Windows XP / HDD has trouble cold booting

[Guest]

I have been having the following trouble starting regularly about a month
ago. When I go to start up my computer from cold (after not using for several
hours, like overnight), then, almost as soon as I press the power button, I
hear a sort of click sound from the HDD, like the read/write head is
disengaging (or having trouble first reading), or has skipped, or something.
It may do this two or three times, then it freezes, and I get the message on
a black screen to insert boot media, or to press Ctrl+Alt+Delete to reboot.
Other times it will just hang, or freeze when trying to first load Windows XP
(due to not being able to read the HDD for some reason). When I reset or it a
few times, then it will begin to load up normally. Once it can begin loading
Windows XP (Home), then all is fine, and I have absolutely no problem
whatsoever for as long as the computer is on. No further hard drive problems,
either, at all. When I go to warm restart, it also will reboot without any
problems whatsoever. It is only upon cold boot. I did not install any
hardware when the problem began occuring. Just an upgrade to Zone Alarm,
which I undid to test if it had affected my computer, but I still got the
same problem even when going to my original version. My computer is a Compaq
Presario, 3 GHz, 250 GB HD, about 2 years old (and no Windows XP install disk
came with it BTW).

Could any of you give me any suggestions on this problem, and if anything
can be done about it (and how)? Could it be a corrupted boot sector or boot
files? Could it be an error in CMOS or something? Or a HDD problem? Etc.?
Should I just get a different hard drive, or can this be salvaged? Seems it
would be a shame to trash this hard drive since the problem is exclusively
only when I first try to boot up; otherwise it is fine.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

 

[DL]

Sound like a bad connection. Open the case and ensure all components/cables
are firmly seated.
Also check HD manu web site for a checking utility

 

[Jonny]

I have been having the following trouble starting regularly about a month
ago. When I go to start up my computer from cold (after not using for several
hours, like overnight), then, almost as soon as I press the power button, I
hear a sort of click sound from the HDD, like the read/write head is
disengaging (or having trouble first reading), or has skipped, or

something.

Clue number 1.

It may do this two or three times, then it freezes, and I get the message on
a black screen to insert boot media, or to press Ctrl+Alt+Delete to

reboot.

Clue number 2.

Other times it will just hang, or freeze when trying to first load Windows

XP

Clue number 3.

(due to not being able to read the HDD for some reason). When I reset or it a
few times, then it will begin to load up normally. Once it can begin

loading

Clue number 4.

Windows XP (Home), then all is fine, and I have absolutely no problem
whatsoever for as long as the computer is on. No further hard drive problems,
either, at all. When I go to warm restart, it also will reboot without

any

Clue number 5.

problems whatsoever. It is only upon cold boot. I did not install any

Clue number 6.

hardware when the problem began occuring. Just an upgrade to Zone Alarm,
which I undid to test if it had affected my computer, but I still got the
same problem even when going to my original version. My computer is a Compaq
Presario, 3 GHz, 250 GB HD, about 2 years old (and no Windows XP install disk
came with it BTW).

Clue number 7.

Could any of you give me any suggestions on this problem, and if anything
can be done about it (and how)? Could it be a corrupted boot sector or

boot

Nope. Works when she's warmed up.

files? Could it be an error in CMOS or something? Or a HDD problem? Etc.?

CMOS nope. HDD maybe. Etc., maybe

Should I just get a different hard drive, or can this be salvaged? Seems it
would be a shame to trash this hard drive since the problem is exclusively
only when I first try to boot up; otherwise it is fine.

Yep. Sure what I see too.
Symptoms tell me the HD ain't ready at cold boot after bios routine to start
the OS. This is usually because the spinup time is unusually long for some
reason. If the bios summary is accurate of the hard drive's firmware ID
response, its probably the reason.

Some drives make noises that others don't. So, I can't comment on that. If
the noise is relatively new, its probably related to the problem.

Replacing the HD is probably a safe bet. The other obvious alternative is
weak amperage on the +12V leg of the power supply.

