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Thread: IASTOR.SYS BSOD w/ Dell computers

  1. #11
    Senior Member Blunted One's Avatar
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    Thanks for the ideas and thanks for confirming what I already knew in the back of my mind.

    It is total BS that installing drivers in the wrong "order" would make a system crash. I wish they would hire competent people over at Dell. They told me they would send another hard drive, but WTF am I supposed to do with the current one? Also I can't believe the raid array didn't work I specifically had it set up so that if something like this happened I could just use the other hard drive. Now nothing works and all I get is the BSOD over and over and over.

    Should I be worried that the repair function from the xp cd would harm my computer? Or is this a safe method to try? Also since in theory only one of my mirrored drives is bad how can I get the other drive to be the bootup drive and just continue working with the one drive instead of the two mirrored drives. Thanks for all the help and input guys as it is much appreciated.
    It's not a war on drugs it's a war against personal freedoms!

  2. #12
    It's a gas!
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    This is not a h/w failure, it is a dodgy driver that allows windows to access the drive!
    Repair option is completely safe, so long as you dont start deleting system files, give it a go once you have the updated drivers saved to disc.

  3. #13
    Senior Member Blunted One's Avatar
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    If I have no floppy drive in this computer I can still use a CD correct? This damn dell doesn't have the proper connections for a FDD and only have two cd drives and a multicard reader. Would a usb Floppy drive work? Man I am starting to hate Dell and I feel like making them pay for my downtime in productivity.
    It's not a war on drugs it's a war against personal freedoms!

  4. #14
    Senior Member Blunted One's Avatar
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    Could I use the multicard reader? Or is that only recognized in windows?
    It's not a war on drugs it's a war against personal freedoms!

  5. #15
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    cd is fine...youll need another computer to download the file to, then burn it to cd

  6. #16
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    Hmmmmm,

    I presume that you ran the drive diagnostic from a CD? which diagnostic tool was it?

    Try running the machine with only the "good" drive attached and see what happens...........note any messages in full, numbers and all.

    I would get the new drive from Dell, don't give them the old one until you have tried it............. "confidential data" and all that

    In theory you should just have to install it and it should recognise it, and prompt you to build the RAID1 array. OK RAID5 needs a little skill, but RAID1 should be a total no brainer.

    Also, try swapping the two drives around and trying it again. Run the disk diagnostic with it like that as well and see if you get anything different, remembering that the drives are in a different order now

    Something caused this to happen, and a drive failure would fit the bill.

    I would still go at them for a replacement, and I would certainly get one in the UK...............a RAID1 array that behaves as yours has, would irrefutably be "not fit for purpose" under our Sale of Goods Act


  7. #17
    Senior Member Blunted One's Avatar
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    I just swapped the connections to the hard drives and windows just got stuck on the windows logo loading screen. Any ideas what that means? Thanks for all the help guys and your right I should really get on dell for this and maybe even send my complaints to some government or quality assurance agency as this is some total BS.

    I'll have to try just running the good drive and see what happens. If anyone else thinks they know of a solution just send it my way.
    It's not a war on drugs it's a war against personal freedoms!

  8. #18
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    Please run the disk diagnostic with both drives in the swapped state, and let me know what happens.

    Drives do die after a short while, and this might have provoked your experience.

    I would not expect a diagnostic to give you an error code and Dell be prepared to replace the drive if it was a mere driver problem?



    EDIT: It means that Dell might be able to run a piss up in a brewery, but they sure as hell cannot set up a RAID1 array

  9. #19
    Senior Member Blunted One's Avatar
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    I have run the diagnostic that is accessible from the boot menu. It has told me that the drive which was no. 2 and i changed to number 1 has an error. The other drive reports no error at all. Perhaps this drive is about to kick the bucket? What should I do or test next?
    It's not a war on drugs it's a war against personal freedoms!

  10. #20
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    So, just to refresh, the drive with the reported error gets it whether it is in #1 or #2 position?

    If that is the case it is what I suspected................Dell are not a charity, they would not have offered a replacement unless they were pretty certain that it was defective.

    Just disconnect the cable from the defective drive and do a cold reboot. Please let me know what happens...............in particular the messages.

    So, FIRST THING is to go into BIOS setup and turn off fast boot...... that way we get all the sad error messages whilst you are there, turn off power management, have it always on.


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