Uncorrectable data error - error register 0040h

Scandisk.log contains the error (multiple times) "An undefined error occurred" but doesn't actually count these as errors in the error count at the end.

I'm running scandisk again to check that the number of bad bytes reported is consistent and that no new errors occur.

If it failed in the diags, it already means the HDD is already bad or is going bad. Though it may work for a while or scandisk may not find any errors, HDD would still fail or go bad eventually. If your system is still within warranty, just call tech support and they would replace your hard drive. If not, purhcase a new one and you could just use that bad hard drive as a slave hard drive for extra storage and less usage.

Dell support said that the disk is fine because the tools will just mark the block as bad.

I don't believe this, as no tool I've run has actually confirmed that this has been done.

I've backed up the hard drive and am going to let the computer go back to regular use until it fails again or I hear from someone better informed to do otherwise.

Got a call this morning from the same friend of mine with this PC.  Turns out that applications are crashing more than usual now, the PC often will not shut down, and this morning it would not start up.

Running diagnostics again.  I have even less faith now that the Dell technician new what he was talking about.

Ran full diagnostics - no new errors - PC crashes at startup.  Thanks Dell for your helpful tech support who told me everything is just fine.

Time for a new hard drive?

Called Dell Tech Support again.  Seems they've changed their mind now - now they say the hard drive must be replaced, that error 0040h means the hard drive is not serviceable. 

Thanks Dell for helping my friend lose a week and a half worth of data and not letting him know he needed a new hard drive until after the holidays are over and he needs the computer for work again.

Slightly off topic is my ordeal with Dell trying to get a replacement hard drive:

Advised my friend to order the hard drive through Dell for the warrenty and service, especially the help in getting it installed.  Friend ordered it Jan 5th.  Dell promised delivery on or before January 9th.

Arrived at my friend's at end of business day on January 9th.  Hard drive had not been delivered.  I called Dell (after not being able to find order info online) to find out that delivery is late and that it would be delivered on January 12th.

Arrived at my friend's at prior to the hard drive being delivered.  Shipping box has two crushed corners and one side has been severely scraped.  Opening the box reveals the hard drive is not secure in the foam, but is instead against the scraped side of the box.  I expect the worst and immediately call Dell for a replacement (at 3:12pm).

1st Dell employee I talk to cant help me, transfers me to someone who supposedly can, but the transfer fails to go through.

Call again and after entering the express service code, Dell's phone system disconnects me.

2nd Dell employee I talk to disconnects me after taking the service tag #.

3rd call is disconnected when I take another call on call waiting.

(I think there was 1 more unsuccessful call here.  I'd been on the phone will Dell for almost an hour by this time and had now had the dell support number temporarily on redial.)

Finally got through to a Dell tech support employee (why i had to talk to someone in tech support to deal with an item damaged during delivery is beyond me) who said he could handle the problem.  He had a heavy accent and the phone connection was extremely poor, but there was no way I was going to call back if I didn't have to.  I have to repeat my problem 4 times to him (he never metioned he had any problems hearing me, but I told him that I could barely understand him).  He gave me a case # and told me he had to transfer to someone else to finish handling my request.  I had him repeat 3 times who he was transferring me to until I could make out he was saying "non-Dell peripherals".  I thanked him and let him transfer me.

I am successfully transferred, but not to "non-Dell peripherals", but to a Dell employee in "Dell triage".  He is able to immediately reference my case #, but doesn't understand why I was transferred to him or what further needs to be done to handle my request.  After some discussion, we agree that I should talk to someone in "Dell customer care" to verify that a replacement hard drive is being sent.  I thanked him and let him transfer me.

The transfer didn't go through.

I call again and get through to a Dell employee in "Dell customer care".  I try to get her to take the case # that worked so with my previous conversation, but she snaps that she sees lots of case numbers and needs.  When she does pull up the case number, she makes sure to tell me that it says that the customer is "irate".  She does make sure that an exchange request is being processed, gives me an exchange reference number, and tells me it will be 24-48 hours before it gets processed, at which time I can call back to find out when it will be delivered.  I am told there is no way to expedite the request.  I thank her.

I hang up at 5:17.  I've been on the phone for over two hours, have talked to 6 (maybe 7) Dell employees, and now have to wait 1-2 days before I'll even know when there replacement will arrive.  Ironically, the friend I'm doing this for is a Dell stock holder who asks me if this is a good indicator to sell the stock...

 

Just talked to my friend whom I'm doing all this for.  My friend needs a working computer for work.  Wants to me to give up even trying to deal with the hopelessly incompetent people at DELL computer.  Suggestions please.

Given the absurdly incompetent support from Dell so far, I'm now doubting their ability to send even a compatible hard drive for the system.  The information here is inconclusive as to what will work.  How can I find out?

Just spent another 20+ minutes on the phone with Dell:

12: 03: 1st call I gave the information to the Dell employee so he could pull up the account.  He did, then put me on hold while he looked up something.  I was disconnected.

2nd and 3rd call: After navigating to through the menus, the line is busy.

4th call: Got through to a very helpful Dell employee who confirmed the exchange, gave me a new case #, gave me an order # (that is invalid in Dell's online order inquiry service), and a delivery date of January 21!  That's the best they can do on a replacement order for a late delivery of a damaged hard drive to replace another hard drive that is no longer working after Dell tech support told me it was fine and to continue using it?

Also, hard drive came without any documentation whatsoever.  The shipping box contained an invoice and the hard drive only.