Hard drive problem (i think)

[mikesw15]

My friend has just asked me to have a look at his pc cause it was
booting up and getting stuck on half way through it, i took the hard
drive out and tried it on my machine and its showing up as a
unformatted drive for some reason, i have managed to back up some of
his data,now when i put the hard drive back into his machine there are
no graphics i no the card works cause i tried it on my machine does any
have any suggestions ? thanks in advance for any help ;-)

 

[Sjouke Burry]

My friend has just asked me to have a look at his pc cause it was
booting up and getting stuck on half way through it, i took the hard
drive out and tried it on my machine and its showing up as a
unformatted drive for some reason, i have managed to back up some of
his data,now when i put the hard drive back into his machine there are
no graphics i no the card works cause i tried it on my machine does any
have any suggestions ? thanks in advance for any help ;-)

Xp has the unsavoury habit of changing the drive
letter.
I had to redo a disk clone, just because I checked
it in XP afer cloning, if it shows as disk E in xp,
and is an ntfs drive , it keeps the E drive label.
If you have access to a GOST 2003 cd, that has a
small program on it to undo the damage.

 

[Joel]

Xp has the unsavoury habit of changing the drive
letter.
I had to redo a disk clone, just because I checked
it in XP afer cloning, if it shows as disk E in xp,
and is an ntfs drive , it keeps the E drive label.
If you have access to a GOST 2003 cd, that has a
small program on it to undo the damage.

I can't confirm this but I think you may be right on this ill behavior as
I believe most of my drives have the label's changed or erased.

I am having drive C: problem for around 2 months now, and still can't even
be able to figure out if it's the mboard (BIOS) or hard drive itself.

 

[Rod Speed]

My friend has just asked me to have a look at his pc cause it was
booting up and getting stuck on half way through it, i took the hard
drive out and tried it on my machine and its showing up as a
unformatted drive for some reason, i have managed to back up some of
his data,now when i put the hard drive back into his machine there are
no graphics i no the card works cause i tried it on my machine does
any have any suggestions ? thanks in advance for any help ;-)

Looks like the hard drive contents got scrambled.

Best to check the drive with the hard drive manufacturer's diagnostic and
if that says the drive is fine, reinstall whatever was previously installed.

 

[Rod Speed]

Xp has the unsavoury habit of changing the drive letter.

Nope, not in normal use it doesnt.

I had to redo a disk clone, just because I checked
it in XP afer cloning, if it shows as disk E in xp,
and is an ntfs drive , it keeps the E drive label.
If you have access to a GOST 2003 cd, that has a
small program on it to undo the damage.

No it doesnt with his problem.

 

[Joel]

Looks like the hard drive contents got scrambled.

Best to check the drive with the hard drive manufacturer's diagnostic and
if that says the drive is fine, reinstall whatever was previously installed.

I think you still remember my first time came here because of drive C:
problem. I still have the same problem which causing system locking-up once
every few days, CMOS still report drive C: (100GB Master) becomes Slave, and
the 250GB Drive F: becomes Master. And I still be able to boot after couple
tries, sometime with the help of Winternal.

1-2 weeks ago I tested a new HD defrag and it reported drive D: have some
problem that it can't defrag, I checked and it reported lot of files get
damaged. I dunno how the ChkDsk works under WinXP, but I tried several
times and it just won't work. It reported that something is running or
can't continue because of something missing (can't remember), and gave the
option to schedule to auto-check on the next reboot but it never do.

Now, I am not sure if drive C: is partitioned of drive F: or not (cuz both
get messed up so I get many different reports). Last week, I downloaded a
diagnostic prg from WD and it reported drive F (or C?) failed the test, when
partition prgs report they are all healthy <bg>

Well, I just googled for Backup/Restore program and will see if I can
backup the current drive C: then repartition drive C: and F: see if it will
cure the whole mystery. I have no experience with backup/Restore programso
may need some research.

P.S. because of the age, sometime I can't remember some small thing like
drive letter, so I get messed up between drive C:, D: and F: (drive G: has
few bad spots but no major problem).

 

[Rod Speed]

I think you still remember my first time came here because of drive C: problem.

Only very vaguely.

I still have the same problem which causing system locking-up once
every few days, CMOS still report drive C: (100GB Master) becomes
Slave, and the 250GB Drive F: becomes Master. And I still be able
to boot after couple tries, sometime with the help of Winternal.

1-2 weeks ago I tested a new HD defrag and it reported drive D:
have some problem that it can't defrag, I checked and it reported
lot of files get damaged. I dunno how the ChkDsk works under
WinXP, but I tried several times and it just won't work. It reported
that something is running or can't continue because of something
missing (can't remember), and gave the option to schedule to
auto-check on the next reboot but it never do.

