Errors, noise and freezing

[Roger Gelder]

I recently (last week) swopped out my C: drive on the basis of a 'graunch' noise
and everything freezing. HOWEVER, the new and the second hd (K are showing
CRC (calibration retry errors) and ULTRA ATA CRC error count changes, together
with continued graunch/squeek noises. The old drive - a Maxtor D740 - was replaced
with a Maxtor DiamondPlus 9, identical to the second drive K:. Backup using Drive
Image 7 to a partition of K: and back to the new C: was successful and the new
C: boots without problem - apart from the continued graunch/squeek.
Apparently the noise is not the hard drive but what else could it be? The locking
begins with the mouse and software (any and all - Express, Explorer, Word, where-
ever I happen to be working at the time), and after a second or two, the mouse frees
and after another second the software comes back.
ANY advice, thoughts, comments, rude remarks- all relevant comments are welcome.
A bald and getting thinner-scalped
RoJ

 

[Rod Speed]

I recently (last week) swopped out my C: drive on the basis of
a 'graunch' noise and everything freezing. HOWEVER, the new
and the second hd (K are showing CRC (calibration retry errors)

CRC errors arent calibration retry errors, they are
bad CRC values seen for the sectors being read.

and ULTRA ATA CRC error count changes,

Those are CRC errors over the ribbon cable.

together with continued graunch/squeek noises. The old drive
- a Maxtor D740 - was replaced with a Maxtor DiamondPlus 9,
identical to the second drive K:. Backup using Drive Image 7 to
a partition of K: and back to the new C: was successful and the new
C: boots without problem - apart from the continued graunch/squeek.

Apparently the noise is not the hard drive

Most likely.

but what else could it be?

Could be the power supply not delivering a viable supply to the drive,
or even just the power connector partially failed. The little metal tunnels
that the pins go into can open up over time and not make good contact.
The quick check for that particular possibility is to try one of the other
power connectors from one of the cdrom drives etc.

Its also possible that the drives are getting stinking hot,
particularly if you dont get the noises when the system has
just been turned on from cold and takes a while to show up.

Its theoretically possible that the problem is with the
ribbon cable or the IDE controller on the motherboard,
but those dont usually produce graunch/squeek noises.
Those noises are the drive recalibrating on errors.

The locking begins with the mouse and software (any and
all - Express, Explorer, Word, where-ever I happen to be
working at the time), and after a second or two, the mouse
frees and after another second the software comes back.

Yeah, thats normal, basically due to the drive not
being able to read the sectors requested for a while.

ANY advice, thoughts, comments, rude
remarks - all relevant comments are welcome.

Heard the one about your head and a dead bear's bum ?

A bald and getting thinner-scalped

You could invest in a hat.

 

[Roger Gelder]

Rod,
Could be connectors I suppose, can't think of anything else -
damn - anyone want a spare Maxtor?
Thanks, will try alternate power line, and I might have an old
data cable - or could there be a problem with it not being suitable?
I seem to remember something about 40 pin cables old/new pcs?
Cheers [or NOT ]
RoJ
=============================================
:
: :
: > I recently (last week) swopped out my C: drive on the basis of
: > a 'graunch' noise and everything freezing. HOWEVER, the new
: > and the second hd (K are showing CRC (calibration retry errors)
:
: CRC errors arent calibration retry errors, they are
: bad CRC values seen for the sectors being read.
:
: > and ULTRA ATA CRC error count changes,
:
: Those are CRC errors over the ribbon cable.
:
: > together with continued graunch/squeek noises. The old drive
: > - a Maxtor D740 - was replaced with a Maxtor DiamondPlus 9,
: > identical to the second drive K:. Backup using Drive Image 7 to
: > a partition of K: and back to the new C: was successful and the new
: > C: boots without problem - apart from the continued graunch/squeek.
:
: > Apparently the noise is not the hard drive
:
: Most likely.
:
: > but what else could it be?
:
: Could be the power supply not delivering a viable supply to the drive,
: or even just the power connector partially failed. The little metal
tunnels
: that the pins go into can open up over time and not make good contact.
: The quick check for that particular possibility is to try one of the other
: power connectors from one of the cdrom drives etc.
:
: Its also possible that the drives are getting stinking hot,
: particularly if you dont get the noises when the system has
: just been turned on from cold and takes a while to show up.
:
: Its theoretically possible that the problem is with the
: ribbon cable or the IDE controller on the motherboard,
: but those dont usually produce graunch/squeek noises.
: Those noises are the drive recalibrating on errors.
:
: > The locking begins with the mouse and software (any and
: > all - Express, Explorer, Word, where-ever I happen to be
: > working at the time), and after a second or two, the mouse
: > frees and after another second the software comes back.
:
: Yeah, thats normal, basically due to the drive not
: being able to read the sectors requested for a while.
:
: > ANY advice, thoughts, comments, rude
: > remarks - all relevant comments are welcome.
:
: Heard the one about your head and a dead bear's bum ?
:
: > A bald and getting thinner-scalped
:
: You could invest in a hat.
:
:

 

[Rod Speed]

Rod,
Could be connectors I suppose, can't think of anything
else - damn - anyone want a spare Maxtor?

Thanks, will try alternate power line, and I might have an old data
cable - or could there be a problem with it not being suitable?

Thats certainly possible, particularly if its longer than the
spec allows or is one of those round cables. BUT that
doesnt usually produce that noise effect with the drive.

I seem to remember something about 40 pin cables old/new pcs?

80 wire/40 pin cables for the ATA modes past ATA33.
Not using one just limits the thruput tho, you shouldnt
be getting errors or drive noises due to that.

Cheers [or NOT ]
RoJ
=============================================
:
: :
: > I recently (last week) swopped out my C: drive on the basis of
: > a 'graunch' noise and everything freezing. HOWEVER, the new
: > and the second hd (K are showing CRC (calibration retry errors)
:
: CRC errors arent calibration retry errors, they are
: bad CRC values seen for the sectors being read.
:
: > and ULTRA ATA CRC error count changes,
:
: Those are CRC errors over the ribbon cable.
:
: > together with continued graunch/squeek noises. The old drive
: > - a Maxtor D740 - was replaced with a Maxtor DiamondPlus 9,
: > identical to the second drive K:. Backup using Drive Image 7 to
: > a partition of K: and back to the new C: was successful and the new
: > C: boots without problem - apart from the continued graunch/squeek.
:
: > Apparently the noise is not the hard drive
:
: Most likely.
:
: > but what else could it be?
:
: Could be the power supply not delivering a viable supply to the drive,
: or even just the power connector partially failed. The little metal
tunnels
: that the pins go into can open up over time and not make good contact.
: The quick check for that particular possibility is to try one of the other
: power connectors from one of the cdrom drives etc.
:
: Its also possible that the drives are getting stinking hot,
: particularly if you dont get the noises when the system has
: just been turned on from cold and takes a while to show up.
:
: Its theoretically possible that the problem is with the
: ribbon cable or the IDE controller on the motherboard,
: but those dont usually produce graunch/squeek noises.
: Those noises are the drive recalibrating on errors.
:
: > The locking begins with the mouse and software (any and
: > all - Express, Explorer, Word, where-ever I happen to be
: > working at the time), and after a second or two, the mouse
: > frees and after another second the software comes back.
:
: Yeah, thats normal, basically due to the drive not
: being able to read the sectors requested for a while.
:
: > ANY advice, thoughts, comments, rude
: > remarks - all relevant comments are welcome.
:
: Heard the one about your head and a dead bear's bum ?
:
: > A bald and getting thinner-scalped
:
: You could invest in a hat.
:
: