Imminent hard drive failure

[jbrandt57]

I received failures when running the short and long drive self tests (HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows Application

9C7PVQ-0009AU-MFH15F-60SM13, HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows Application

9C7PVQ-0009AU-MFH15F-61AD13

. I tried to run a system image but it crapped out about 1/2 way through due to an I/O error. I ran a chkdsk /r and it got to 11% and sat there for over 3 hours before the system rebooted. Do you have any suggestions on a compatible hard drive for this device? I do not have the original CDs for the OS (it came with Windows 7 but I did the free upgrade to Win 10 a few years ago). Is there a way to create a bootable CD or DVD with the current OS on the laptop? As of now the laptop hasn't given me any issues. Please share your thoughts.

Thanks,

JRB

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

You will need to replace the hard drive since you received a Hard Disk 1 Full Test Failure report.

You might be able to salvage any files you may want to keep if you can access the drive.  Otherwise, you may be able to read the drive by purchasing a USB to SATA notebook hard drive adapter such as this.

https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-SATA-Drive-Adapter-Cable/dp/B00HJZJI84/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=15...

I don't believe you will be able to create installation media with or on your current HDD.

The product specs indicate that your notebook came with a 640 GB hard drive.

You have a couple of options...

You can upgrade to a 1 TB HDD...

https://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Laptop-2-5-Inch-Internal-ST1000LM035/dp/B01C4W29XC/ref=sr_1_4?s=pc&ie...

If you can live with less storage space than your notebook originally came with, you can upgrade to a better performing, more reliable solid state drive (SSD).

I have this model in a few of my HP notebook and desktop PC's.  It works fine.

https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-240GB-Solid-State-SDSSDA-240G-G26/dp/B01F9G43WU/ref=sr_1_1?s=electron...

You can opt for the 480 GB drive for $70 bucks.

Reinstalling the OS...  You have a few choices...

1. Clean install W10 for free using the Media Creation tool to create installation media.

During the installation process, if you are asked to enter a product key, select the 'I don't have a product key' option, and W10 will install and automatically activate once you are connected to the internet.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

2. If you want to go back to W7, you can order recovery media from this non-HP vendor as long as you purchase a hard drive that is at least 640 GB in size, or the recovery media may not work.

http://www.computersurgeons.com/p-21281-recovery-kit-656000-002-for-hp-pavilion-entertainment-pc-not...

3. If you can still read all 25 characters of the W7 product key, you can make your own plain W7 installation media to reinstall W7.

Click on the Windows ISO Downloader.exe link to download the tool to create the W7 ISO file download.

Select the W7 COEM ISO file download version for the product key the OS is good for, which is the OEM operating system ISO file.

https://www.heidoc.net/joomla/technology-science/microsoft/67-microsoft-windows-and-office-iso-downl...

I have zipped up and attached the Microsoft utility below, that will allow you to either put the file on a USB flash drive or burn it to a DVD.

Then you can install the drivers and available software you need from your PC's support page.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/HP-Pavilion-dv6-Entertainment-Notebook-PC-series/50...

If the Microsoft tool doesn't work to burn a DVD, use this free DVD burning software to burn the ISO file to a DVD.

 Select the "Burn ISO file option."

https://cdburnerxp.se/en/download

Burn it at the slowest speed you can.