 

[Anna]

I have been having the following trouble starting regularly about a month
ago. When I go to start up my computer from cold (after not using for
several
hours, like overnight), then, almost as soon as I press the power button,
I
hear a sort of click sound from the HDD, like the read/write head is
disengaging (or having trouble first reading), or has skipped, or
something.
It may do this two or three times, then it freezes, and I get the message
on
a black screen to insert boot media, or to press Ctrl+Alt+Delete to
reboot.
Other times it will just hang, or freeze when trying to first load Windows
XP
(due to not being able to read the HDD for some reason). When I reset or
it a
few times, then it will begin to load up normally. Once it can begin
loading
Windows XP (Home), then all is fine, and I have absolutely no problem
whatsoever for as long as the computer is on. No further hard drive
problems,
either, at all. When I go to warm restart, it also will reboot without
any
problems whatsoever. It is only upon cold boot. I did not install any
hardware when the problem began occuring. Just an upgrade to Zone Alarm,
which I undid to test if it had affected my computer, but I still got the
same problem even when going to my original version. My computer is a
Compaq
Presario, 3 GHz, 250 GB HD, about 2 years old (and no Windows XP install
disk
came with it BTW).

Could any of you give me any suggestions on this problem, and if anything
can be done about it (and how)? Could it be a corrupted boot sector or
boot
files? Could it be an error in CMOS or something? Or a HDD problem? Etc.?
Should I just get a different hard drive, or can this be salvaged? Seems
it
would be a shame to trash this hard drive since the problem is exclusively
only when I first try to boot up; otherwise it is fine.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

dreamweaver79:
Notwithstanding the responses you've already received to your query (let
alone others that you'll probably receive), understand this...

A noisy hard drive, for *any* reason, is an ominous sign that the drive is
failing. Yes, there could be other causes - a defective power supply, loose
cable connections, and a few other possible causes. But in nearly every case
a noisy clicking sound emanating from the HD means that that's a troubled
HD.

Will the drive fail today, tomorrow, next week, next month? Who can say? But
it's probably living on borrowed time. You should immediately back up any
files that are important to you. If you have another internal or external
HD, it would be wise to use some disk imaging program, e.g., Symantec's
Norton Ghost, Acronis True Image, etc., to clone the contents of the drive
to another drive.

Virtually every manufacturer of hard drives has a diagnostic utility that
you can download from their website. Ascertain the make/model of your HD and
obtain that diagnostic utility to test out your HD.
Anna

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

Failing hardware, that is typical of a cracked solder - once it warms up and
expands all goes well. I would suspect the hard drive first, but there are
other possibilities including the motherboard. Something best checked by a
technician.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I have been having the following trouble starting regularly about a month
ago. When I go to start up my computer from cold (after not using for several
hours, like overnight), then, almost as soon as I press the power button, I
hear a sort of click sound from the HDD, like the read/write head is
disengaging (or having trouble first reading), or has skipped, or something.
It may do this two or three times, then it freezes, and I get the message on
a black screen to insert boot media, or to press Ctrl+Alt+Delete to reboot.
Other times it will just hang, or freeze when trying to first load Windows XP
(due to not being able to read the HDD for some reason). When I reset or it a
few times, then it will begin to load up normally.

You are unbelievably lucky not to have experienced a catastrophic
failure before now. While this streak of luck holds, you might want to
contemplate a trip to Las Vegas or purchasing a lottery ticket. ;-}

Once it can begin loading
Windows XP (Home), then all is fine, and I have absolutely no problem
whatsoever for as long as the computer is on. No further hard drive problems,
either, at all. When I go to warm restart, it also will reboot without any
problems whatsoever. It is only upon cold boot. I did not install any
hardware when the problem began occuring. Just an upgrade to Zone Alarm,
which I undid to test if it had affected my computer, but I still got the
same problem even when going to my original version. My computer is a Compaq
Presario, 3 GHz, 250 GB HD, about 2 years old (and no Windows XP install disk
came with it BTW).

Could any of you give me any suggestions on this problem, and if anything
can be done about it (and how)?

Your hard drive is failing. Replace it immediately.

Could it be a corrupted boot sector or boot
files?

Not as such, although the hard drive's physical problem could easliy
and permanently damage the portions of the drive on which such
information is stored.

Could it be an error in CMOS or something?

No.


Or a HDD problem?

