Windows detected hard disk problem

[navybanker]

AVG detected "threat" and supposedly removed. Then got the message about hard disk problem. Hard drive immiment failure.Did a diagnosis of C drive and said drive operating properly. Yes, have backed up files. Any input on this problem. Computer is working properly thus far. Windows 7 vista. Researching on net and thus far can not remove notice from appearing. Thanks,

[delwhjr]

Chris Bryant wrote:

delwhjr wrote:

As far as Linux being virus free; that is one of the biggest myths in the computer world. All computer OS is vulnerable to a virus or malware attack. The reason you hear so little about Linux or Apple attacks is very simple. If you were a hacker trying to do the most damage or get your name out there would you attack a computer OS with only a small portion of the market or would you go for the big bang?(answer obvious)
According to Netmarketshare(as of April 2017), usage breaks down as:

Linux - 2.09%
Apple - 3.21%
Other - 4.35% (custom software and small platform)
Windows - 90.35%

While I agree that Linux is not immune to attack, those statistics are wildly misleading. They deal with desktop OS only. Actual online and web attached devices are now dominated by Android, and by extension, Linux.
I know the majority of traffic on my websites is high end mobile devices, led by Android.

I agree. My post was directed at the topic, which was a computer not a mobile device.
Android has definitely dominated the mobile device market and looks to stay that way. Microsoft has been and will remain for the near future the dominating player in the computer(desktop/laptop) world. With Windows 10 Microsoft hoped to make inroads in the mobile market with the across device strategy. This does not seem to be working out for them as yet.

[Chris_Bryant]

delwhjr wrote:

As far as Linux being virus free; that is one of the biggest myths in the computer world. All computer OS is vulnerable to a virus or malware attack. The reason you hear so little about Linux or Apple attacks is very simple. If you were a hacker trying to do the most damage or get your name out there would you attack a computer OS with only a small portion of the market or would you go for the big bang?(answer obvious)
According to Netmarketshare(as of April 2017), usage breaks down as:

Linux - 2.09%
Apple - 3.21%
Other - 4.35% (custom software and small platform)
Windows - 90.35%

While I agree that Linux is not immune to attack, those statistics are wildly misleading. They deal with desktop OS only. Actual online and web attached devices are now dominated by Android, and by extension, Linux.
I know the majority of traffic on my websites is high end mobile devices, led by Android.

[delwhjr]

colonelcorto wrote:
I'm not even sure where to start. Windows... Vista... BTW, 3rd party anti-virus software is nothing more than snake oil. Reformat the drive and do a clean install. If you never want to deal with virus problems again try Linux.

I would disagree. Virus software provides a needed service with the bad guys out there today. No software is perfect but to go without is asking for trouble.

As far as Linux being virus free; that is one of the biggest myths in the computer world. All computer OS is vulnerable to a virus or malware attack. The reason you hear so little about Linux or Apple attacks is very simple. If you were a hacker trying to do the most damage or get your name out there would you attack a computer OS with only a small portion of the market or would you go for the big bang?(answer obvious)
According to Netmarketshare(as of April 2017), usage breaks down as:

Linux - 2.09%
Apple - 3.21%
Other - 4.35% (custom software and small platform)
Windows - 90.35%

[colonelcorto]

I'm not even sure where to start. Windows... Vista... BTW, 3rd party anti-virus software is nothing more than snake oil. Reformat the drive and do a clean install. If you never want to deal with virus problems again try Linux.

[joebedford]

You may actually have a hard drive failure imminent - go figure?

My system worked fine except it wouldn't do a full backup. Many diagnostics later, I discovered that my hard drive was having an increasing number of bad sectors. It would work OK mostly but more and more errors. I replaced it with an SSD drive and my system is happy again.

I still use my old c: drive as a backup backup. Very light use and it's still spinning.

[wa8yxm]

One thing to consider....

I visit a lot of Ad Supported web pages (OK PCH.COM) and most of them use Google ad service... Folks pay Google and Google puts the ads out to these companies and passes on most of the payment keeping only a "Brokerage fee" or commission as it were. Nothing wrong with this, I'm not speaking ill of Google, Google ad Services, or the comnpanies who "Subscribe"

But some of the advertisers....

Well the bad guys figured out that they can buy some Google ad space and then slap their Ransom Ware onto unsuspecting victimns via LEGITIMATE web pages.

I would love to be able to id these jerks and give them justice but alas.. Beyond my pay grade to do that.

However The Ransom ware they put up is just a web page. nothing more, oh it locks the browser so you can not EASILY exit it. but there is a way on every device ...

Usually simply forcing the browser closed works. This may be as simple as hitting the HOME button on my phone (A mechanical button) and then running App-Killer and killing the browser then re-opening and immed hit HOME there and then the link for PCH again, this will force a different ad (usually) and you can go on.

On the computer.. well if it disables the old 3-finger saulte (CTRL-SHIFT-ESC) to bring up Task master.. Sit on the POWER button for 30 seconds

But no actual mal-ware hits your hard drive. Just the browser display.

These criminals are getting better at it all the time.. We really need to do something for 'em.. I happen to know where there is a Great Big HOle in the ground were we could stuff 'em for like 20 years with no cell phones, no internet, no sat phones (They are after all underground) and trying to tunnel out could be deadly (Part of the hole is under water).. Far as I know the hole is empty save for lights and debris and the Government owns it.

[RCMAN46]

If you have a laptop that has started running slow and you notice the cooling fan runs a lot then it is probably a hard drive going south.

If it is a HP contact them about how to test the hard drive.

[navybanker]

Everything is working after downloading free malware. I had done a hard disk check and it said disk is working properly. Hopefully, the notice is gone after selecting option to not show again (not recommended). Thanks,

[MrWizard]

Does the pc boot and run ok?
Any performance problems, ?

imo Windows is notorious for drive error notices
My Windows 8.1 gives me error notice every time I connect one of our tablets to transfer files, and on half of my usb sticks, always says click here to fix it now
No thanks
If your pc runs and avg and malware bytes finds nothing
I would leave it be
That's me, others may have a differ opinion

[alid]

To check the hard drive and even fix any errors my goto is Spinrite
It bypasses the OS so that would not be a problem. This way you can verify that it isn't the drive problem, It can actually repair some drive errors and recover data!...
It's not free but has saved me many times over the years.
You will need someone that is a bit Tech savy but it is what I would do after trying malware bytes and CCleaner.

[Ranger_Smith]

New malware tricks users into thinking hard drive failure is imminent

[darsben1]

go to malwarebytes.com and download free removal tool
Push download button not buy button

[DutchmenSport]

Sounds like you got hit with one of those viruses where they put junk in your start-up or somewhere that pop-ups bogus messages. They are very hard to get rid of. They want you to go to their website and pay for computer clean up or something.

Check your start-up routine. See if you can find it there.