Hey guys, not sure it's windows 8. At startup after the logo, it is showing the error "A disk read error occured. Press ctrl+alt+del to restart. Using Parted Magic I was able to copy the user's files, now to repair this problem. Searching the net I am seeing f9 key to enter recovery but that is not working.

 

Since during or after the logo I am not seeing the spinning disk, anything I can do to get into system repair or recovery? If not, how would I best go about reloading the OS since I have no idea what OS in on this unit?

This most likely points to a faulty hard drive.

Have you tested the drive on another machine?

 

F9 should take you to the Asus Recovery.

Have you tried pressing and holding the F9 key rather than tapping it?

Yes i have tried both tapping and holding f9 and at a few different times. Running the disk health tests on parted magic now, short test shows no errors, running extended test.

Let us know what the results are.

Have you tried the hard drive on another machine?

No this unit doesn't have a separate compartment for the HDD so I would need to open the entire bottom cover. I would prefer to reload the OS first option but trying to figure out which version of 8 is on there.

There are you tube instructions for removing the hard drive, Mike.

The x401a is the same as the x401u except for the ram placement.

 

Yeah I know but how will removing the HDD tell me which OS is on it please?

I would definitely want to make sure that the hard drive was functional before I went to the trouble of a operating system re-install.

ASUS' web site says it came with "Windows 7 or other editions available". https://www.asus.com/Notebooks/X401U/

 

If there's no Windows product code sticker, then I don't think it's a W7 machine. I haven't seen any W7 machines without a product code sticker. Thinking along that line, it's probably a W8 machine.

 

Help me out anyone because this isn't one of my strong areas. If the license is electrically stamped on the machine's electronics, you can install a new hard drive and load it with a Windows 8 install disk. I just did this with a machine that probably came with W8 Home. I used a W8 Pro install disk and it worked well. The system properties say that it's a W8 machine, not W8 Pro.

I think Cindy is correct on this one. I think this unit needs a new HDD, way too many different things happening trying to reload the OS.

 

http://imgur.com/bCqKIfM

 

Best I tell the owner to get a new drive otherwise even if I should get the OS to load and problems still occur the owner may blame me for not doing a good job.

Hi Tony. That is because either the key entered, or in the case of an OEM machine, the string ID hard stamped on the HDD, or the key used was for Windows 8 and even though you used a W8 Pro disk it actually comes with all flavors of Windows 8 but the key -- is the key so it will "activate" only with what the key allows. So for example even if you replace the hard drive, but you use a different OS disk for installation of Windows it's still only going to allow what the operating system key allows.

even though you used a W8 Pro disk it actually comes with all flavors of Windows 8 but the key -- is the key so it will "activate" only with what the key allows.

That's what I assumed. Thanks for the verification.

Yes, a new HDD did the trick.