Yes, yes, a thousand times, yes! Other than a couple of fans and the
CD/DVD drive, the hard drive is the only computer component with moving
parts. When moving parts start making abnormal sounds, it means that
those parts are no longer moving properly and/or according to design.
It means that those moving parts are hitting or rubbing something that
they shouldn't. In your specific case, it sounds like the armiture that
moves the hard drive's read/write heads in and out are bumping against
the outer edges of the rapidly spinning drive platters. Once the PC
warms up a little, some part expands enough to allow the armiture to
clear the platters. There is no solution for this other than to replace
the hard drive.

Etc.?
Should I just get a different hard drive,

Yes.

.... or can this be salvaged?

No.


Seems it
would be a shame to trash this hard drive .....

The hard drive has already trashed itself; it's only a matter of time
before it trashes all of your data, as well. And new hard drives are
awfully inexpensive.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Sound like a bad connection. Open the case and ensure all components/cables
are firmly seated.

Since when can a bad connection, other than to an audio component,
cause clicking sounds? The problem is clearly a defective hard drive.
The armature that moves the hard drive's read/write heads in and out are
bumping against the outer edges of the rapidly spinning drive platters.
Once the PC warms up a little, some part expands enough to allow the
armature to clear the platters. There is no solution for this other
than to replace the hard drive.

Also check HD manu web site for a checking utility

Which may not detect this specific problem, unless the computer is
allowed to cool down before running the diagnostics. In which case, the
tests won't even be able to run.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Philip Andrews]

Hello,

I have been having the following trouble starting regularly about a month
ago. When I go to start up my computer from cold (after not using for several
hours, like overnight), then, almost as soon as I press the power button, I
hear a sort of click sound from the HDD, like the read/write head is
disengaging (or having trouble first reading), or has skipped, or something.
It may do this two or three times, then it freezes, and I get the message on
a black screen to insert boot media, or to press Ctrl+Alt+Delete to reboot.
Other times it will just hang, or freeze when trying to first load Windows XP
(due to not being able to read the HDD for some reason). When I reset or it a
few times, then it will begin to load up normally. Once it can begin loading
Windows XP (Home), then all is fine, and I have absolutely no problem
whatsoever for as long as the computer is on. No further hard drive problems,
either, at all. When I go to warm restart, it also will reboot without any
problems whatsoever. It is only upon cold boot. I did not install any
hardware when the problem began occuring. Just an upgrade to Zone Alarm,
which I undid to test if it had affected my computer, but I still got the
same problem even when going to my original version. My computer is a Compaq
Presario, 3 GHz, 250 GB HD, about 2 years old (and no Windows XP install disk
came with it BTW).

Could any of you give me any suggestions on this problem, and if anything
can be done about it (and how)? Could it be a corrupted boot sector or boot
files? Could it be an error in CMOS or something? Or a HDD problem? Etc.?
Should I just get a different hard drive, or can this be salvaged? Seems it
would be a shame to trash this hard drive since the problem is exclusively
only when I first try to boot up; otherwise it is fine.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

This sounds like the sort of noise that a hard-drive makes before it
drops dead - if the sound you're hearing is between a 'click' and a 'crack'.
Your best bet IMHO would be to obtain a replacement for it right away (not
necessarily a 250 GB drive, but certainly something large enough to hold all
of your existing data plus whatever you project to add in the future), and
then use Symantec GHOST (loaded from a floppy if you can)to clone your
existing drive's (entire) contents across to that new drive.

To do this, you would hook your replacement drive up as PRIMARY SLAVE
before you boot into GHOST, and then watch very carefully what you're doing
once GHOST is running. In your place, I would use the DISK TO DISK option,
unless you have partitioned the new drive beforehand for separate SYSTEM and
DATA storage - in which case, you would use (source) DISK TO (destination)
PARTITION. When you've finished with GHOST and when it's reported a
successful clone, power down the machine, swap the new drive in as PRIMARY
MASTER, leave the suspect drive entirely disconnected, and then try to boot
to Windows and see whether everthing still works OK. If it does, you're off
the hook.