Now, I am not sure if drive C: is partitioned of drive F: or not (cuz
both get messed up so I get many different reports). Last week, I
downloaded a diagnostic prg from WD and it reported drive F (or C?)
failed the test, when partition prgs report they are all healthy <bg>

They are reporting JUST the file structures. The diagnostic is
reporting other drive detail, particularly the number of bads etc.

Well, I just googled for Backup/Restore program and will
see if I can backup the current drive C: then repartition
drive C: and F: see if it will cure the whole mystery.

Unlikely. If the diag is saying the drive is bad, you need to replace it.

I have no experience with backup/Restore program so may need some research.

I prefer True Image myself.

P.S. because of the age, sometime I can't remember some
small thing like drive letter, so I get messed up between drive C:,
D: and F: (drive G: has few bad spots but no major problem).

If those are partitions on the hard drive, the WD diag is saying the drive is dying.

 

[Joel]

They are reporting JUST the file structures. The diagnostic is
reporting other drive detail, particularly the number of bads etc.

Because of my wacky memory I may need to run the diagnostic dozen times to

Unlikely. If the diag is saying the drive is bad, you need to replace it.

Hmmm.. I may just run the diagnostic again to see which one been reported
FAILED, and it just have me confused. Or I know there is something
happening to the drive damaged some data, but so far I still be able to use
it.

OK, it reports drive C: FAIL (now I remember which drive <g>) and it's the
one I am having problem for amost 2 months now. And it's 100GB not
partitioned of any drive.

I prefer True Image myself.

I am doing more research and seen few sites mention about True Image. And
now I know some backup program can backup everything (image of HD), so I
feel safer now.

If those are partitions on the hard drive, the WD diag is saying the drive is dying.

Drive C: is a whole 100GB drive I use for WinXP only (and few prgs). Man,
I have so many systems and drives to be able to keep track of them all.

 

[Rod Speed]

Because of my wacky memory I may need to run the diagnostic dozen
times to have may be 50/50 chance of rememory which out of 3 drives <g>

Dont worry, when your memory problem gets worse
you wont even be able to remember what diagnostic
to run, or what a diagnostic is either |-)

Hmmm.. I may just run the diagnostic again to see which one been reported
FAILED, and it just have me confused. Or I know there is something
happening to the drive damaged some data, but so far I still be able to use it.

OK, it reports drive C: FAIL (now I remember which drive <g>)
and it's the one I am having problem for amost 2 months now.
And it's 100GB not partitioned of any drive.

OK, I'd replace it, under warranty if it qualifys.

I am doing more research and seen few sites mention about True Image.
And now I know some backup program can backup everything (image of HD),
so I feel safer now.

TI can do both images, and the more conventional form of backup
where you specify what files you want backed up as well.

Currently the backup/restore program to beat in my opinion.

Drive C: is a whole 100GB drive I use for WinXP only (and few prgs).
Man, I have so many systems and drives to be able to keep track of them all.

Yeah, can be a problem.

 

[Joel]

Dont worry, when your memory problem gets worse
you wont even be able to remember what diagnostic
to run, or what a diagnostic is either |-)

It's right about in the corner of failure <g>, that's why I have to create
many different folders and keep the programs in different group's of
folder's to stop me from forgetting them <g>. Example the "WD Diagnostic"
is inside

- The folder named "Hard Drives"

- And the "Hard Drives" folder is inside "SYSTEM" folder

Before the aging and sickness getting to me, many of my friends gave me
the nickname "The Living Library" because memorizing was my nature talent.

OK, I'd replace it, under warranty if it qualifys.

I am pretty sure this one may have 5-year warrantee (many older WD HDs
have 5-yr), and will see if it's worth to go through the trouble of getting
the replacement (WD is not often behind its word, unless I want to have fun
fighting for the right <g>) or just toss it away to replace with a larger
drive (since HD is so cheap these days).

Or I may have to run some partition program to see if drive C: is
partition of a 250GB???

________________________________________________________
-UPDATE-

OK, I just ran Partition Magic and it reports Drive C: is partitioned of a
300GB HD (I believe 300GB not 250GB), and Drive F: is another partition
which reported lot of damaged files now. See, even WD Diagnostic is totally
blinded as it detected as 100GB (the original partition size).

This 300GB

Drive C = 100GB <=- been giving me lot of locking up and booting problem
for around 2 months now

Drive F = 200GB <=- One util reported it has many damaged files, and defrag
program refuses to work on this drive (partition)

I believe this one may have 3-yr warrantee (most newer model has 1-yr) if
so, I will call WD to get the replacement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TI can do both images, and the more conventional form of backup
where you specify what files you want backed up as well.

Currently the backup/restore program to beat in my opinion.

