- Common Causes of Hard Drive Errors
- How to Repair Hard Drive Issues: Physical Drive Errors
- Error 1: SMART error 301 and hard disk errors 303 and 305
- Error 2: Internal hard drive not recognized/detected
- Error 3: Hard disk 3F0 error or “Boot Device Not Found”
- Error 4: The I/O hard drive error
- Error 5: Hard drive error code 0142
- Error 6: Internal hard drive not recognized/detected during Windows installation
- How to Fix Hard Drive Errors: Logical Drive Problems
- Error 1: “Operating system not found” (MBR-related errors)
- Error 2: Windows detected a hard disk problem
- Error 3: Hard drive error 0x80071ac3 (“The volume is dirty”)
- Error 4: The INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE error
- Error 5: The hard drive is not accessible (“Access is denied”)
- Error 6: “A disk read error occurred”
- Error 7: “Data error (cyclic redundancy check)”
- How to Repair Hard Drive Issues: Answered
- FAQ
Depending on the severity of your hard drive errors, you may not be able to access your data. Beyond that, you may experience slow performance, data corruption, and even the blue screen of death.
In short, if you don’t address the issues quickly, the problem will worsen. Now, I understand that you may not know the cause of the disk errors.
In this guide, we’ll delve into the various types of errors and show you how to repair your hard drive. If you’re ready, let’s begin!
- Logical (software) errors. These issues are related to the software or file system on the drive, like bad sectors, corrupted files, etc. You mostly need software tools for repairing disk issues.
- Physical (hardware) errors. These types of errors affect the actual physical parts of the drive, such as the read/write heads, circuitry, platters, etc. Physical errors are usually a result of overheating, wear and tear, or dropping them accidentally, and may lead to clicking sounds from the drive.
Common Causes of Hard Drive Errors
Understanding the causes of these errors can help you resolve the issue. Let’s briefly go through them:
- Overheating. When your hard drive excessively heats up, it causes the components to expand and malfunction. If it stays hot for a long time, it can lead to thermal damage. And this can cause the parts to fail or reduce the lifespan of your computer.
- System files are corrupted. This usually happens when the structure of the system’s files is damaged, often due to malware, improper shutdowns, or software bugs.
- Corrupted or incompatible firmware. A Windows update can corrupt your hard disk or cause a mismatch between the system’s hardware or software and firmware. And the result of this is an error in accessing data or even preventing the drive from being usable.
- When your hard drive drops or receives a heavy impact. HDDs are delicate devices. So when something heavy hits it, the read/write heads, for example, can get misaligned or even damage the platters, causing the hard drive to fail.
Also read: SSD vs. HDD: What’s the Difference and What to Choose?
How to Repair Hard Drive Issues: Physical Drive Errors
Let’s go through the various issues with your drive and their solutions.
Error 1: SMART error 301 and hard disk errors 303 and 305
These SMART hard disk errors commonly happen on HP computers and go by different names. For example, error 303 is also called the “hard disk quick (303)” error.
These errors typically show up when you run your system’s hardware diagnostics tool after a boot failure. The errors appear because your hard drive failed the diagnostics test, which indicates serious damage.
If you want to know how to repair a hard drive, you have to replace the drive. You can contact your computer’s manufacturer if the device is still under warranty.
While your system cannot boot, you can still attempt to recover some of your data by connecting the drive to a working computer.
Detailed guide: Fix Hard Disk Errors 303, 305 & SMART 301
Error 2: Internal hard drive not recognized/detected
The “Hard drive not found/recognized/detected” error often appears when your computer attempts to boot your operating system. In most cases, the error message may notify you to press F1 to continue.
This issue can result from incorrect hard drive cable connection for desktop PCs, BIOS settings, boot sector problems, corrupted hard drive registry, or a malfunctioning hard drive.
Your PC not recognizing or detecting your external hard drive is another common problem that Windows users face. This particular problem is typically caused by incorrect connections, outdated drivers, uninitialized hard drives, and malware.
Do the following if your computer is not recognizing your internal hard drive:
- Check your BIOS and ensure your computer is configured to boot from your hard drive.
- Check the cable connection.
- Connect the hard drive to another computer to confirm that it still functions.
- Replace the hard drive if you notice physical damage.
If you want to know how to fix hard disk failure, use the following troubleshooting methods to help your computer recognize external hard drives:
- Reconnect the drive using a different cable.
- Try a different USB port.
- Get rid of malware.
- Connect the drive to a different computer.
