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Heloise Montini
Heloise Montini is a content writer whose background in journalism make her an asset when researching and writing tech content. Also, her personal aspirations in creative writing and PC gaming make her articles on data storage and data recovery accessible for a wide audience.
Laura Pompeu
With 10 years of experience in journalism, SEO & digital marketing, Laura Pompeu uses her skills and experience to manage (and sometimes write) content focused on technology and business strategies.
Bogdan Glushko
CEO at SalvageData Recovery, Bogdan Glushko has over 18 years of experience in high-security data recovery. Over the years, he's been able to help restore data after logical errors, physical failures, or even ransomware attacks, for individuals, businesses, and government agencies alike.
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Hard Drive Error 0142 is a major hard disk error that indicates the disk has failed to boot or load the system files. The error mostly occurs due to a corrupted sector or a firmware-related issue. One reason for this error could be that you have accidentally deleted a crucial system file, leading to the inaccessibility of certain OS components.
Before trying to fix this error, you must create a backup of your data. This way, if something goes wrong during the fixing process, you’ll still have a copy of your data that you can use to restore your system.
Common reasons for error code 0142
- Loose SATA connection cables
Loose SATA connection cables can be a reason for this error. Check them before trying other solutions.
- Corrupt MBR
If the MBR is corrupt, viruses can be the reason you may see the code 0142 error.
- Bad sectors
It’s not unusual that bad sectors are the cause of this error code.
- Hardware damage
It can be mechanical damage, such as a broken read/write head, or damage caused because of overheating.
How to fix hard drive error code 0142
Start by checking if there are any updates available for your hard drive’s firmware and install them and see if that fixes the issue.
These tips should help you repair the hard drive error code 0142. But, if you’re not confident you can do it on your own, contact a recovery service to avoid further damage and data loss.
Solution 1: Restart system in safe mode
If you’re getting Hard Drive Error Code 0142, one thing you can try is restarting your system in safe mode. This will help rule out any software-related issues that could be causing the error.
To do this, restart your computer and press the F8 key before Windows starts loading. This will bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu. Then, select Safe Mode and hit Enter.
Once your computer boots into Safe Mode, check if the Hard Drive Error 0142 persists.
If it doesn’t, then it’s likely that a piece of software is causing the issue. Try uninstalling any recently installed programs and see if that repairs the 0142 error.
Solution 2: Update your hard drive’s firmware
If restarting in safe mode doesn’t repair Hard Drive Error 0142, then the next thing you can try is updating your hard drive’s firmware.
In some cases, this can help fix issues with the hard drive that are causing the error.
Download the latest firmware update for your hard drive from the manufacturer’s website. Once you have the update, follow the instructions on how to install it.
After doing so, restart your computer and see if Hard Drive Error 0142 is still occurring.
Solution 3: Run SMART test
If Hard Drive Error 0142 is still occurring, you can try running a SMART test on your hard drive. This test can detect any issues with the hard drive that could be causing the error.
To do this, you’ll need to access the BIOS setup utility. Just press the F12 key repeatedly during the system booting.
Step 1. Find the drive with the error and select SMART Support.
Step 2. Run the SMART Self-Test to see your HDD status.
If the SMART test detects any issues with your hard drive, then you’ll need to replace it.
Solution 4: Use data recovery software
If neither of the above solutions works, then you can use data recovery software to scan your hard drive and recover any lost or corrupted data.
There are many data recovery programs available, so be sure to do some research to find one that suits your needs. You can try our partner’s recovery software for free.
Once you install and run the software, follow the instructions on how to use it to scan your hard drive. This process can take a while, but it should recover any lost or corrupted data on your hard drive.
Then you can restore them and check if the issue is solved.
Solution 5: Contact a data recovery professional
If you’ve tried all the above solutions and Hard Drive Error Code 0142 is still occurring, then your best course of action is to contact a professional hard drive repair service. These services can often repair issues with hard drives that regular users can’t. Search for “hard drive recovery service” on Google and you’ll find a list of reputable companies that offer this service.
SalvageData has years of experience recovering data, with a high success rate. You can send your device for a free in-lab evaluation, or contact a recovery center near you.
Summary: The error code 0142 can happen at any moment, being reported by Dell users. Yet, most of the time, you can fix it on your own, preventing data loss. Check the SATA cable before trying a different hard drive error code 0142 repair tip.
If you have any data loss due to the hard drive error 0142, contact SalvageData for a free-in lab evaluation.
