But I'm still having trouble with the corruption part. I know of three (3) different [software/activity] causes for that - likely there are more -
- there's activity from other software while files are being written which could be from any number of TSRs/services that I wot not of
- there's OS activity while files are being written maybe preventable, maybe not
-barney
If it's consistant, (ie. you can reliably recreate the problem), then running the system in Safe Mode should enable you to prove it into third party software or the OS by preventing almost all third party stuff from running - especially stuff that uses a driver.
- there're memory/cpu issues while files are being written - hardware related, but not HD related
(and could include cables & transfer speeds).
You can use
memtest86+ to check for RAM problems, and 'burn in' software to highlight possible CPU faults, (SiSoft Sandra, etc).
But if I was having this many problems, I'd go:
1) check the Event Log for Delayed Write Fail and similar problems;
2) power down and check
all cable connections, (IMO, SATA connectors are one of the worst designed around), power, SATA, etc, (I'd replace any SATA cables also at this point);
3) reseat RAM by removing/replacing;
4) clean out the interior using a vacuum, (hold any fan blades so they don't spin), just in case it's an airflow problem;
5) check the fans are spinning freely, (power it up, don't happily spin them by hand), you should be able to spot any problem ones.
The above should take about 30 minutes or less and is a lot easier to start with than trying to isolate software related problems.
(There's also the possibility of brown power or power fluctuations, but that/those can be filtered with a decent UPS.)
Hopefully any decent UPS would record power flucuations, since most have a USB connection these days the software might allow for such things.
Granted, I'm probably being overly picky in the latter respect, but there seems to be cause: three (3) different, widely - and successfully - used software packages seemed to fail me. Under other circumstances, I'd be inclined to suspect hardware, but pending further investigation, other circumstance has pretty well obviated that element.
If it were my machine, I'd definitely be suspecting a hardware fault but one thing: are you only having problems to the one HDD?
If so, plug it into another SATA/IDE interface using a different interface cable and see what happens.
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- anything not vendor-specific. If I get some mounting software, the MD5 thing sounds good, but a bit labour intensive? I really don't know, as that one never occurred to me 
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