Ouch, not good, Mark.
Looks like the drive already reports (faulty) stuff via her S.M.A.R.T. diagnose and Windows reads that warning level and stresses the need to backup.
In very, very rare cases this could just be a problem of the cable connecting the drive, but some 98% or more will actually show that you are doing the right thing, plan for a replacement.

So lets hope that you can get behind the error and also that the installation or at least re-injection of your software doesn't take too long.

If you want to check the S.M.A.R.T. status and the actual 'too high' value on that drive, you could use http://hddscan.com/ which will give you a small table with all vital values at a click.
So it just reads what the drive is reporting and shows you some more detail. There's no test running (and stressing) the drive, just a read-out.

To give you some motivation, YMEN is coming up soon as it seems, so get that thing ready!  

And to maybe calm you. The Windows warning comes up when the S.M.A.R.T. trigger parameters are exceeded. That's what it is, a warning and a good point for planning on a new disc, but it does not necessarily mean that you'll lose her in the next second.

This stuff is a self-diagnose way of getting an overview on the health of the drive. If e. g. the spinup time exceeds a certain level, it will warn you because there is a chance that the little motor develops a problem.
Same goes for the amount of faulty 'areas' on the drive. Some are ok and normal, some more trigger the warning, but the rest may well be perfectly ok (to backup).
As said, that tool will show you the 'red level' values, where the Windows popup just gives are general warning.

See, FSX does not want that you play other games, Mark. Stop doing this or your hdd will fail.
Told ya! 

And Mark is their first FSX victim! Boeing247, I think where are about to reveal something big here.  
I wonder what other games Mark has played there, triggering such violent actions.  

Wow, great service there!
But, obviously, you can't play the game any longer, Mark. We've now revealed how FSX handles any shifted focus. Sorry.  

Of course, we've also revealed why you are such a friendly guy. It's because all the negative emotions go into that Unreal Tournament game (or GTA 4).  

Hi fs_addict.

Does the following help?

AcGenral.dll is a Windows file used for application compatibility. "Bad image" often means the file is just corrupt.

Check the C: drive for errors -

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Check-a-drive-for-errors


That will prompt to schedule the check at restart because you are checking the drive that Windows is installed on.

When it is finished you can check the results by looking in Event Viewer in the Application log for Event ID 1001 from source Wininit.

Then run System File Checker to check Windows files for errors -

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929833

If those two steps don't work, you can drive copying a version of AcGenral.dll from a Windows 7 computer that is not having the problem and overwriting the version on the problem computer.

I know it refers to Windows 7, it should also work for Vista (not sure which of those two you use). Here is the one for Vista: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Check-your-hard-disk-for-errors

The rest of it can apply to both Vista and Window 7.

Mark

HI all used to have the handle Islander here at Capt Sim but due to Hard Drive melt down the other day had to a complete rebuild of the whole system. Problem was result of new piece of malware that was buried as a guage/dll file in a DC-8 I downloaded from web site (Sorry Capt Sim but we have asked for the DC-8) anyway, the malware went to work after installing the model into FSX and firing up FSX, the usual script request appeared to run (I think guage but not sure) and I complacently allowed it to run and that was that, immediately shut down the PC with a cryptic message at the end. PC would not reboot or operate after that no matter what repairs etc I did. OF note was that Norton did not pick up the malware nor did the remainder of my PC security systems and the Norton emergency boot up and repair disk could not fix the hard drive damage either. I needed to do a complete rebuild from the factory image and lost a lot of stuff when the backup would not read or recover, darn and bugger. So new email account and many days  of dramas recovering program keys etc for various stuff I had installed in FSX. Capt Sim were very helpful and got my new email account etc aligned in rapid time - Thanks heaps.

Guys not sure if it is related, could be, maybe not. But beware! I understand from some other forums that the malware may damage the boot sector or drive read data and it effectively is an on/off loop.

Anyway I am back and simming and FSX is running better than ever which goes to show you can clutter up the system after awhile unintentionally, so from now on software from accredited and trustworthy sources only.