Trashed hard drive?

J

John Richards

My Western Digital 80 Gig hard drive sounds like a clock ticking
(tick-tock.....tick-tock....) when I turn my PC on. The bios doesn't
recognize it so the PC won't boot to windows. Would anyone like to guess
whether the drive has failed mechanically (my guess) or coud it just be
looking for data on the disk that might have been lost? I don't really care
about the drive itself but there are some files that I would would like to
have. Anyone have any advice about retrieving files?
 
G

General Schvantzkoph

My Western Digital 80 Gig hard drive sounds like a clock ticking
(tick-tock.....tick-tock....) when I turn my PC on. The bios doesn't
recognize it so the PC won't boot to windows. Would anyone like to guess
whether the drive has failed mechanically (my guess) or coud it just be
looking for data on the disk that might have been lost? I don't really care
about the drive itself but there are some files that I would would like to
have. Anyone have any advice about retrieving files?
Click to expand...

It's toast.
 
K

Ken

John said:
My Western Digital 80 Gig hard drive sounds like a clock ticking
(tick-tock.....tick-tock....) when I turn my PC on. The bios doesn't
recognize it so the PC won't boot to windows. Would anyone like to guess
whether the drive has failed mechanically (my guess) or coud it just be
looking for data on the disk that might have been lost? I don't really care
about the drive itself but there are some files that I would would like to
have. Anyone have any advice about retrieving files?
Click to expand...

Listen closely to the hard drive to see if it is spinning via the
motor. If it is not, you might have some hope in that the heads might
be stuck or the logic board could be bad. If it is spinning, it
probably has a damaged disk surface and can't read the first sector.
 
K

kony

My Western Digital 80 Gig hard drive sounds like a clock ticking
(tick-tock.....tick-tock....) when I turn my PC on. The bios doesn't
recognize it so the PC won't boot to windows. Would anyone like to guess
whether the drive has failed mechanically (my guess) or coud it just be
looking for data on the disk that might have been lost? I don't really care
about the drive itself but there are some files that I would would like to
have. Anyone have any advice about retrieving files?
Click to expand...

Yes, it has failed mechanically, and therefore is still
looking for track 0. The drive is now dead. Some have
tried putting drives in a baggy and freezing them for a few
hours, then trying 'em cold... to varying degrees of
success. If the data is valuable enough, don't do anything
more with the drive, disconnect it and consult a data
recovery agency.
 
M

Michael C

John Richards said:
My Western Digital 80 Gig hard drive sounds like a clock ticking
(tick-tock.....tick-tock....) when I turn my PC on. The bios doesn't
recognize it so the PC won't boot to windows. Would anyone like to guess
whether the drive has failed mechanically (my guess) or coud it just be
looking for data on the disk that might have been lost? I don't really
care about the drive itself but there are some files that I would would
like to have. Anyone have any advice about retrieving files?
Click to expand...

This is a weekly question. If you boot up enough times you might get lucky
and have it work once. I've had a customers drive like this and I kept
booting over and over with the drive as slave until I got it to boot up long
enough to retrieve their years works of accounting data 2 days before end of
financial year.

Michael
 
C

CBFalconer

John said:
My Western Digital 80 Gig hard drive sounds like a clock ticking
(tick-tock.....tick-tock....) when I turn my PC on. The bios doesn't
recognize it so the PC won't boot to windows. Would anyone like to guess
whether the drive has failed mechanically (my guess) or coud it just be
looking for data on the disk that might have been lost? I don't really care
about the drive itself but there are some files that I would would like to
have. Anyone have any advice about retrieving files?
Click to expand...

Trash. To retrieve files, get them from the backup you religiously
maintained all these years because you knew the only question about
drive failure is "when".
 
B

Buccaneer

CBFalconer said:
Trash. To retrieve files, get them from the backup you religiously
maintained all these years because you knew the only question about
drive failure is "when".
Click to expand...

As another poster said, this is a weekly question. A frequent answer,
which apparently works on many occasions, is to remove the drive, wrap it in
a plastic bag and put it in the freezer overnight. Next day connect it as
fast as possible and, if your lucky, you may get it to boot for long enough
to get some or all of the files you want before it warms up too much.
Apparently the process can be repeated (if your lucky) to get more time. I
write this as someone who has read about it but not tried it!
 
J

Joe St. Lucas

My Western Digital 80 Gig hard drive sounds like a clock ticking
As another poster said, this is a weekly question. A frequent answer,
which apparently works on many occasions, is to remove the drive, wrap it in
a plastic bag and put it in the freezer overnight. Next day connect it as
fast as possible and, if your lucky, you may get it to boot for long enough
to get some or all of the files you want before it warms up too much.
Apparently the process can be repeated (if your lucky) to get more time. I
write this as someone who has read about it but not tried it!
Click to expand...

My son's computer had a 10gig quantum fireball (I think) that died. While I
never put it in the freezer, I did put it in a plastic sandwich bag and put it
in the vegetable crisper part of the refrigerator for a day. Put it in the
computer (as a slave using a different master) and it worked fine, for about
20 minutes, but long enough to get the data off it that he hadn't backed up
yet. (which in his case was most of the drive...)

Asked my wife, "can you get the hard drive out of the fridge for me?" She did
it and when I asked her if she was surprised by my request, she said "no,
nothing you do surprises me."
 
K

kony

Asked my wife, "can you get the hard drive out of the fridge for me?" She did
it and when I asked her if she was surprised by my request, she said "no,
nothing you do surprises me."
Click to expand...


LOL.

You're just lucky it wasn't served up for lunch between two
slices of bread!
 
