(and i am certain that i did it right). that was about 2 weeks ago. i bought kapersky for my virus protection after that, so i dont think that it is a virus, but after i got to my desktop today (the 2nd time this happened) iwent to run a virus scan to see if that was the problem, and my virus definitions were currupt(same thing with my ad-aware) so i had to update the definitions than scan.

i have been on since i posted the origional thread at the top of the page, so i dont know if it will not let me log in next time i turn it on. and i found the first forum i posted when it happened the first time in case you wanted to see it.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareus.inc&am p;cat=31&post=244149&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=3&tra sh=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&am p;nojs=0

and to elpresiden te2075 i just got the HDD about a month ago, it is a 320gig seqagate. it has been clicking or chirping when loading recently, but i thought that that was normal. if i need to get a new one i will

 

[jonj]

If it's a virus or similar malware, you can expect the same
thing to happen again.

I would start over by re-formatting C: and re-installing
a fresh copy of XP/Pro SP2, which enables a software
firewall by default.

Then, when you get all the software installed and
tuned the way you want it, we highly recommend
buying GHOST (or similar drive image software),
and saving multiple copies of your C: drive image.

Restoring a stable drive image will require all of 15 minutes,
but trying to isolate and solve the problem you describe
could take days.

Drive images have saved me literally hundreds of hours now,
once I realized how valuable they are whenever a destructive
virus destroys a stable system.


Sincerely yours,
/s/ Paul Andrew Mitchell
Webmaster, Supreme Law Library
http://www.supremelaw.org/

this is what i did the first time it happened except i kept the same hard drive and just backed it up on an external HDD