Hard drive clunking, now seems dead

[Robert Downes]

I just built a new machine. (This is the fourth I've put together.)

Into it I put a Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9. The machine booted fine to the
BIOS, found all the hardware, and I began to run the Windows XP install.

While XP was making the second partition, the drive started to make a
strange clunking noise, unlike any normal drive noise I've heard. But
then the partition completed and I assumed things were okay.

I installed Windows XP without hearing the noise again, then a load of
device drivers, with several reboots, and things seemed fine.

Then, while installing the Mozilla web browser, the noise returned, a
clunking, choking noise. And this time it didn't stop. Windows became
unresponsive, then froze, then the machine rebooted.

Now any attempt to boot the hard disk gives me:

DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER.

Does this mean the hard disk is a dud and needs to be returned? Was it
something I've done during the machine build? Could the problem be
caused by some other component being at fault?

Thanks for any advice you can offer. My brother (whom the machine is
for) is gonna be very upset when I tell him something's wrong.

 

[Cerridwen]

I just built a new machine. (This is the fourth I've put together.)

Into it I put a Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9. The machine booted fine to
the BIOS, found all the hardware, and I began to run the Windows XP
install.

While XP was making the second partition, the drive started to make a
strange clunking noise, unlike any normal drive noise I've heard. But
then the partition completed and I assumed things were okay.

I installed Windows XP without hearing the noise again, then a load of
device drivers, with several reboots, and things seemed fine.

Then, while installing the Mozilla web browser, the noise returned, a
clunking, choking noise. And this time it didn't stop. Windows became
unresponsive, then froze, then the machine rebooted.

Now any attempt to boot the hard disk gives me:

DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER.

Does this mean the hard disk is a dud and needs to be returned? Was it
something I've done during the machine build? Could the problem be
caused by some other component being at fault?

Thanks for any advice you can offer. My brother (whom the machine is
for) is gonna be very upset when I tell him something's wrong.

"It's dead, Jim!"

 

[philo]

I just built a new machine. (This is the fourth I've put together.)

Into it I put a Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9. The machine booted fine to the
BIOS, found all the hardware, and I began to run the Windows XP install.

While XP was making the second partition, the drive started to make a
strange clunking noise, unlike any normal drive noise I've heard. But
then the partition completed and I assumed things were okay.

I installed Windows XP without hearing the noise again, then a load of
device drivers, with several reboots, and things seemed fine.

Then, while installing the Mozilla web browser, the noise returned, a
clunking, choking noise. And this time it didn't stop. Windows became
unresponsive, then froze, then the machine rebooted.

Now any attempt to boot the hard disk gives me:

DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER.

Does this mean the hard disk is a dud and needs to be returned? Was it
something I've done during the machine build? Could the problem be
caused by some other component being at fault?

I had a maxtor diamond max quit after about 6 weeks...

 

[DaveW]

It sure sounds like the harddrive died. As for external causes, does your
Power Supply have adequate output to drive all your components?

 

[Robert Downes]

It sure sounds like the harddrive died. As for external causes, does your
Power Supply have adequate output to drive all your components?

Got an Antec TruePower 550W in there, because I did some research and
found that the TruePower is a popular and highly regarded product.

The drive is an SATA, by the way.

I tried installing Windows again, but now Windows can see the drive and
its partitions but will no longer attempt to recognise it as a valid
volume. chkdsk fails to detect the drive at all.

It looks like the drive is well and truly dud. I bought the drive from
overclockers.co.uk and after describing this situation they informed me
that the email is being sent to their support team.

Are the retailer liable for a hard drive that fails on the day it
arrives? Does anyone know if overclockers.co.uk are the sort of people
that will honour such a replacement without quibbling?

 

[Cyde Weys]

Then, while installing the Mozilla web browser, the noise returned, a
clunking, choking noise. And this time it didn't stop. Windows became
unresponsive, then froze, then the machine rebooted.

"The 'ard drive - she cannae do it, Keptin!"

 

[Trent©]

Now any attempt to boot the hard disk gives me:

DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER.

