Has your computer displayed the "Hard drive short DST check failed" error message when you tried booting it? That notifies you that something on your hard drive has gone south. Don't worry; we'll show you how to fix the HP Short DST Failed error.
We'll explain a DST and what causes a failed hard drive short DST check. Moreover, we'll introduce the top eight methods to fix the issue quickly and easily. Lastly, we'll help you recover data from a failed hard drive.
Table of Content
What Is the "Hard Drive Short DST Check Failed" Error?
When you boot your HP computer, it conducts a DST to check your hard drive's health and physical integrity. DST stands for Drive Self-Test, which your computer must perform whenever you boot it. It runs in the background, meaning you won't notice the difference.
There are two kinds of DST tests: a long DST and a short DST. Both DST checks evaluate all the components of your hard drive and computer. However, a short DST focuses only on the most significant elements like the control board, motor, and platter, while a long DST also reviews the data on that platter.
If there's an issue with your hard drive, you'll receive a message saying, "Hard drive short DST check failed." This error message warns you that your hard drive didn't pass the DST and needs a repair.
An error code, such as 0141, 0142, or 0146, often follows a failed DST check message.
Signs of a Hard Drive Short DST Check Failure
A failed short DST is not a good sign for your hard drive. The issues vary from minor to those requiring you to replace your HDD. Thus, recognizing the signs of short DST check failure on time is critical.
The most prevalent signs and symptoms of the "hard drive short DST check failed" error include:
- Sluggish performance
- A computer that stops working
- Intermittent flashing of the hard drive light
- Frequent restarts
- A hard drive that won't boot and shows a blank screen
Regardless of the symptom, you can fix your hard drive and eliminate the error message. Here's how.
How To Fix the "Hard Drive Short DST Check Failed" Error
If you've noticed the symptoms above and your HP computer displays the "hard drive short DST check failed" error message, you must repair your HDD fast. After all, the DST examines your hard drive's health, so if the check fails, your hard drive is failing, too.
Fortunately, there are ways to fix the "short DST check failed" error.
Way 1. Run a Malware Scan
A malware attack is one of the most common reasons for a failed short DST check. If malware has infected your hard drive, it could cause numerous issues and malfunctions with your HDD. Thus, check for malware to remove it and fix the problem.
Install a reliable anti-malware tool. Run a complete malware scan on your system and let it locate any possible malware that has caused the hard drive's short DST check failure. If the software finds malware, remove it and reboot your computer.
Way 2. Use a CHKDSK Scan
If your hard drive is faulty, you may see the recurring "short DST check failed" error message. You can resolve the problem by scanning your disk for errors and fixing them. You can do it quickly with the help of the CHKDSK command.
You can perform a CHKDSK scan even if your system doesn't boot due to the "short DST check failed" error. Follow these steps to use CHKDSK to fix the hard drive issue:
- Insert your Windows media driver (a CD or a USB flash drive) into your computer.
- Change the BIOS boot sequence to boot from your Windows media driver.
- Save the changes and exit the BIOS.
- Click Next on the setup window and select Repair your computer.
- Choose the Troubleshoot option.
- Select the Advanced Options and open the Command Prompt.
- Type chkdsk /r in the command line and press Enter.
- Let the scan find and fix errors.
- Once the repair is complete, exit the Command Prompt and restart your computer.
Way 3. Update HDD Drivers
Outdated drivers may cause the hard disk short DST check to fail. Thus, update your HDD drivers. While they should automatically update with the system update, sometimes you must do it manually.
If your hard drive is bootable, follow these steps to update your HDD drivers to fix the "short DST check failed" error:
- Hit the Windows key and . simultaneously and click Device Manager.
- Expand the Disk drives section.
- Right-click your hard disk driver and click Update driver.
- Once the HDD drivers update, reboot your computer.
Way 4. Restore Your OS
Your computer allows you to restore your system to a specific past version. If your HP computer displays the "hard drive short DST check failed" error, you can fix it by returning your OS to a point when it worked fine.
