Try running Check Disk:

Go to start Run... and type: cmd

Then type: chkdsk /f

You will be told the volume is in use do you want to run chkdsk on next boot? Type: Y and reboot.

Latest update

My local computer shop had no hdd's to try so i put off buying one. I tried hdd diagnostics and scans with no answers.

I kept on running the system to see if the fault became more common and to see if the same fault codes appeared consistently. the original 0x7a fault occured consistently with an occasional 0xf4

today the system ran for hours without a fault but on crashing i found
a new code - 0x50. there was no minidump so no debug available. I was unable to boot up for about 5 mins and could not enter bios either. the system hung in the hp logo screen with no response to pressing f10. the machine was quite hot after being on my knee for an hour.

i have read on msdn that the 7a and f4 codes are also common with defective memory.

any suggestions on memory diagnostics

regards
Dave

Update

ox7b new today (no minidump)
ox50 new today (no minidump)


In event viewer there are also the following
source:atapi,event id:9
source:disk,event id:51

the latest faults occured (7b and 50) when the machine had been running fine for hours but got rather hot when on my knee for half an hour.

regards
Dave

Originally Posted by jephree

Try running Check Disk:

Go to start Run... and type: cmd

Then type: chkdsk /f

You will be told the volume is in use do you want to run chkdsk on next boot? Type: Y and reboot.

Thanks Jephree
tried that 3 times and nothing

Regards
Dave

http://www.memtest.org/

Well.............i'm getting nowhere fast. no faults to be found. I didnt use the memtest option as to be honest im not sure what i was looking for, but used a memory test found in bios.

yesterday the system ran fine for 16 hours without a hitch, windows media playing mp3's the occasional game.

today however it crashed within 3 miutes (original 0x7a fault) after a re-boot has run fine for 14 hours doing the same as yesterday + writing 10gb of files from and to an external hdd

The pattern seems to be that
1 on some occasions the system boots up perfectly and is ok
2 sometimes there is a issue with boot up, whatever it may be, and the system crashes

any more ideas

Regards
Dave

"I tried hdd diagnostics and scans with no answers."

Can you define "no answers"?

Did you run the appropriate disk manufacturers diagnostics on the disk? (ie; Whoever made the disk - Seagate, Maxtor, Western Digital, etc)

Hard Disk Analysis Tools - Major Manufacturers

Thanks for the reply Dan

After a lot of thought i decided to buy and try a new hdd. I had to give the error reports some credability. I found a new seagate 40gb on offer and went for it.

This has cured the problem.

The hdd diasnostic tool i used was a hp bios utility and basically it reported tests successful time after time. chkdsk also found nothing

I would like to say a big thank you, to both you and Jephree, (please point him to this thread) once again you have done what very few people do these days.

Merry Christmas to you all

Regards
Dave

Thanks for the update. Glad all is well.

Good news.

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