When there is a problem with a hard drive or partition in Windows, you may see a warning message that says “An error occurred while reading the disk.” This message will likely be followed by instructions to press Ctrl+Alt+Del to reboot, which you should do to see if the problem is resolved. However, if the computer reboots and only displays the same error message, then troubleshooting is necessary.

While the cause of this error can vary from computer to computer, there are some common causes, including the following:

While it may seem like looking at the hard drive first is the best solution, there are several other possible solutions for disk read errors. By going through possible solutions for common reasons for this error, you can locate and resolve the problem.

Run a desktop cleanup utility. This will remove any files that could be causing a memory error. While the errant file could be a symptom of more serious problems, cleaning up your desktop is good for maintenance.