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Our tech doesn't think it's a hardware failure and is planning to reinstall windows. I ran chkdsk and it didn't find anything, but I keep seeing other oddities. Examples below:

DSIM Error

C:\Windows\system32>dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.3.9600.17031

Image Version: 6.3.9600.17031

[==========================100.0%==========================]

Error: 1117

The request could not be performed because of an I/O device error.

The DISM log file can be found at C:\Windows\Logs\DISM\dism.log

SFC Error

Beginning system scan.  This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.

Windows Resource Protection found integrity violations. Details are included
in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example
C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. Note that logging is currently not supported in
offline servicing scenarios.

Bitlocker Error

enter image description here

Again, a full CHKDSK on boot showed no errors. I haven't been a tech for a long time, but everything else makes it look like a hardware issue. How can I better determine if it is a hardware issue?

THE JOATMON
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    Check your hard drive for SMART errors [How can I read my hard drive's SMART status in Windows 7?](http://superuser.com/q/29240), and [What is the easiest method of checking SMART status for your hard drive?](http://superuser.com/q/14803) – DavidPostill Mar 17 '16 at 15:37
  • That led me to http://www.hdtune.com/ which I ran and it did show bad blocks. Thanks! Would you post an answer recommending that utility (or another) and I will accept it? – THE JOATMON Mar 17 '16 at 15:41
  • Check before the SMART response, and after yes, it's probable that your _"tech"_ is right. You will go to install again from scratch windows... on a new Hard Disk! :-). Seriously check the SMART response. – Hastur Mar 17 '16 at 15:41
  • Well the answer could just say "Use a SMART compatible tool like X or Y to find out for sure." Then you could explain why this would detect an error whereas CHKDSK did not. – THE JOATMON Mar 17 '16 at 15:49
  • See, two people already did it :). Waiting for @DavidPostill to answer. – THE JOATMON Mar 17 '16 at 15:50
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    @DevilsAdvocate Pick one of the lucky others to get the points ;) – DavidPostill Mar 17 '16 at 15:52
  • Done and done. Also updated my question in response to the close vote for `unclear what you are asking` – THE JOATMON Mar 17 '16 at 15:53
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    I think @Xavierjazz is a little confused. ;) People can suggest products in *answers* (as long as they explain how to use them to solve the problem at hand). We just can't ask *questions* like "Can you recommend a product that does XYZ?" :) – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 Mar 17 '16 at 16:05
  • No, I understand, I just poorly phrased my attempt to give a little guidance. I don't speak for anyone. I'll just remove my comment. :) I didn't vote to close. – Xavierjazz Mar 17 '16 at 16:16

2 Answers2

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Before reinstalling windows or any other OS, in cases like yours you should check the response of .

S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology; often written as SMART) is a monitoring system included in computer hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs) that detects and reports on various indicators of drive reliability, with the intent of enabling the anticipation of hardware failures. [wikipedia]

If you want to remain generic in your learning, smartmontools is available for Windows, Linux, Mac, etc. Or, if you prefer a more cozy GUI, you can go with hdtune or any of the solutions proposed in the questions below.

For more info on the subject, check out these other SuperUser questions:

For a comparison of S.M.A.R.T. tools you can start from the wikipedia page about it

Community
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Hastur
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  • `Status: The SSD has damaged blocks.` Thanks! – THE JOATMON Mar 17 '16 at 15:54
  • Maybe you can still mark all them and save the disk... or maybe not, but you can see. – Hastur Mar 17 '16 at 16:01
  • Back in the day a bad sector often meant an impending head crash. What causes a "Damaged Block" on a drive with no moving parts? Is it more at risk? – THE JOATMON Mar 17 '16 at 16:04
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    @DevilsAdvocate _"да нет наверное"_ Seldom foreign languages can provide appropriate expression absent in your own: _"yes,no, of course"_. For different reasons but, maybe, with the same ending. It should depend from the model, the amount of errors, the rate of new failures... but if you have a growing number of bad blocks you can imagine the end by yourself with not so more need of additional info. Good Old times the ones when the HDD [warned you with its clicks](http://superuser.com/q/1004670/257269) (you can listen some example from the link) – Hastur Mar 17 '16 at 16:23
  • @Hastur It is an SSD: Marking bad blocks doesn't work on SSD's like it used to do on old-fashioned harddisks. Even modern classic harddisks (non-SSD) can no longer "mark" bad blocks. In stead the internal controller in the drive automatically replaces the bad blocks with good blocks from its spare capacity. By the time a bad block shows to the OS a modern disk is already beyond saving, because the controller doesn't have any spare blocks left: Backup your data and get rid of the failing disk asap. – Tonny Mar 17 '16 at 16:57
  • @Tonny I understood: it doesn't change the meaning and sadly neither the ending. Whatever it is the reasons that causes a growing number of _"bad blocks"_, less lossy speaking of _"Reallocated Sectors Count"_ it is not a good sign, no matter if for a physical damage to the disk surface or a failed flash memory transistor. (Btw the `0x05` it is quickly and often referred as bad sectors counter see wikipedia for example). About this I strongly disagree: __you have not to backup in case of problem, you have to backup always__ :) However thanks for the spot,it makes more clean the whole mechanism. – Hastur Mar 18 '16 at 09:19
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Try downloading Acronis Drive Monitor which will give you an overview on the SMART results for your drive. This might show you an error somewhere

lwilson876
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