More detailed explanation: [FIXED] How to Fix “Hard Drive Is Not Showing Up” in Windows 10/11
Error 3: Hard disk 3F0 error or “Boot Device Not Found”
The hard disk 3F0 error code appears when your computer cannot detect your hard drive’s boot sector. The error message has different variations, including:
- No Boot Device Found. Press any key to reboot the machine.
- No bootable device – insert boot disk and press any key.
- Boot Device Not Found. Please install an operating system on your hard disk.
- No boot device available.
These errors can be caused by wrong BIOS boot order, misconfigured or outdated BIOS, corrupted BIOS MBR/boot sector, problematic hard drive, corrupted boot/system files, and hard drive connection issues.
Here’s how to fix hard drive errors and get Windows to boot from your hard drive again:
- Place your hard drive at the top of your BIOS boot order.
- Reconnect your hard drive if your computer is not detecting it.
- Restore your BIOS’ default settings.
- Check a different hard drive or bootable device.
This is another boot problem related to problematic hard drives, system files, and even controllers. In some cases, BIOS misconfiguration and corrupted operating system files can trigger the error message and halt the computer from loading the operating system.
It’s ideally better to run the hard drive diagnostics, especially for HP users since this problem is common with HP laptops.
That said, they can also try resetting their BIOS to its defaults and hard resetting their HP laptops. If nothing works, using the system’s recovery drive to return it to its factory settings is another option.
You should also consider that your hard drive may be faulty. So swap it with a functioning device to confirm whether it’s time to replace it.
Error 4: The I/O hard drive error
It’s not uncommon to see a “Location is not available” error dialog jump out at you when trying to use an external drive.
The dialog tells you that Windows could not perform a request due to an I/O device error. This particular error message is technical jargon for “Windows lost communication with the drive.”
Now, it can result from simple problems such as accidental disconnection to problematic issues such as a damaged drive.
You can try the following to resolve the problem:
- Ensure the hard drive is properly connected.
- Change USB ports and cables.
- Update the hard drive’s drivers.
Error 5: Hard drive error code 0142
This error code is peculiar to Dell computers. It shows up when users run the Preboot Diagnostic Test when they encounter issues booting up their computer. Seeing the error means your hard drive failed the diagnostics test and may have been damaged.
The error can be caused by a faulty MBR, damaged hard drive sectors or blocks, loose cable connections, and physical damage.
You can get your computer to boot again by doing the following:
- Check your hard drive connection.
- Use the Windows installation disk to run the CHKDSK utility.
- Back up your data and reinstall Windows on the drive.
- Replace the hard drive.
Error 6: Internal hard drive not recognized/detected during Windows installation
You need a hard drive to install Windows. So, seeing that your computer does not detect or recognize your storage device marks the end of your installation process.
This issue is often caused by incorrect hard drive connections, a misconfigured BIOS/UEFI, a damaged drive, and compatibility problems.
You can try the following to get the Windows installation wizard to recognize your hard drive:
- Make sure the hard drive’s cable is properly connected to your PC.
- Use a different cable to confirm that the cable still functions.
- Physically inspect the hard drive.
- Confirm the device’s viability by connecting it to another computer.
- Back up your files and format the drive on a different computer.
Complete guide: Hard Drive Not Detected During Windows 10 Installation
How to Fix Hard Drive Errors: Logical Drive Problems
Below are the steps to repairing disk errors. Go through them and click the link to get in-depth information:
Error 1: “Operating system not found” (MBR-related errors)
Different types of error messages appear when a hard drive’s master boot record (MBR) goes missing or becomes corrupt. While “Operating system not found” is one of the most common, other well-known errors include:
- Error loading operating system.
- Invalid partition table.
- Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press a key.
- No bootable medium found.
The MBR is the most critical part of your hard drive when it comes to loading your operating system. It is also called the partition sector and master partition table because it contains the information your computer requires to initiate Windows.
It can get corrupted or damaged due to improper system shutdowns and malware infection.
In most cases, you can use the Windows Startup Repair utility to fix the section of the hard drive that is preventing the operating system from booting. Follow these steps:
- Attempt to start Windows as many times as you can and allow the Advanced Startup environment to kick in. You’ll see a “Please wait” followed by the Automatic Repair screen.
- Select Troubleshoot when you see the Choose an option screen.
- Click Advanced options, and then choose Start-up Repair.
- Windows will now attempt to repair your boot sector.
Detailed guide: Fixing Windows MBR without Installation Disk
Error 2: Windows detected a hard disk problem
In many cases, the “Windows detected a hard disk problem” error shows up without immediate consequences. The hard drive continues to work fine, leaving users confused as to why Windows displayed the error message.