One other word of strong recommendation - DON'T run the existing drive at
all in the meantime; because if it's genuinely near to the end of its life,
there will be no way to say exactly HOW near. My experiences of this sort of
thing have generally run along the lines of 'it dropped dead shortly after
being cloned, thank Providence' - I've been lucky a few more times than I've
failed, but if I go to a customer's PC that's playing up and hear the
'click' from the hard-drive, I now clone that drive's contents onto a spare
hard-drive the very next time that the drive is powered up, just to be on
the safe side. That trick allows me to clone the customer's data onto a
brand-new replacement drive it that becomes necessary, without having to
cross my fingers or pray and make sacrifices to a range of unlikely deities
that it'll work.

If your PC is under extended warranty, you may find that the cost of a
new drive is covered - it's worth a look, anyway, but DON'T let go of the
drive until you've cloned its contents if any sort of repair survey is
involved that means sending the drive away in the post.

Also - what make of drive is it? Personally, I favour Maxtor & Fujitsu
drives and am happy with IBM/Hitachi - but won't touch Quantum, Seagate or
Western Digital with a bargepole because I regard them as being flimsily
engineered. Others may have a different 'take' - mine's based on what I've
had to replace during the last 12 years, and what sort of damage I've seen.

[Out of interest - the actual fault symptoms sound to me as though the
drive's thermal compensation control is on the point of packing up - because
the drive won't run when it's cold, but is fine when it's anything more than
slightly warm. (The disks inside a drive expand as they warm up - to such an
extent that an offset may have to be applied to the read/write heads to make
sure that they remain within the data-track's capture window, i.e roughly
over the centre of where the data-tracks are supposed to be. Failure to do
that means that data will be misread or misinterpreted, and crashes or
non-operation may result. This problem is not fixable, BTW, which is why you
prelace the drive.) ]



As for not having a copy of Windows XP Home - don't worry about that:
the fact that you have the Authentication sticker on the PC's casing means
that you can use any old (borrowed?) copy of Windows XP Home if you should
find yourself having to reload the system from scratch. In that case, all
you need to do is to key-in the number from that sticker (when asked), and
all will be well. Hopefully, if you manage to clone this thing successfully,
reloading Windows from scratch won't become necessary.

Good luck - best wishes for a successful outcome, and no data-loss.

Regards,

Philip

 

[Rock]

I have been having the following trouble starting regularly about a month
ago. When I go to start up my computer from cold (after not using for several
hours, like overnight), then, almost as soon as I press the power button, I
hear a sort of click sound from the HDD, like the read/write head is
disengaging (or having trouble first reading), or has skipped, or something.
It may do this two or three times, then it freezes, and I get the message on
a black screen to insert boot media, or to press Ctrl+Alt+Delete to reboot.
Other times it will just hang, or freeze when trying to first load Windows XP
(due to not being able to read the HDD for some reason). When I reset or it a
few times, then it will begin to load up normally. Once it can begin loading
Windows XP (Home), then all is fine, and I have absolutely no problem
whatsoever for as long as the computer is on. No further hard drive problems,
either, at all. When I go to warm restart, it also will reboot without any
problems whatsoever. It is only upon cold boot. I did not install any
hardware when the problem began occuring. Just an upgrade to Zone Alarm,
which I undid to test if it had affected my computer, but I still got the
same problem even when going to my original version. My computer is a Compaq
Presario, 3 GHz, 250 GB HD, about 2 years old (and no Windows XP install disk
came with it BTW).

Could any of you give me any suggestions on this problem, and if anything
can be done about it (and how)? Could it be a corrupted boot sector or boot
files? Could it be an error in CMOS or something? Or a HDD problem? Etc.?
Should I just get a different hard drive, or can this be salvaged? Seems it
would be a shame to trash this hard drive since the problem is exclusively
only when I first try to boot up; otherwise it is fine.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Backup now, replace the drive now.

 

[DL]

when it causes a faulty pwr connection,amongst other things

 

[Bruce Chambers]

when it causes a faulty pwr connection,amongst other things

No, that would cause a device to work or not work; it would cause it to
make unusual noises.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Guest]

Thank you all for your replies. This will help greatly. It looks like most
or all of you
mentioned that it would be best to just get a different hard drive, since
this one's days are numbered, and not by many, at that. So I will probably
be in the market for another hard drive very soon now. I just wanted to add
a few comments/replies to Philip, based on what you wrote

.....

