Hard Drive major problem - what to do...

  • Thread starter Thread starter write2alexng
  • Start date Start date
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write2alexng

Here is the situation. A kid learning with PC and he actually enter
user-defined parms from BIOS screen of the WD harddrive, then boot up
the PC and format the WD harddrive. Later, Windows CD refused to
recognise the WD, so I am call for help.

Well, I boot up and let BIOS detects it again, it seems fine and
correctly be detected by the bios as a LBA drive with correct numbers.
Once it boots up again with a simple DOS disk, it claimed find no
harddrive, similar with Windows's CD. I noticed when PC boot up, quick
flash shows the harddrive still like the one the kid has entered
before "CHS, xxxx ".

I have no idea of what can I do with this situation. Is a LOW LEVEL
format might help ?. I have tried using partition doctor, ghost and
try 'clean up/'rebuild partition/rebuild MBR....whatever' nothing
helps since these program see no hard driver as well (bios UNABLE to
see the harddrive from boot up but does ABLE to detect the harddrive
from inside the bios screen)
 
Well, I boot up and let BIOS detects it again, it seems fine and
correctly be detected by the bios as a LBA drive with correct numbers.
Once it boots up again with a simple DOS disk, it claimed find no
harddrive, similar with Windows's CD. I noticed when PC boot up, quick
flash shows the harddrive still like the one the kid has entered
before "CHS, xxxx ".
Click to expand...
[snip]

Go into the BIOS and look for "AUTO" setting rather than manual CHS
setting and let BIOS detect the correct drive at next boot.
 
Go into the BIOS and look for "AUTO" setting rather than manual CHS
setting and let BIOS detect the correct drive at next boot.
Click to expand...

Did that and that is what the problem I have with it. CHS was used by
mistake and that is what caused this situation now. Boot the PC with
floppy/CD, at prompt, it does not see a C: drive exists.

All helps are appreciated.
 
Try wiping the drive with something like clearhdd from
http://www.samsung.com/Products/HardDiskDrive/utilities/clearhdd.htm
and start over with an auto drive type entry.
Click to expand...

Tried clearhdd with no luck, actually the clearhdd does not really
kicks in because CMOS unable to detect the HD (however, it does able
to detect my HD correctly INSIDE the Bios screen with IDE detect
function). I have also tried the SHDIAG (Samsung HD Diag. program), it
detects that I my drive is a WD correctly but restricted to go further
unless it is a Samsung HD.

So what next that I should try in order to bring this HD back
alive ?..Any more suggestions please.
 
Tried clearhdd with no luck, actually the clearhdd does not really
kicks in because CMOS unable to detect the HD (however, it does able
to detect my HD correctly INSIDE the Bios screen with IDE detect function).
Click to expand...

Then you should have used clearhdd after doing that.
I have also tried the SHDIAG (Samsung HD Diag. program),
it detects that I my drive is a WD correctly but restricted to
go further unless it is a Samsung HD.
Click to expand...

Then use the WD diag.
So what next that I should try in order to bring this HD back alive ?..
Click to expand...

Use the WD diag to check that the drive is viable, then use clearhdd properly.
 
It may be unclear in my previous posts. Let me do it again here.

My WD was able to be detected INSIDE the bios screen with correct
parameters. I can save these parameters before I exit from the bios
screen.

My WD was NOT be able to detected by the CMOS. Without CMOS's
detection, none of the Dos program can be run against the hard as it
cleaimed no hard drive has ever be found, simply C: drive not present
at all.

Anyone has any workable solution to this case please.
 
It may be unclear in my previous posts. Let me do it again here.

My WD was able to be detected INSIDE the bios screen with correct
parameters. I can save these parameters before I exit from the bios
screen.

My WD was NOT be able to detected by the CMOS. Without CMOS's
detection, none of the Dos program can be run against the hard as it
cleaimed no hard drive has ever be found, simply C: drive not present
at all.

Anyone has any workable solution to this case please.
 
It may be unclear in my previous posts. Let me do it again here.
Click to expand...

Its still not very clear.
My WD was able to be detected INSIDE the bios screen with correct parameters.
Click to expand...

Presumably you mean using the autodetect drive entry inside the bios.
I can save these parameters before I exit from the bios screen.
Click to expand...

You should be using an AUTO drive type entry, not those parameters.
My WD was NOT be able to detected by the CMOS. Without CMOS's detection,
none of the Dos program can be run against the hard as it cleaimed no hard drive
has ever be found, simply C: drive not present at all.
Click to expand...

You need to work out why that is happening and fix that.

The first thing to try is to use the WD diag to see if the drive has died.
 
Its still not very clear.
Click to expand...

I'd see a physician about that, if I were you.
You may have a serious brain problem.
Presumably you mean using the autodetect drive entry inside the bios.
Click to expand...
You should be using an AUTO drive type entry, not those parameters.
Click to expand...

Nonsense. That should be fine.
You need to work out why that is happening and fix that.
Click to expand...
The first thing to try is to use the WD diag to see if the drive has died.
Click to expand...

Yup, I'd definetely see that doctor. Whole multi-line sentences
that fail to register in your brain, that is a serious problem.
 
Hard drive has be formatted with user defined parameters
(head,cylinder,sectors..) rather than parameters generated by the
bios's auto detect. Hard drive and Bios is basically out of sync.
Therefore when CMOS expected the drive's structure is as what bios has
detected, it of course failed.

Hard drive did not die and WDDIAG claimed it has found a WD drive
presented but WDDIAG program does not support such drive.

Ask helpful (ONLY) solution of how to force the CMOS to pick the drive
again regardless its physical structure or whatever a way, then some
DOS programs can fix it back to the way it originally was with bios's
auto detects.
 
Hard drive has be formatted with user defined parameters (head,cylinder,sectors..)
rather than parameters generated by the bios's auto detect.
Click to expand...

Shouldnt matter as far as the bios and diag being able to see a drive is concerned.
Hard drive and Bios is basically out of sync.
Click to expand...

The problem is more complicated than that.

If that was the only problem, WDDIAG should still have been able to see the drive.
Therefore when CMOS expected the drive's structure
is as what bios has detected, it of course failed.
Click to expand...

Its more complicated than that.
Hard drive did not die and WDDIAG claimed it has found a WD
drive presented but WDDIAG program does not support such drive.
Click to expand...

That wont have been because of how it was formatted.
Ask helpful (ONLY) solution of how to force the CMOS to pick the
drive again regardless its physical structure or whatever a way,
Click to expand...

The bios doesnt care about how its been formatted for that.
then some DOS programs can fix it back to the
way it originally was with bios's auto detects.
Click to expand...

Its more complicated than that.
 
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