Troubleshoot Hard Drive Error Code 0146 with 6 Easy Tricks

It’s very common to face issues while using a computer system. There are various software or hardware issues computer users face time to time. Have you ever faced any? In this article, we’ll be discussing one such common issue, “hard drive error code 0146”. Also, I’ll be sharing some methods here which will help you fix this problem.

A hard disk drive is the most important part of a computer system. Being a storage device, it stores all the software installed on a computer, as well as all the data files created and used by the software. Just like any other hardware device, a hard disk drive is also prone to severe issues. Any sort of issue or error in the hard disk drive due to any reason, i.e. logical or physical failure, can cause fatal data loss. And the common error often faced by computer users is “hard drive error code 2000-0146” or “a disk read error occurred”.

Hard Drive Error Code 0146

This error code is primarily associated with the disk read issue of the hard drive. Whenever this error takes place, you’ll face frequent system freeze issue due to which the computer system and software applications stop responding. This is very inappropriate, and it can affect the performance of your computer. It can slow down your computer that leads to an unexpected crash or blue screen error. Also, you may face many Windows-related problems. And if you don’t fix this issue in time, it may damage the system and result in data loss. Therefore, it’s extremely important to fix this error code 0146 in order to avoid data loss situation from a hard drive.

You may also like read: Fix hard drive error code 0142

How to fix hard drive error code 0146?

If you’re facing this error code and looking for a way to fix it, I’m gonna help you here. Below is some easy methods which will help you fix the hard drive error code 2000-0146:

Run Disk Cleanup

It may happen that your hard drive is containing the unnecessary files. You should run the Disk Cleanup (cleanmgr.exe) utility to clean up such files from the hard disk drive. By using the Disk Cleanup utility, you can not only fix the issues with the computer but also increase the storage space by removing all the temporary files. Also, it can empty the Recycle Bin and remove all the unnecessary files which might be responsible for disk read issue. Follow these simple steps to run the Disk Cleanup utility on your system:

• First, go to Start. Now type Disk Cleanup, and press Ctrl+Shift+Enter keys.
• Here select the drive which you want to clean up, and then click OK.
• The Disk Cleanup utility will start the scanning process. Wait until it gets successfully completed.
• After that, select the temporary files checkboxes, and click OK. A popup will appear.
• You need to confirm it by clicking the Delete Files button.

Use Antivirus Software

Maybe a virus or malware has infected the hard disk drive due to which it’s causing read/write errors. You can successfully repair such errors with the help of a good Antivirus software. Also, you can use the Windows Defender program, an anti-malware component of Microsoft Windows. It protects a computer against pop-ups, slow performance, and security threats caused by spyware and other unwanted software. In order to fix the hard drive error code 2000-0146, you should run the Antivirus software to scan your PC. And once the scanning process is completed, remove all the viruses and malware from the system.

Boot System in Safe Mode

If you’re receiving the hard drive error code 0146, maybe you should try to boot your computer system in safe mode and clean up the boot files. First, you need to remove all the attached devices like Printer, Wi-Fi adapter, modem, etc. And after that, shut down your computer and follow these simple steps:

• Press the power button to restart your computer, and keep pressing the F8 key to invoke the Advanced Boot Options menu.
• Now select the Safe Mode with Networking option by using the arrow keys, and hit Enter.
• On the Windows desktop, press Win+R keys and type msconfig. Then click OK.
• On the System Configuration dialog box, click the General tab. Click the Selective startup option, and uncheck the “Load Startup items” checkbox.
• Now click the Services tab, and check the “Hide all Microsoft services” entry. Click Disable all button, and then restart your computer.

Run SFC Scan

If any of the system files are missing or corrupted, it may cause severe issues including a disk read error (hard drive error 2000-0146). In order to fix this issue, you should run SFC (System File Checker) scan that can repair/replace the corrupted as well as missing system files and registry files. Follow these simple steps to run the SFC scan:

• Go to Start by pressing the Win key. Now type cmd in the search bar, and hit Enter to go to the command prompt.
• At the command prompt, type SFC /Scannow, and hit Enter to run the SFC scan.

Once the scanning process is successfully completed, restart your computer. This will replace all the corrupted files.

Note: If the SFC scan fails to replace a system file, you’ll need to use Windows installation DVD or media to repair corrupted/damaged system files.

Change BIOS Settings

If the BIOS settings are incorrect, it may affect the performance of your computer. So make sure the system’s BIOS settings are correct. If you find any changes in the BIOS settings, it’s better to reset them to default. Follow these simple steps to reset the BIOS settings:

• First, restart your computer and keep pressing the F2 key while booting until you see the BIOS settings.
• In the BIOS settings, select Reset to Default, Setup Defaults, or any other similar option to reset the BIOS settings.
• Now restart your system in the normal mode.

Replace Hard Disk Drive

If nothing is working out, it’s better to replace your hard disk drive with a new one. Also, you need to recover your data from the old hard disk drive. In such a situation, you should use a professional Hard Disk Recovery tool to recover your data from the corrupted/damaged hard disk drive. Even you can successfully restore your data from the formatted hard disk drive. Before purchasing the software, you should first download the demo version for free evaluation and check the preview of your recoverable data. And if you’re satisfied with the results, then only go for the paid one.

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve discussed the hard drive error code 0146 and its most common reasons. Also, we’ve learned how to fix this common problem by using 6 easy manual solutions. And if the manual solutions don’t fix the issue, you should replace the hard disk drive with a new one. Also, you need to use a professional data recovery tool to recover your data from the old hard disk.