This sounds like the sort of noise that a hard-drive makes before it
drops dead - if the sound you're hearing is between a 'click' and a 'crack'.
Your best bet IMHO would be to obtain a replacement for it right away (not
necessarily a 250 GB drive, but certainly something large enough to hold all
of your existing data plus whatever you project to add in the future), and
then use Symantec GHOST (loaded from a floppy if you can)to clone your
existing drive's (entire) contents across to that new drive.

Yeah, the sound is kind of hard to describe specifically. Not really a
click, or a crack, per se, but kind of like it is hitting up against
something, and a failsafe is causing it to immediately disengage, several
times over. More specifically, it is the same sound heard when I normally
turn off my computer, and the read/write head disengages from the hard drive
as normal. My initial speculation was that it came to a sector or something
that it couldn't read, then hiccuped, and just quit (disengaged), or that it
was physically in danger of hitting the HDD, and disengaged to be safe. Most
troublesome when first trying to boot Windows! I figured it wasn't much of a
software problem, since the issue occurd before any software was even loaded.
In fact, this last time, it didn't even get as far as the "click" before just
blanking out and requesting the boot media, several times. It took several
reboots to get it to begin loading. I'm afraid to even turn the computer off
now until I get it backed up, which I'll be taking care of now, lest I not
even get it on again! It's been degrading rapidly, for the number of times
I've attempted to cold boot it over the past month. Each time it seems to
take a little longer. Anyway, sounds like this hard
drive is pretty well done for for practical reasons upon cold boot, then,
unless making a boot disk would help me get XP in a little easier? But still,
if only on borrowed time, it can't be too good. Best not to flirt with fire
or disaster, I suppose!
I checked out the reviews for Acronis True Image 9 backup software for HDD
cloning, which seem to be quite good, so I think I may go that route, unless
you suggest that GHOST is preferred(?).

Also - what make of drive is it? Personally, I favour Maxtor & Fujitsu
drives and am happy with IBM/Hitachi - but won't touch Quantum, Seagate or
Western Digital with a bargepole because I regard them as being flimsily
engineered. Others may have a different 'take' - mine's based on what I've
had to replace during the last 12 years, and what sort of damage I've seen.

My System Info lists it as Maxtor 6Y250P0. I heard someone else, too,
mention that a certain brand of hard drive was not good to get for it having
problems and such, but I forgot which kind that was.

[Out of interest - the actual fault symptoms sound to me as though the
drive's thermal compensation control is on the point of packing up - because
the drive won't run when it's cold, but is fine when it's anything more than
slightly warm.

This sounds like it could be a logical reason.

... the fact that you have the Authentication sticker on the PC's casing means
that you can use any old (borrowed?) copy of Windows XP Home if you should
find yourself having to reload the system from scratch. In that case, all
you need to do is to key-in the number from that sticker (when asked), and
all will be well. Hopefully, if you manage to clone this thing successfully,
reloading Windows from scratch won't become necessary.

Thanks. I found the sticker. That should be helpful. Although I don't know
anyone who I could borrow a copy of XP from at this time, someone might turn
up. Hopefully, cloning will go well, though, and I won't need to spend days
reinstalling everything (a major hassle for me whenever I had to reinstall
Windows ME, previously, which unfortunately, I had to do well more often that
I would have liked.)

Thanks again for your help.

"Dreamweaver"

 

[Ron Sommer]

Did you check the power and data cable?
--
Ron Sommer

Thank you all for your replies. This will help greatly. It looks like
most
or all of you
mentioned that it would be best to just get a different hard drive, since
this one's days are numbered, and not by many, at that. So I will
probably
be in the market for another hard drive very soon now. I just wanted to
add
a few comments/replies to Philip, based on what you wrote

....

This sounds like the sort of noise that a hard-drive makes before it
drops dead - if the sound you're hearing is between a 'click' and a
'crack'.
Your best bet IMHO would be to obtain a replacement for it right away (not
necessarily a 250 GB drive, but certainly something large enough to hold
all
of your existing data plus whatever you project to add in the future), and
then use Symantec GHOST (loaded from a floppy if you can)to clone your
existing drive's (entire) contents across to that new drive.