On average, 60% of the drives that are returned for this kinda reason
have nothing wrong with them.

More than likely, you have a bad power lead to the drive...or a bad
IDE cable...or a bad power supply.

1. Change the power lead from the PS to a different one...then test.

2. Replace the IDE cable...then test.

Power supply problems are rare...but as a last resort you might want
to try that.

A good test for your problem, though...

Try a different drive in that machine. If you get the same error
message, its definitely one of the above problems.

Or try that drive in another computer.

Good luck.


Have a nice week...

Trent

Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!

 

[kony]

Got an Antec TruePower 550W in there, because I did some research and
found that the TruePower is a popular and highly regarded product.

The drive is an SATA, by the way.

I tried installing Windows again, but now Windows can see the drive and
its partitions but will no longer attempt to recognise it as a valid
volume. chkdsk fails to detect the drive at all.

It looks like the drive is well and truly dud. I bought the drive from
overclockers.co.uk and after describing this situation they informed me
that the email is being sent to their support team.

Are the retailer liable for a hard drive that fails on the day it
arrives? Does anyone know if overclockers.co.uk are the sort of people
that will honour such a replacement without quibbling?

They ought to take it back if it failed then, and that's the route I'd
take, since RMA to Maxtor might mean you get a refurb'd drive back...
IIRC they do not guarantee that you'd get a new one, though you might
since it's a current model.

 

[Cyde Weys]

Trent© wrote:

On average, 60% of the drives that are returned for this kinda reason
have nothing wrong with them.

Yeah, but with all that clunking he heard, if it previously had nothing
wrong with it, it does now.

 

[Trent©]

Got an Antec TruePower 550W in there, because I did some research and
found that the TruePower is a popular and highly regarded product.

The drive is an SATA, by the way.

NOW you tell us!! lol

I tried installing Windows again, but now Windows can see the drive and
its partitions but will no longer attempt to recognise it as a valid
volume. chkdsk fails to detect the drive at all.

Then there's nothing wrong with the drive...so disregard my other
post.

It looks like the drive is well and truly dud. I bought the drive from
overclockers.co.uk and after describing this situation they informed me
that the email is being sent to their support team.

If the BIOS and/or Windows is seeing the drive, there's nothin' wrong
with the drive.


Have a nice week...

Trent

Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!

 

[Trent©]

Trent© wrote:



Yeah, but with all that clunking he heard, if it previously had nothing
wrong with it, it does now.

The 'clunking' occurs when you install an OS...as it often checks for
the presence of various drives.

Nothing unusual...and it doesn't hurt the drive in any way.

All he knows at this point is that his computer is not able to find a
system disk. All he needs to do is boot into a program that doesn't
care about operating systems...like Partition Magic.


Have a nice week...

Trent

Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!

 

[Cyde Weys]

The 'clunking' occurs when you install an OS...as it often checks for
the presence of various drives.

I know what sound you're talking about, and that sounds more like rapid
access than clunking. When he said it sounded like clunking, I was
thinking in my head that a drive arm was spinning around wildly inside
the drive case, smashing up the platters. Normal drive access sounds
are not clunking to me.

 

[kony]

I know what sound you're talking about, and that sounds more like rapid
access than clunking. When he said it sounded like clunking, I was
thinking in my head that a drive arm was spinning around wildly inside
the drive case, smashing up the platters. Normal drive access sounds
are not clunking to me.

I "think" when the drive can't read, it resets itself, the arms/heads
return to the home position before retrying... if it keeps trying
that, it is the typical clunking sound. I could be completely wrong
though.

 

[Robert Downes]

Then there's nothing wrong with the drive...so disregard my other
post.

I'm sure there's something wrong with the drive.

I'm in XP installer right now (on the other machine) and it says...

An error occured while Setup was updating partition information on:
194475 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on Bus 0 ATAPI [MBR]

Meanwhile, the drive is going spastic, grinding and making that loud
clunking, clicking noise like crazy, even though the XP installer is not
actually trying to talk to the drive anymore.