I am thinking of getting a 200-250G external HD and start using backup
program ... Hmmm, but then I may never restore as I never needed before. I

Yeah, can be a problem.

See the "UPDATE" above (I ran the programs while typing the reply).

 

[Rod Speed]

It's right about in the corner of failure <g>, that's why I have to create many
different folders and keep the programs in different group's of folder's to
stop me from forgetting them <g>. Example the "WD Diagnostic" is inside

- The folder named "Hard Drives"

- And the "Hard Drives" folder is inside "SYSTEM" folder

Before the aging and sickness getting to me, many of my friends gave me
the nickname "The Living Library" because memorizing was my nature talent.

I am pretty sure this one may have 5-year warrantee (many older WD HDs
have 5-yr), and will see if it's worth to go through the trouble of getting
the replacement (WD is not often behind its word, unless I want to have fun
fighting for the right <g>) or just toss it away to replace with a larger
drive (since HD is so cheap these days).
Sure.

Or I may have to run some partition program to see if drive C: is
partition of a 250GB???

OK, I just ran Partition Magic and it reports Drive C: is partitioned of a
300GB HD (I believe 300GB not 250GB), and Drive F: is another partition
which reported lot of damaged files now. See, even WD Diagnostic is
totally blinded as it detected as 100GB (the original partition size).

The WD diag should be reporting the drive physical size, not the partition.

Which WD diag are you running exactly ?

Post the Everest SMART report for that 300G drive.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4181

This 300GB

Drive C = 100GB <=- been giving me lot of locking
up and booting problem for around 2 months now

Drive F = 200GB <=- One util reported it has many damaged files,
and defrag program refuses to work on this drive (partition)

I believe this one may have 3-yr warrantee
(most newer model has 1-yr)

Not anymore, they're mostly back to 3 years again now.

if so, I will call WD to get the replacement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am thinking of getting a 200-250G external HD and start using backup program ...

Yeah, decent backups are well worth doing with hard drives so cheap now.

Hmmm, but then I may never restore as I never
needed before. I dunno, will think about it <bg>

Best to do that before the brain implodes completely |-)

See the "UPDATE" above (I ran the programs while typing the reply).

Everest gives a good summary of physical drives and partitions too.

 

[Joel]

The WD diag should be reporting the drive physical size, not the partition.

Which WD diag are you running exactly ?

I did make sure not to download the SATA version, but I can run again to
check for more detail

"Western Digital Data LifeGuard Diagnostic"

And I hope it's the right one. Or at least it reports 2 other WDs are ok.

Post the Everest SMART report for that 300G drive.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4181

I have this one you gave the info to me last time. I just ran it it

Not anymore, they're mostly back to 3 years again now.

You are right! I was just looking for the 500GB and saw it's back to 3-Yr
now.

Before it was 5-yr (before that I don't remember) then dropped to 1-Yr,
and I bought an OEM with 3-yr.

Hmmm.. I am looking at the 500Gb SATA I bought few months ago and it says
1-Yr warrantee right on the box <bg>. See, that's why my brain is 1/2

Yeah, decent backups are well worth doing with hard drives so cheap now.


Best to do that before the brain implodes completely |-)

That's one of the reason why I won't rush trying to solve the problem
overnite ... and hahaha I am still suffering with the 2 months old locking
up and booting problem. But I only lockup once every 2-3 days so it ain't
so bad.

 

[mikesw15]

i cant see any bios setup or anything i just have a black screen so how
do i check the hard etc etc

 

[Rod Speed]

I did make sure not to download the SATA version,
but I can run again to check for more detail

Nar, the name is fine.

"Western Digital Data LifeGuard Diagnostic"

And I hope it's the right one.
Yes.

Or at least it reports 2 other WDs are ok.

I have this one you gave the info to me last time.
I just ran it it reports 250GB (so it's not 300GB <g>)

Post the SMART report for each drive.

You are right! I was just looking for the 500GB and saw it's back to 3-Yr now.

Before it was 5-yr (before that I don't remember)
then dropped to 1-Yr, and I bought an OEM with 3-yr.

Yeah, most of the industry went thru that 1 year warrantys there for a while.

Hmmm.. I am looking at the 500Gb SATA I bought few months ago
and it says 1-Yr warrantee right on the box <bg>. See, that's why
my brain is 1/2 toasted (1/2 already dead by nature <g>)

You only have to worry when you get brown smelly stuff dripping from your ears.

 

[Rod Speed]

i cant see any bios setup or anything i just have
a black screen so how do i check the hard etc etc

You have to put the drive in another system and check it there.

 

[Joel]

Post the SMART report for each drive.

<snip>

I am worry to turn into a genius overnight <g>, I am already smart enough
to know genius people often die young (and I am already over the hill, have
been going_downhill_no_break for around 31 years now) <g>