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# Checking if device xx is ready: DeviceIoControl: The request failed due to a fatal device hardware..

<table data-header-hidden><thead><tr><th width="147"></th><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>ERROR</strong></td><td>Browsing disks: Checking if device 'Seagate OneTouch HDD SCSI Disk Device' (\\.\PHYSICALDRIVE1) is ready: DeviceIoControl: The request failed due to a fatal device hardware error.</td></tr></tbody></table>

This error can occur when performing a Disk Image Backup.

This error message indicates that there was a fatal hardware error when attempting to check if the disk device named 'xx' is ready.

When a fatal hardware error occurs, it typically means that the device has encountered a problem that prevents it from functioning properly. This could be due to a physical defect in the disk or controller hardware, such as a faulty component.

The error message specifically mentions the DeviceIoControl function, which is a Windows API function used to send control codes to a device driver. This suggests that the error occurred while attempting to communicate with the device driver for the disk.

#### To resolve this issue:

1. Check windows system event logs for disk related errors, specifically around the time of backup.
2. You may need to replace a faulty disk or controller.
3. At this point it's important to ensure that you actually have good backups of any important data stored on this disk, as the **fatal hardware error** will likely cause data loss or corruption.

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