Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot)

From	Noob <root@127.0.0.1>
Newsgroups	comp.os.linux.setup, comp.unix.programmer, comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage
Subject	Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot)
Date	2011-07-22 18:35 +0200
Organization	A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID	<j0c8rf$sm2$1@dont-email.me> (permalink)
References	<4e28ac1d$0$14975$426a74cc@news.free.fr> <j0c18i$6v4$1@dont-email.me> <j0c7r2$lqn$1@dont-email.me>

Cross-posted to 3 groups.

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Bob Willard wrote:
> On 7/22/2011 10:25 AM, Noob wrote:
>> [ Please note that I've added comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage
>> to the list of newsgroups ]
>>
>> Noob wrote:
>>
>>> Something trashed my MBR. Now when I boot the PC,
>>> I get the dreaded "NON-SYSTEM DISK. PLEASE INSERT
>>> SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER" (or something close).
>>
>> By MBR, I meant the first sector of my hard disk drive,
>> i.e. the boot-strapping code, and the table of primary
>> partitions.
>>
>>> My setup:
>>> PATA 120-GB HDD on IDE0 master
>>> PATA DVD reader on IDE1 master
>>> No IDE slaves. No SATA drives. (SATA disabled in BIOS)
>>>
>>> I had used gparted to create three primary partitions
>>> (all partitions are aligned to 1 MiB, even though
>>> this is not a 4K-sector HDD)
>>> partition 1 : 80.00 GiB (for WinXP)
>>> partition 2 : 33.75 GiB (for Fedora 13)
>>> partition 3 : 765 MiB (for swap)
>>
>> Short version of the rest of original message : the first sector
>> had been shifted by 14 bytes. Weird, right?
>>
>> And the plot thickens. Later that same night, I copied the
>> MBR a second time in the live CD environment; and this second
>> time, the first 14 bytes of the MBR were ZERO, i.e.
>> they had changed !!
>>
>> Even stranger, the next morning, I booted the PC,
>> and the 14-byte offset had disappeared.
>>
>> I'm starting to think that this might be a hardware problem,
>> as both Linux AND the BIOS seem to have had troubles getting
>> the MBR consistently. Something else I haven't mentioned:
>> when Windows resumes from hibernation, the whole system
>> sometime reboots (this started about 2/3 weeks ago), around
>> the same time I changed the RAM from 2x512 to 2x1024.
>>
>> I tested the RAM, no errors after one hour of checking.
>> The S.M.A.R.T. counters for the HDD claim the drive is
>> "healthy".
>>
>> However, considering that the drive is inserting random
>> garbage around requested data, I'm wondering if this could
>> be the drive's controller failing? Would this show up in
>> a S.M.A.R.T. diagnostic?
>>
>> Or am I on the wrong track, and do you see something else
>> that might be responsible?
>>
>> Regards.
> 
> I don't see any strong evidence that points at the HD or its controller. 
>   When things get flaky and you know for sure that you don't have any 
> malware doing mal to your ware, my first guess is over-temps and my 
> second guess is the PS.  Over-temp can be caused by the build-up of dust 
> and dirt:  dirty air filters and dirty heat sinks are common causes; 
> check for loose cables while you are doing your housecleaning.

My PC case has a dust filter to prevent (most of the) dust from
entering the case. I clean the filter every month, and the case
2-3 times a year, including fans and heat sinks. Last time was
two months ago.

I really don't think the problem is over-heating, as the case
is clean, and the problem manifests right after a cold boot.
Temperature is 12-15C at night, around 18-20C at noon.

> PSs do deteriorate over time, and your PS may have been somewhat 
> undersized or cheap from day one, or you have cause a marginal overload 
> by adding stuff.

My power supply is CORSAIR CX 450W (which received great reviews).
It's now 2 years old. It is definitely not under-sized as I've
measured power draw at boot under 60W.

> My third guess would be flaky RAM.  A one hour test is unimpressive; I 
> suggest running the current version of Memtest86+ overnight.

Will do. The RAM is brand new, so it is a natural suspect.

> Guess #4:  the MoBo.  Lots of MBs have caps that get leaky over time. 
> You can visually examine the MB for caps that are swollen and, if you 
> have the skills, replace them (or replace the MB).

Will examine. MoBo is ASUS A8N-E from AUG 2005.

> It is hot here, so I have to turn off my crystal ball now.  Good luck.

Regards.

