Received Error Message On Laptop. Is This A Serious Issue?

[mozartbach1971]

Last night I was on my laptop and I noticed it gave some error message I believe it was something like,

KERNEL DATA INPAGE ERROR.  It then started automatically to shut down. It was taking long to shut down so I think I pressed a button or something to make it automatically shut down and then when I got back on, I went on the internet and it started making a loud sound so I think I tried pressing buttons to shut it down, and it started to automatically shut down, so I just let it go until it completely shut down, and then logged back in. Right now I am able to go on with no real problem. Does anyone know if this is a serious issue with my laptop?

[chapeau-noir]

Win10 itself has the tools to check your hard drive. 

Perform hard drive error check in Windows 10

1. Click on the Windows Explorer folder icon on your taskbar.
2. Click on This PC menu item on the left-pane.
3. Look for the hard drive icon with the Windows logo.
4. Right-click on the hard drive, then choose Properties.
5. Select the Tools tab, then click the Check button.

https://www.dnsstuff.com/check-hard-drive-health - overview of methods of checking health of hard drive.

[mozartbach1971]

Win10 itself has the tools to check your hard drive. 

Perform hard drive error check in Windows 10

1. Click on the Windows Explorer folder icon on your taskbar.
2. Click on This PC menu item on the left-pane.
3. Look for the hard drive icon with the Windows logo.
4. Right-click on the hard drive, then choose Properties.
5. Select the Tools tab, then click the Check button.

https://www.dnsstuff.com/check-hard-drive-health - overview of methods of checking health of hard drive.

I'm not real good at following directions on computers. I think I found step one, however I can't find, This PC menu. Is this in the folder icon on the bottom?

[itsjustasprain]

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@mozartbach1971 wrote:

I'm not real good at following directions on computers. I think I found step one, however I can't find, This PC menu. Is this in the folder icon on the bottom?

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Folder icon on the bottom of your screen will open Windows File Explorer. Or you can get there using your Start button if you have one. Then look in the left hand pane of the File Explorer window and you should see This PC as one of the Quick Access choices to click on.

[mozartbach1971]

Win10 itself has the tools to check your hard drive. 

Perform hard drive error check in Windows 10

1. Click on the Windows Explorer folder icon on your taskbar.
2. Click on This PC menu item on the left-pane.
3. Look for the hard drive icon with the Windows logo.
4. Right-click on the hard drive, then choose Properties.
5. Select the Tools tab, then click the Check button.

https://www.dnsstuff.com/check-hard-drive-health - overview of methods of checking health of hard drive.

I ran the scan and it said something like Windows successfully scanned the drive. No errors were found.  Does this mean the hard drive is not failing?

[drusalina]

Backup backup backup! NOW!

[pickapaper]

I also got one of these "Kernel" blue screens this morning. I also ran the scan and it did not find any errors. No noises coming from it. This computer is only about a year old and is not my main computer so not a lot stored on it. Still frustrating that it's failing so quickly if that is what is happening.

[chapeau-noir]

It could be just a bad sector, too - that's not at all unusual, even on a newer disc.

GENERAL:  General overview of kernal/sector/memory error messages:

https://neosmart.net/wiki/0x0000007a-kernel-data-inpage-error/

[mozartbach1971]

It could be just a bad sector, too - that's not at all unusual, even on a newer disc.

GENERAL:  General overview of kernal/sector/memory error messages:

https://neosmart.net/wiki/0x0000007a-kernel-data-inpage-error/

What is a bad sector? Is this something I should be concerned about.

[slippinjimmy]

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@mozartbach1971 wrote:

It could be just a bad sector, too - that's not at all unusual, even on a newer disc.

GENERAL:  General overview of kernal/sector/memory error messages:

https://neosmart.net/wiki/0x0000007a-kernel-data-inpage-error/

What is a bad sector? Is this something I should be concerned about.

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I'll tell you a story about a recent "lost sector"........

I had the misfortune to have a harddrive "lose" a couple of sectors, specifically sector 0 which is where the Partition Table is stored, partition table lost, without it the the harddrive is essentially dead and appears to be blank and unformatted. I know the data is still there but it's inaccessible even using numerous third-party utilities.

If I scanned the disc it would show that 99.9% of the disc is fine but without that critical single sector it is just a paperweight.

Back up NOW while you still can, if you insist on continuing to use the laptop makes sure to do daily backups because there is a good chance it will fail at some point.

That is just a short term interim solution until you either replace the hdd or get a new laptop.

[chapeau-noir]

That's a pretty extreme example of what can happen (and WHY backups are so important).  When I was doing Mac support and later with Windows for the company I worked for, I did a lot of HD clean-up - every single disc had bad sectors - none in critical areas, but it was usually a case of 'when' not 'if.'  😬

[mozartbach1971]

That's a pretty extreme example of what can happen (and WHY backups are so important). When I was doing Mac support and later with Windows for the company I worked for, I did a lot of HD clean-up - every single disc had bad sectors - none in critical areas, but it was usually a case of 'when' not 'if.'

Is there any test that can show that the issue is a bad sector? 

[vintage-car-magazines · Accepted solution]

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@mozartbach1971 wrote:

That's a pretty extreme example of what can happen (and WHY backups are so important). When I was doing Mac support and later with Windows for the company I worked for, I did a lot of HD clean-up - every single disc had bad sectors - none in critical areas, but it was usually a case of 'when' not 'if.'

Is there any test that can show that the issue is a bad sector? 

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You can keep searching for some indicator that everything is fine if you like but just know that you're on borrowed time and rolling the dice.

It might limp along for quite some time....or it might crash this weekend after you've created your auctions. Nobody can tell you how long it will be ok.

You're lucky. You got a warning shot across the bow.

[chapeau-noir]

Yes - I would spend time backing up your system first and foremost - you can be like me and periodically get these errors but not have much happen, or like @slippinjimmy and have that bad sector(s) contain critical files and hose your machine.  Really, it's always just a matter of time, which is why it's important always to back up your PC no matter what so you don't lose everything, and back it up on a regular basis (I do it weekly to an external drive).

PCMag is usually a good source of information and this is their intro to backing up.

https://www.pcmag.com/news/the-beginners-guide-to-pc-backup

[chapeau-noir]

PS: I have an external drive - the size of a couple of decks of cards (there's also an illustration at the top of the article) - just plug it into the USB port. You can do backups onto there.  Keep the drive in a safe place.