Yeah, the sound is kind of hard to describe specifically. Not really a
click, or a crack, per se, but kind of like it is hitting up against
something, and a failsafe is causing it to immediately disengage, several
times over. More specifically, it is the same sound heard when I normally
turn off my computer, and the read/write head disengages from the hard
drive
as normal. My initial speculation was that it came to a sector or
something
that it couldn't read, then hiccuped, and just quit (disengaged), or that
it
was physically in danger of hitting the HDD, and disengaged to be safe.
Most
troublesome when first trying to boot Windows! I figured it wasn't much of
a
software problem, since the issue occurd before any software was even
loaded.
In fact, this last time, it didn't even get as far as the "click" before
just
blanking out and requesting the boot media, several times. It took several
reboots to get it to begin loading. I'm afraid to even turn the computer
off
now until I get it backed up, which I'll be taking care of now, lest I not
even get it on again! It's been degrading rapidly, for the number of
times
I've attempted to cold boot it over the past month. Each time it seems to
take a little longer. Anyway, sounds like this hard
drive is pretty well done for for practical reasons upon cold boot, then,
unless making a boot disk would help me get XP in a little easier? But
still,
if only on borrowed time, it can't be too good. Best not to flirt with
fire
or disaster, I suppose!
I checked out the reviews for Acronis True Image 9 backup software for HDD
cloning, which seem to be quite good, so I think I may go that route,
unless
you suggest that GHOST is preferred(?).

Also - what make of drive is it? Personally, I favour Maxtor & Fujitsu
drives and am happy with IBM/Hitachi - but won't touch Quantum, Seagate or
Western Digital with a bargepole because I regard them as being flimsily
engineered. Others may have a different 'take' - mine's based on what I've
had to replace during the last 12 years, and what sort of damage I've
seen.

My System Info lists it as Maxtor 6Y250P0. I heard someone else, too,
mention that a certain brand of hard drive was not good to get for it
having
problems and such, but I forgot which kind that was.

[Out of interest - the actual fault symptoms sound to me as though the
drive's thermal compensation control is on the point of packing up -
because
the drive won't run when it's cold, but is fine when it's anything more
than
slightly warm.

This sounds like it could be a logical reason.

... the fact that you have the Authentication sticker on the PC's
casing means
that you can use any old (borrowed?) copy of Windows XP Home if you should
find yourself having to reload the system from scratch. In that case, all
you need to do is to key-in the number from that sticker (when asked), and
all will be well. Hopefully, if you manage to clone this thing
successfully,
reloading Windows from scratch won't become necessary.

Thanks. I found the sticker. That should be helpful. Although I don't know
anyone who I could borrow a copy of XP from at this time, someone might
turn
up. Hopefully, cloning will go well, though, and I won't need to spend
days
reinstalling everything (a major hassle for me whenever I had to reinstall
Windows ME, previously, which unfortunately, I had to do well more often
that
I would have liked.)

Thanks again for your help.

"Dreamweaver"

 

[Guest]

Not yet, but seems to me that I think that this wouldn't be the problem
(unless I'm mistaken), since it seems to power fine and has no trouble
writing and reading to the hard disk once XP is booted up and running. If it
was a power / data cable problem, wouldn't it intermittantly "short out"
periodically during regular use? I haven't opened up my case since I got the
computer (to fool around inside), so the only way possible that I would think
that it would be loose would be if it came loose by me bumping the computer
accidently (which I tend to do from time to time -- the table that it's on,
rather) repetedly over the 2 years that I've had it (this could have messed
up the hard drive over time anyway if it was reading/writing when the bumps
occured (!) ). My question would be then why it started acting weird only 1
month ago, then excessively now, and why it makes the ominous click/disengage
sound upon first startup (if it is a power/data cable issue) (and never on a
warm reboot), and why it is perfectly fine the rest of the time once XP loads
up? I'm out in the dark about any of this stuff. I'm only going by what I
see people post here. So help me if you can. Nontheless, I'll see if
maybe I can take a look see inside, just in case something is not right
inside (such as connections).

 

[Jonny]

Some hard drives just naturally make audible noise since day 1. Have a 5
year old Seagate 4.3GB ultrascsi that is an example of. The old ide 6.4GB
WDs are another example.
Some of the older IBM drives were noted for their lack of audibles ever.
Yet, without audible warning, died a quick death.