Follow these steps to restore your system to fix the failed short DST check issue:
- Hit the Windows key and . simultaneously to open the Run dialog box.
- Type rstrui and click OK.
- The System Restore dialog box will open. Hit Next.
- Select a restoration point from the list and click Next.
- Click Finish to restore your system to an earlier point.
- Your computer will restart automatically, so check if the "short DST failed" error is gone afterward.
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Way 5. Perform a Clean Boot
A clean boot lets you start your Windows OS with a minimum set of drivers and programs. Performing it on your computer can eliminate any potential program and software conflicts and fix the "hard drive short DST check failed" error.
Follow these steps to start your computer with a clean boot:
- Open the .un dialog box by hitting Windows . R.
- Type msconfig and click OK.
- The System Configuration dialog box will open. Click Selective startup in the General tab.
- Untick the Load startup items checkbox.
- Switch to Services and tick the Hide all Microsoft services checkbox.
- Click Disable All > Apply > OK.
- Restart your PC and see if your "short DST check failed" error is gone.
Way 6. Perform a Hard Reset
A hardware problem can sometimes cause the "hard drive short DST check failed" error. You can perform a hard reset to resolve it. That will clear all settings and refresh your BIOS, allowing it to properly boot your system and fix the short DST check failure.
To clear all BIOS settings and perform a hard reset, follow these steps:
- Unplug all external devices from your PC.
- If you have a laptop, remove its battery.
- Long-press the Power button for 30 seconds.
- Reinsert the battery and reconnect all external devices.
- Turn on your computer.
Way 7. Take Your Drive to a Professional Repair Shop
The "hard drive short DST check failed" error can cause your computer to malfunction. If you're not confident to repair it yourself or the methods above didn't fix it, contact a professional for help.
Find a professional repair shop and take your faulty hard drive for a repair. Moreover, a professional repair shop is the best option if you haven't backed up your HDD data or can't extract it due to severe damage.
Way 8. Replace Your Drive
Lastly, if the damage to your hard drive prevents you from booting your computer, it's time to replace it. Sometimes, you can't save your HDD if the damage is too significant. Thus, back up your data and replace your disk with a new one.
How To Recover Data From a Hard Drive With Short DST Check Failure
While you can repair the hard drive's short DST check failure, you might want to recover your data, just in case. Even if you fix your HDD, you may experience data loss, which you can revert with a data recovery tool.
Wondershare Recoverit is a powerful hard drive recovery software that allows users to recover any kind of data, such as videos, audio, photos, files, emails, etc. Besides hard drives, it can restore missing files from crashed computers/laptops, external HDDs/SSDs, USB drives, cameras, NAS devices, etc.
- Recovers data from 2000+ storage media, including HDDs, SSDs, USB drives, SD cards, etc.
- Enables recovery of data lost due to disk formatting, hard drive failure, virus attack, and more.
- Works with all popular file systems, such as NTFS, FAT, HFS+, and APFS, among others.
Follow these steps to recover data from a hard drive with short DST check failure using Wondershare Recoverit:
- Install and launch Wondershare Recoverit on your computer.
- Head to the Hard Drives and Locations, and select your faulty HDD.
- The software will automatically scan the selected unit. You can pause and resume the process anytime. Stopping it if you find all the files is also possible.
- Once the scan is complete, preview the files on your hard drive. Click Recover to save them to a safe location.
Tutorial: How to Run CHKDSK for Repairing Bad Sectors?
Conclusion
If your computer displays the "hard drive short DST check failed" error message, your HDD has an issue you should resolve immediately. The unmistakable signs of a hard drive short DST check failure include a blank screen and a computer that keeps restarting or stops working. Others involve a flashing HDD light and sluggish performance.
Fortunately, you can eliminate the "short DST check failed" error on your hard drive with several methods. You can run a malware scan, use the CHKDSK command, update the HDD drivers, restore the system, or perform a clean boot or a hard reset.
You can contact a professional repair shop or replace your hard drive as a last resort. Once you fix the problem, use Wondershare Recoverit to recover lost HDD files.
