A disk read error occurred - you can do that
If your computer reports "a disk read error occurred", there can be several reasons. We'll show you how to solve the problem.
"A disk read error occurred" - that can help
Unfortunately, this is a still unexplored problem. It is never exactly certain what happened to the computer and what exactly needs to be done. However, the following approaches have already helped many users.
- Insert the Windows installation CD, if available. If this is not available, we will help you with this guide.
- Once the CD has started, select the "Computer Repair Options" and wait a moment.
- Then select the "Command Prompt" from the "Recovery Tools".
- Enter the command "bootrec / fixmbr" and confirm with the "Enter" key.
- Wait until the process has been carried out and repeat the steps with the commands "bootrec / fixboot" and "bootrec / rebuildbcd". These rebuild the start sectors of your hard drive. Data will not be deleted.
- Close the window and restart your computer. If the problem persists, repeat the instructions with the command "fixboot c:".
"A disk read error occurred" - further solutions
- If the problem still hasn't resolved, turn off your computer completely and remove the hard drive. Try using the hard drive on another PC. Take a backup right away.
- Also check in the BIOS whether the hard disk has been configured correctly here. Make a note of the current parameters and, if necessary, change some settings if you suspect them.
- If the battery on the mainboard weakens, this can also lead to the said error. Instructions for changing can be found in this practical tip.
If the problem still cannot be resolved, we will show you in the next practical tip how you can repair or reinstall Windows.