While the dialog could truly be a bug, it’s best to take the message seriously. That’s because it mostly foretells impending hard drive failure because Windows likely detected some logical errors while trying to read and write files on the drive.
You can check the hard drive’s health using the SMART command-line tool and also run the CHKDSK utility to confirm the device’s current state.
You can then run the System File Checker tool and scan your computer for malware to rule out system file problems and get rid of malicious applications.
Full guide: How to Fix “Windows Detected a Hard Disk Problem” Error
Error 3: Hard drive error 0x80071ac3 (“The volume is dirty”)
Windows usually flags a drive as “dirty” whenever it detects file system inconsistencies. This inconsistency usually happens when:
- Windows has outstanding operations on the drive,
- The computer previously shut down before Windows could complete committed changes to the volume, and
- Windows detects corruption within the drive.
Corrupted files, bad sectors, uninstalled or outdated drivers, and worn-out hard drives are other possible reasons for the error message.
The CHKDSK and Error Checking tools are among the most effective utilities for resolving the problem. That said, you should try turning off ReadyBoost and using a different USB port. Also, make sure your hard drive’s drivers are up to date.
More details: Resolving Error 0x80071AC3: Volume Is Dirty
Error 4: The INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE error
The “INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE” error is a blue screen of death that affects Windows computers with problematic boot partitions.
The issue prevents users from accessing their operating systems, as it shows a blue screen whenever they try to boot their computers.
If you’re experiencing this problem, your system will reboot and likely show you the same blue screen repeatedly. The main causes of the problem include a damaged hard drive, problematic storage device drivers, malware, and glitchy Windows updates.
You can try the following to get rid of the error:
- Uninstall recently installed Windows updates.
- Perform a system restore.
- Find and remove malicious applications.
- Enable the AHCI mode in your system’s BIOS environment if you can’t get Windows to start.
More on repairing disks issue: How to Fix the Inaccessible Boot Device Error in Windows 10/11?
Error 5: The hard drive is not accessible (“Access is denied”)
The “Access is denied” error can lock you out of a partition on your computer or external hard drive. This issue could cause significant worry as you may have critical files on the volume.
Permission settings, BitLocker, and hard drive corruption can cause the error. If you alternate the drive between Windows and macOS, one of the operating systems may tamper with its file system and trigger the error.
The problem could also be caused by disconnecting the drive without properly ejecting it.
One of the most effective ways for repairing disk problems is granting yourself permission to access the drive. You can do that through the hard drive’s Properties dialog window.
These steps will show you how:
- Right-click the drive and select Properties once the context menu appears.
- Go to the Properties dialog’s Security tab and click the Advanced button.
- Next, click the Change button next to Owner, enter your user account name, and select the OK button.
- Verify that your user account has full control of the drive and select OK in the open dialog boxes.
Error 6: “A disk read error occurred”
This boot error can be quite frustrating because it usually advises users to press Ctrl + Alt + Del to restart the system. They then meet the same error after entering the keyboard combination.
The issue is commonly caused by the BIOS boot sequence, hard drive connection issues, system memory problems, and corrupted boot sector.
The best way to repair the hard drive problem is to choose the drive as the first boot device in the BIOS boot sequence. You can also reset your BIOS, as some adjustments may have triggered the issue.
More in-depth explanation: How to Resolve Any Disk Read Error in Windows 10?
Error 7: “Data error (cyclic redundancy check)”
The cyclic redundancy check (CRC) is a method used to verify hard drive data and detect corruption. A CRC code is calculated and stored along with the data written to a hard drive.
The operating system will calculate the same code whenever it wants to read that data. That way, it can confirm that the data is intact and authentic.
The system will then report an error if its calculation does not match the stored CRC code.
The CRC error on Windows PCs is mostly caused by registry corruption, malware, and disrupted file transfer processes.
Running the Error Checking tool and the CHKDSK command is a great way to find the causes of the check errors and resolve them. Another way for repairing disk errors is to get rid of malware and viruses from your computer and check if that resolves the issue for good.
Further reading: [Easy Fix] Best Methods to Repair Cyclic Redundancy Check Error on Windows 10/11
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How to Repair Hard Drive Issues: Answered
That’s how to fix hard disk errors and resolve different hard drive problems on Windows. Remember that each error has various potential fixes, and the complete guides we provided will show you how to apply them.
We’re sure that by learning how to fix hard disk failure using this guide, you can repair your drive and retain your data.
You can use the comments section below to let us know if any of the fixes helped you resolve your hard problem and if there is a storage device error you desperately want to solve.