J

John Richards

John Richards said:
My Western Digital 80 Gig hard drive sounds like a clock ticking
(tick-tock.....tick-tock....) when I turn my PC on. The bios doesn't
recognize it so the PC won't boot to windows. Would anyone like to guess
whether the drive has failed mechanically (my guess) or coud it just be
looking for data on the disk that might have been lost? I don't really
care about the drive itself but there are some files that I would would
like to have. Anyone have any advice about retrieving files?
Click to expand...
The second drive (also a WD 80 Gig which I had been using in a second PC)
just trashed after a couple days the same as the first. I had XP loaded on
the second drive and everything working but no files of any importance so
retrieval is not an issue. My question has to do with what could be causing
this? I'm sure I need another drive but I'd like to be confident that it
will survive.

Both drives had been working fine in different PCs. The only thing that I
can think of is possibly a problem with the power supply. It's a 300 watt
Appolo unit that came with the case. The other possibility is the use of
removable chassis for all drives in both PCs. The drive is mounted in a
removable chassis which slides into a fixed chassis which is mounted in one
of the large bays. I know that damage could be caused by removing the
drive while it is still spinning or by not handling it carefully but why
both drives NOW after removing and replacing them the same way for over a
year? Another possibility just occured to me - static electricity - it's
been very cold here in upstate NY the last few days and probably drier than
normal in the house, maybe I zapped the drive while I was handling it? The
problem occurred with both drives just after I inserted them into the PC!
Then again the drive is entirely enclosd in the removable metal chassis so
maybe the "zapped" theory is flawed. What do you think?

John
 
G

General Schvantzkoph

Both drives had been working fine in different PCs. The only thing that
I can think of is possibly a problem with the power supply. It's a 300
watt Appolo unit that came with the case. The other possibility is the
use of removable chassis for all drives in both PCs. The drive is
mounted in a removable chassis which slides into a fixed chassis which
is mounted in one of the large bays. I know that damage could be
caused by removing the drive while it is still spinning or by not
handling it carefully but why both drives NOW after removing and
replacing them the same way for over a year? Another possibility just
occured to me - static electricity - it's been very cold here in upstate
NY the last few days and probably drier than normal in the house, maybe
I zapped the drive while I was handling it? The problem occurred with
both drives just after I inserted them into the PC! Then again the drive
is entirely enclosd in the removable metal chassis so maybe the "zapped"
theory is flawed. What do you think?

John
Click to expand...

All of your theories are possible. The power supply in that system is
probably a cheap piece of crap, however since your motherboard hasn't died
it's likely not the culprit. It could be a cooling issue, those removable
carriers interfere with proper cooling. Some of them have tiny fans built
in them, but they are so small that I don't think they accomplish
anything. I like the static theory, the connectors are exposed so they
would be vulnerable to being zapped. When handling any component it's a
good idea to first ground yourself by putting a hand on the power supply,
that will discharge any static that has built up on you. The cases of
power supplies are always grounded which is why it's the right thing to
touch.
 
J

John Richards

General Schvantzkoph said:
All of your theories are possible. The power supply in that system is
probably a cheap piece of crap, however since your motherboard hasn't died
it's likely not the culprit. It could be a cooling issue, those removable
carriers interfere with proper cooling. Some of them have tiny fans built
in them, but they are so small that I don't think they accomplish
anything. I like the static theory, the connectors are exposed so they
would be vulnerable to being zapped. When handling any component it's a
good idea to first ground yourself by putting a hand on the power supply,
that will discharge any static that has built up on you. The cases of
power supplies are always grounded which is why it's the right thing to
touch.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I'm planning on getting a new 200GB
Seagate (rebates at CompUSA) and mounting it permanently without the
carrier. I'll also get a new Antec 330 watt power supply just in case (it
might be quieter too). If after all this the new drive craps out I think
I'll just toss the whole PC in the trash.

John
 
G

General Schvantzkoph

Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I'm planning on getting a new 200GB
Seagate (rebates at CompUSA) and mounting it permanently without the
carrier. I'll also get a new Antec 330 watt power supply just in case (it
might be quieter too). If after all this the new drive craps out I think
I'll just toss the whole PC in the trash.

John
Click to expand...

An Antec supply is fine although I'd go for a larger one. The price
difference is pretty small and it's better to have to much capacity then
to little.
 
J

John Richards

General Schvantzkoph said:
An Antec supply is fine although I'd go for a larger one. The price
difference is pretty small and it's better to have to much capacity then
to little.
Click to expand...

You're probably right about a larger PS, the 330 watt is $70 and the 430
watt is $100 so I'll probably go with the 430 watt.

Thanks again
John
 
T

Trent©

There are times (like now) when I'm willing to pay a premium to get
something immediately. Thanks anyway for the links.

John
Click to expand...

Over 65% of all hard drive RMA's are for hard drives that have nothing
wrong with them. In most cases, the problem is with cabling.

In yer case, you've compounded the problem...since you have a cable
going to another cable inside the carrier.

Take the drive out of the carrier...hook it directly to a DIFFERENT
IDE cable. Connect it to a different power cable, also.

Let us know how it goes.


Have a nice one...

Trent©

Budweiser: Helping ugly people have sex since 1876!
 
J

John Richards

Over 65% of all hard drive RMA's are for hard drives that have nothing
wrong with them. In most cases, the problem is with cabling.

In yer case, you've compounded the problem...since you have a cable
going to another cable inside the carrier.

Take the drive out of the carrier...hook it directly to a DIFFERENT
IDE cable. Connect it to a different power cable, also.

Let us know how it goes.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestions. I did try it without the carrier, hooked
directly to new cable and it still doesn't work. I've since installed a new
drive and power supply and all is well. I suspect I may have zapped both
drives while taking them out and putting them back in to the carriers. I'm
keeping the primary drive mounted permanently from now on.

John
 

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