S.M.A.R.T. Status Bad, Backup and Replace.

[axe0]

Could you make a photo of what you see and post it please.

 

[uubeerdude]

Thanks again. Some things have changed. I am now able to boot into the windows 8.1 desktop. It still requires, however,
having to F1 out of the American Megatrends screen because the smart error always appears, and which puts me into the
bios, at which point I have to esc and then delete changes and exit out of it. On opening the desktop the hard disk
problem screen opens. After I close that text box the computer continues to slow down till it stops altogether. I also
downloaded Paragon file manager and copied a system ISO to a thumb drive, along with two ISO files and the mod file from
the windows recovery url you gave me, all of which have disappeared from the thumb drive. Don't know how or why. Then I
downloaded EaseUS and ran the clone hdd utility to copy my os to a new blank hdd. During that file transfer, a screen
appeared indicating a bad disk sector. The cloned hdd will not boot. I tried to configure the petitions, which did not
transfer as they were on the old hdd, but failed. Where there were four petitions on the old one, but the new hdd had only
three after the clone. I am trying to wipe it and run the clone utility again. Screenshots to follow, as I have to reboot the computer because I had started another ISO dl from the recovery tools page, and it has stalled and my system utilities are not working now.

 

[uubeerdude]

...and I have reestablished an internet connection, albeit via ethernet. I was unable to connect wirelessly after having had gotten back into windows.

Screens:

 

[axe0]

Ok, it's clear to me now that the SMART error is about bad sectors, though it may not only be about bad sectors.

You'll not want to clone a system where the hard drive containing it has bad sectors, you have to start over.

 

[uubeerdude]

Thanks again. You have been very helpful and I am learning.

If I'm not mistaken, I need to get installation media to install a new os. I intend to contact ASUS to provide me that. When I purchased the machine in March of 2014 there was a problem. The cursor would, at random times, scoot across and off the screen without input, and I could not do anything with it. I took it to Best Buy, where I had bought it, and their tech people couldn't make heads or tails of it. Contacting ASUS, I shipped it to their facility in California. The computer was returned to me, but the problem was not resolved. I shipped it to them a second time, and it was returned with improvement. They informed me then that they had found a hdd problem, but would not explain further. Afterward the problem cropped up intermittently, and now the drive is past recovery. I toyed with Linux systems enough to know that I don't want to get into another. So my option is to get the media from ASUS or buy another. I paid for the os, and believe it should be provided to me. Are there any other options you are aware of.

 

[axe0]

If you have your license key, you may find a COA sticker somewhere on your system with the key, you can download an ISO for installation
Access Denied

 

[uubeerdude]

I have downloaded windows 8.1 installation media from Microsoft and burned it to dvd. I am not able, however, to boot from it. Trying to copy it to an 8gb usb thumb drive so I can boot from it, I get the message that the thumb drive does not have enough space. The files on the dvd are 4.37GB. What gives?

 

[axe0]

What format is your USB? FAT32 I presume?