Does that really sound like there's nothing wrong with the drive? If
there is nothing wrong with the drive, what am I doing wrong?

If the BIOS and/or Windows is seeing the drive, there's nothin' wrong
with the drive.

If there's something physically wrong with the drive mechanism, surely
the drive hardware would still show up without the drive being
completely usable?

Have a nice week...

Thank you, but I get the feeling it's gonna be a real bastard.

 

[Trent©]

Then there's nothing wrong with the drive...so disregard my other
post.

I'm sure there's something wrong with the drive.

I'm in XP installer right now (on the other machine) and it says...

An error occured while Setup was updating partition information on:
194475 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on Bus 0 ATAPI [MBR]

Sorry. I really didn't mean 'nothing' wrong with the drive. What I
meant was that the drive is being seen by the computer. You may
indeed have other problems with the drive.

You kept saying 'dud'...and its definitely not a dud. But it may
indeed have problems.

Get the diagnostic software from the mfg. and run that. If you have
spinrite, run that also.

You might also try repartitioning and reformatting.

Good luck.


Have a nice week...

Trent

Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!

 

[Robert Downes]

Sorry. I really didn't mean 'nothing' wrong with the drive. What I
meant was that the drive is being seen by the computer. You may
indeed have other problems with the drive.

You kept saying 'dud'...and its definitely not a dud. But it may
indeed have problems.

I swapped to another SATA cable, and changed the power cable, as you
suggested. When I went back to the Windows installer, even bigger
problems seemed to occur (now the installer cannot see the drive at all).

So I've reached the cables from one box into the spare hard drive in
this box, an ancient old ATA 66 job, and now the machine is working fine
(albeit rather slowly regarding drive access).

So the rest of the machine in fine, and not at fault. The hard drive is
the culprit.

Get the diagnostic software from the mfg. and run that. If you have
spinrite, run that also.

Given that I can't see the drive now, how would I run this software? Can
it be installed on another drive and used to see the faulty drive?

You might also try repartitioning and reformatting.

I don't know if that's possible anymore. Windows can't see the drive,
and just powering up the machine caused that insane clunking again.

 

[Cerridwen]

"The 'ard drive - she cannae do it, Keptin!"

LOL!! Glad to see at least /someone/ else is on the same wavelength! ;o)

 

[Paul L]

I swapped to another SATA cable, and changed the power cable, as you
suggested. When I went back to the Windows installer, even bigger
problems seemed to occur (now the installer cannot see the drive at all).

So I've reached the cables from one box into the spare hard drive in
this box, an ancient old ATA 66 job, and now the machine is working fine
(albeit rather slowly regarding drive access).

So the rest of the machine in fine, and not at fault. The hard drive is
the culprit.


Given that I can't see the drive now, how would I run this software? Can
it be installed on another drive and used to see the faulty drive?


I don't know if that's possible anymore. Windows can't see the drive,
and just powering up the machine caused that insane clunking again.

if you're hearing a steady click-click-click (clunk-cliunk-clunk) about 1/2
sec apart, it's a goner

 

[Trent©]

I don't know if that's possible anymore. Windows can't see the drive,
and just powering up the machine caused that insane clunking again.

I don't want to beat a dead horse to death...so I guess I'll just quit
with the advice. Drives do indeed go bad...and some are even DOA. So
it looks like that may indeed by your problem.

But I've just got this gut feeling that you've got something
configured wrong in the BIOS for this drive...or a bad cable...or...?

Especially when you're testing back and forth between an EIDE drive
and then comparing it to the results when you try to use the SATA
drive.

More important than XP installer is the BIOS. You should be able to
see the drive in the CMOS screen as the computer boots.

Anyway...good luck.


Have a nice week...

Trent

Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!

 

[Robert Downes]

if you're hearing a steady click-click-click (clunk-cliunk-clunk) about 1/2
sec apart, it's a goner

That sounds like it, yeah. And (when the drive was still showing up and
reading/writing) that noise would cause everything to freeze solid until
it finished.