Many problems after setting up the new motherboard, CPU, and RAM?
Many problems after setting up the new motherboard, CPU, and RAM?
It seems the test isn't allowing me to run it without registering the product, even though I downloaded the trial. From the base, I did have some updates.
I shared a screenshot here: https://imgur.com/a/jdnITZq
The health is quite low and looks like it has limited time left. It makes sense that I'll be replacing it soon.
It was just a quick reset, saving personal files and doing a full reinstall of Windows 11. I’m not sure it was a complete wipe, but I don’t have the resources for a full backup. So far, following the suggested steps has helped a little. I still need more time to be completely sure, but that’s okay right now.
144 bad sectors signal it's time to discard that hard drive right away (if not sooner). I've stopped using hard disks with just three bad sectors. Once they begin to show up, it won't be long before things deteriorate further.
Still, make sure to back up all your important files today, upgrade to a new SSD, and reinstall Windows from scratch. I wouldn't risk a hard disk with that many bad sectors for any longer.
You'll see a significant boost in performance after switching from Windows on a traditional hard drive to an M.2 SSD.
Note: Running CHKDSK /F /R will thoroughly scan the entire drive for undetected errors and attempt repairs, but doing this might make the drive unbootable. Proceed with caution.
A big oversight would be losing everything if the hard disk fails tomorrow. You only need to back up essential personal data—files you can't afford to lose and that can't be replaced. Collections of MP3/FLAC files, movies, third-party games, programs, or apps can all be restored.
Focus on personal documents, spreadsheets, photos, home videos, anything irreplaceable you can't afford to lose. You might only have a few hundred MB to back up, not 2TB.
You have 2.5TB of SSD space available. Check the free space on these drives and estimate how much personal data is stored on the hard disk. Then copy it over to an SSD. Ideally, consider purchasing external storage (a portable USB drive) for backup instead.
It seems you still have one empty NVMe slot—consider replacing the Barracuda with a new NVMe drive for Windows. If you don’t play games, a drive no larger than 500GB (preferably 1TB) should suffice for the Windows boot partition. While 4TB SSDs might run slightly slower than 2TB or 1TB, it’s worth checking.
Well.... you see, I acquired a new SSD yesterday and cloned the HDD onto it, according to a tutorial. Initially everything functioned smoothly, but when I tried to shut it down I encountered a blue screen repeatedly, especially during startup (definitely not following any instructions again. I'll handle this correctly next time). Consequently, I had to reinstall Windows and go through the process thoroughly, which erased the drive and all its contents.
I didn't have much personal data to worry about—just some sketches I created and a few references. Even though I lost the files needed for editing, I can simply re-download the drawings from where they were posted. There are also some settings in my drawing program, but that's not unusual.
I did actually store those artworks on my USB drive, but they got overwritten during the Windows installation. Oops.
I definitely learned that trying to shortcut to save files instead of following proper procedures isn't worth the risk. Thanks for all the assistance, though—I really appreciate it, even though I was pretty stubborn about finding a workaround.
Occasionally struggling is actually the most effective method of learning, isn't it?
Hi, "and everyone said Amen." I understand the struggles of learning through trial and error for the first decade of gaming and PC building. Over 35 years now, I've gained a lot of knowledge. Back in the day there were huge failures—losing valuable data, even with failing HDDs and SSDs today. Backups are crucial nowadays, particularly when you have mission-critical information. From my experience, the most effective approach is to perform a clean install, run the SFC file checker to verify the OS is functioning properly, apply all necessary updates, and install your applications. Always back up important data to a separate drive. Regular system maintenance helps maintain good file integrity. Take time to enjoy your PC system. Cheers from an old-school PC builder and gamer. All the best.
Given the numerous faulty blocks on your Windows hard disk, it’s not surprising that the cloning process for an SSD didn’t succeed completely. Certain files might be damaged, while others could be missing. If these missing or corrupted files belong to the Windows operating system, it might account for the Blue Screens of Death. I’m puzzled that the cloning tool managed to finish the job. I’ve noticed Macrium freezing when it runs into issues on the source drive, often needing manual fixes or a full Windows reinstall.
Recovering all your data can be time-consuming, particularly if you’ve forgotten where important files are stored. I usually avoid keeping crucial documents in my Windows profile (such as Documents, Music, Pictures, and Videos), opting instead to organize them into more specific folders—often on other drives. This approach reduces the complexity of recovery if your profile becomes unusable and you can’t restore it.
For valuable photos and videos, I maintain several duplicates across different computers and servers. Ideally, I keep at least three copies, though more is better. You never know when ransomware, hardware failure, floods, or lightning strikes might occur.
If your system is running a fresh Windows installation on the new SSD (which is significantly faster), now is the right moment to assess what data remains and begin backups. Avoid storing all your information on a single device—such as a failing power supply unit could destroy all your drives and SSDs. Likewise, leaving an external USB backup device connected constantly increases the risk of loss. Always maintain at least three copies of essential files in separate locations, such as other drives, computers, USB drives, portable hard disks, or the cloud. Keeping a copy off-site (e.g., at work or with a friend) helps protect against home fires or theft.