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Thread

Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Noob <root@localhost> - 2011-07-22 00:45 -0400
  Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-07-22 10:50 +1200
    Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Noob <root@localhost> - 2011-07-22 01:26 -0400
      Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Paul <nospam@needed.com> - 2011-07-21 19:38 -0400
        Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2011-07-22 16:29 +0200
          Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Paul <nospam@needed.com> - 2011-07-22 14:28 -0400
      Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) g.fink@gmx.net (Gernot Fink) - 2011-07-22 04:35 +0000
  Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> - 2011-07-21 19:20 -0700
    Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2011-07-22 11:00 +0200
      Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) GangGreene <GangGreene@invalid.com> - 2011-07-22 05:29 -0400
        Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2011-07-22 12:01 +0200
          Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) g.fink@gmx.net (Gernot Fink) - 2011-07-22 10:28 +0000
  Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) "David W. Hodgins" <dwhodgins@nomail.afraid.org> - 2011-07-21 23:33 -0400
  Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2011-07-21 21:26 -0700
  Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2011-07-22 16:25 +0200
    Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Bob Willard <BobwBSGS@TrashThis.comcast.net> - 2011-07-22 12:17 -0400
      Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2011-07-22 18:35 +0200
    Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Arno <me@privacy.net> - 2011-07-22 18:41 +0000
    Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Paul <nospam@needed.com> - 2011-07-22 14:52 -0400
      Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2011-07-23 02:23 +0100
    Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2011-07-22 19:19 +0000
      Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2011-07-23 20:51 +0200
        Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2011-07-24 16:54 +0200
        Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Arno <me@privacy.net> - 2011-07-24 15:29 +0000
          Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2011-07-27 11:36 +0200
            Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2011-07-27 12:13 +0100
            Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2011-07-27 20:48 +0000
              Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2011-07-28 10:43 +0200
              Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Jonathan de Boyne Pollard <J.deBoynePollard-newsgroups@NTLWorld.COM> - 2011-07-29 00:49 +0100
    Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-07-23 09:44 +1200
    Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Franc Zabkar <fzabkar@iinternode.on.net> - 2011-07-23 10:05 +1000
      Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Paul <nospam@needed.com> - 2011-07-22 20:58 -0400
        Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Franc Zabkar <fzabkar@iinternode.on.net> - 2011-07-23 11:31 +1000
          Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Jonathan de Boyne Pollard <J.deBoynePollard-newsgroups@NTLWorld.COM> - 2011-07-29 01:18 +0100
        Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Franc Zabkar <fzabkar@iinternode.on.net> - 2011-07-23 19:02 +1000
        Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Jonathan de Boyne Pollard <J.deBoynePollard-newsgroups@NTLWorld.COM> - 2011-07-29 01:37 +0100
      Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Franc Zabkar <fzabkar@iinternode.on.net> - 2011-07-23 17:34 +1000
      Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2011-07-23 21:25 +0200
        Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Franc Zabkar <fzabkar@iinternode.on.net> - 2011-07-25 08:15 +1000
          Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2011-07-24 23:08 +0000
            Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Franc Zabkar <fzabkar@iinternode.on.net> - 2011-07-25 09:46 +1000
              Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2011-07-25 02:19 +0000
                Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Paul <nospam@needed.com> - 2011-07-24 22:38 -0400
                Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Franc Zabkar <fzabkar@iinternode.on.net> - 2011-07-25 19:38 +1000
                Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Franc Zabkar <fzabkar@iinternode.on.net> - 2011-07-25 19:34 +1000
            Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-08-03 21:56 -0700
              Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) John Hasler <jhasler@newsguy.com> - 2011-08-04 08:15 -0500
      Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Jonathan de Boyne Pollard <J.deBoynePollard-newsgroups@NTLWorld.COM> - 2011-07-29 01:10 +0100
    Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) gordonb.22upl@burditt.org (Gordon Burditt) - 2011-07-23 17:15 -0500
    Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2011-07-24 16:42 +0200
    Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2011-10-27 11:13 +0200
      Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Arno <me@privacy.net> - 2011-10-27 15:24 +0000
        Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2011-10-28 11:06 +0200
  Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Jonathan de Boyne Pollard <J.deBoynePollard-newsgroups@NTLWorld.COM> - 2011-07-29 00:49 +0100
    Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2011-08-01 11:27 +0200
      Re: Help, the dog ate my MBR (Linux/Windows dual boot) Nico Kadel-Garcia <nkadel@gmail.com> - 2011-08-06 10:00 -0700

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