Q&A for How to Tell if a Hard Drive Is Bad

Return to Full Article

Coming soon

Add New Question

Question

My laptop was dropped and now it won't load up -- it just shows a blue screen. Is it the hard drive?

Community Answer

If you don't receive the basic screen (even the BIOS screens that appear before Windows), then something else may be wrong. It may even be an issue with the screen itself. You should at least see the BIOS screen (perhaps with an HP logo, Dell, Intel, etc.) as the computer initializes. If you get to that part, it is possible to dig into it further (more steps than can be described here) within the BIOS to see if the hard-drive is found by the computer.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 4 Helpful 16
Question

My laptop computer screen won't turn on. Is this a sign that the hard drive has gone bad?

Community Answer

There are numerous reasons for a computer not turning on, but a hard drive is usually not one. Your computer can turn on without a hard drive. You may have a more serious hardware problem.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 2 Helpful 12
Question

My computer is always restarting frequently. What may be the reason

Community Answer

You might be experiencing a failing hard disk. However, there could be many other reasons for your computer to restart unexpectedly. You will have to troubleshoot it a bit more and narrow down the problem to do a proper diagnosis.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 1 Helpful 5
Question

What does it mean if my computer goes to a menu saying "No bootable devices"?

Community Answer

In all likelihood, it means that your hard disk (or SSD, if that is what you're booting from) has suffered a hardware failure to the point that the computer cannot read it. Only expensive data recovery can retrieve your data at this point. Another potential cause is a simple boot error that may have been the result of an incorrect shutdown or failing RAM. A system restart should fix these issues.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 1 Helpful 3
Question

What is wrong with a computer that displays "unmountable boot volume" and then a gray screen?

Community Answer

You either have a virus or your hard drive is giving up on you. Consider doing a factory reset. If that doesn't work, save up some money for a new hard drive as your computer is almost a goner. Don't lose all your files -- immediately start backing everything up.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 7 Helpful 6
Question

What could be the problem if I turn my computer on and there are no images on the screen?

Community Answer

It could be any number of things. 1. The motherboard (the main printed circuit board that connects the processor, memory, and any other hardware attached to the computer together) has suffered some kind of hardware failure. 2. The BIOS (the embedded operating system for the motherboard) is either not present or has become corrupted. 3. Check the power indicator light. If the light is not on after hitting the power button, it is likely that either 3.a. The computer is not plugged in (or the battery is dead, if you're on a laptop) or 3.b. The computer's power supply is either not connected or has failed outright.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 1 Helpful 0
Question

Can a PC start without a hard disk?

Community Answer

Yes, you can start a system from removable media like a DVD or USB. The exact method will vary depending on the manufacturer of the computer.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 1 Helpful 0
Question

What could it mean if my computer sometimes fails to boot up, resulting in a black screen with an "error boot disk not detected-disk failure" message?

Community Answer

It means the disk failed or your motherboard might not be detecting the disk or the disk has other problems like not getting power.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 1 Helpful 3
Question

What do I do if there's no bootable devices on my hard drive?

Community Answer

Your disk might not have an OS installed or the disk failed. You can try to install an OS and if it does not work, then your disk failed.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 1 Helpful 0
Question

The apps on my damaged HDD frequently crash or lag hard? Also, when I process the HDD a lot, some sort of squeaky noise comes out. How do I fix this?

Scratcheur 2020

Community Answer

You cannot fix this. Your hard drive has physical damage on the platters (spinning disks) and it can do a head crash at any time, which can mean permanent loss of your data. Copy off as much data as you can from the drive, then toss it or claim your warranty if you still have it.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0