Barring these examples and others, yes, you're probably accurate. But, I'm
not known for making generalized, safe in most cases, statements about
hardware. Others are.

 

[Ron Sommer]

Power consumption creates heat.
Heat causes expansion.
Heat can also cause a connection to become loss.
If a connection was not fully seated when the computer was made, then it
could become loose.
Besides, what do you have to lose?

 

[Talahasee]

x-no-archive: yes

Did you check the power and data cable?

Yes, my computer engineer (tech - repairman) has told me the
twice I have heard the sound of a metal object hitting
metal, the only thing that makes such a sound is literally
something flying off the ....

thingy that reads the plates inside the hard drive ...

???? (I'm not a technical person)

and hitting the side of the hard drive enclosure.

When the hard drive LITERALLY starts "flying apart", a hard
drive failure is imminent.

Backup up you can. This is the perfect opportunity to invest
QUICKLY in an external hard drive enclosure (usb) and a hard
drive large enough for your DATA.

Be sure your external hard drive enclosure has an "off/on"
switch.

I got an 80 GB and an enclosure. It's solved 95 % of my
problems. I still have to remember to turn it off before I
format. Otherwise, you are likely to format your
external/backup drive.

;-)


I have gotten a distinct "bang" almost like the crack of a
..22 bullet being fired.

Definitely "new hard drive' time.


Tallahassee

as normal. My initial speculation was that it came to a sector or
something
that it couldn't read, then hiccuped, and just quit (disengaged), or that
it
was physically in danger of hitting the HDD, and disengaged to be safe.
Most
troublesome when first trying to boot Windows! I figured it wasn't much of
a
software problem, since the issue occurd before any software was even
loaded.
In fact, this last time, it didn't even get as far as the "click" before
just
blanking out and requesting the boot media, several times. It took several
reboots to get it to begin loading. I'm afraid to even turn the computer
off
now until I get it backed up, which I'll be taking care of now, lest I not
even get it on again! It's been degrading rapidly, for the number of
times
I've attempted to cold boot it over the past month. Each time it seems to
take a little longer. Anyway, sounds like this hard
drive is pretty well done for for practical reasons upon cold boot, then,
unless making a boot disk would help me get XP in a little easier? But
still,
if only on borrowed time, it can't be too good. Best not to flirt with
fire
or disaster, I suppose!
I checked out the reviews for Acronis True Image 9 backup software for HDD
cloning, which seem to be quite good, so I think I may go that route,
unless
you suggest that GHOST is preferred(?).

Also - what make of drive is it? Personally, I favour Maxtor & Fujitsu
drives and am happy with IBM/Hitachi - but won't touch Quantum, Seagate or
Western Digital with a bargepole because I regard them as being flimsily
engineered. Others may have a different 'take' - mine's based on what I've
had to replace during the last 12 years, and what sort of damage I've
seen.

My System Info lists it as Maxtor 6Y250P0. I heard someone else, too,
mention that a certain brand of hard drive was not good to get for it
having
problems and such, but I forgot which kind that was.

[Out of interest - the actual fault symptoms sound to me as though the
drive's thermal compensation control is on the point of packing up -
because
the drive won't run when it's cold, but is fine when it's anything more
than
slightly warm.

This sounds like it could be a logical reason.

... the fact that you have the Authentication sticker on the PC's
casing means
that you can use any old (borrowed?) copy of Windows XP Home if you should
find yourself having to reload the system from scratch. In that case, all
you need to do is to key-in the number from that sticker (when asked), and
all will be well. Hopefully, if you manage to clone this thing
successfully,
reloading Windows from scratch won't become necessary.

Thanks. I found the sticker. That should be helpful. Although I don't know
anyone who I could borrow a copy of XP from at this time, someone might
turn
up. Hopefully, cloning will go well, though, and I won't need to spend
days
reinstalling everything (a major hassle for me whenever I had to reinstall
Windows ME, previously, which unfortunately, I had to do well more often
that
I would have liked.)

Thanks again for your help.

"Dreamweaver"

 

[Jonny]

Depends what you mean by a faulty power supply.

A marginal +12V leg amperage may cause slower spinup times. Once the
spinpup speed is achieved, there may be no further clue of this.

 

[Guest]

Yes, my computer engineer (tech - repairman) has told me the
twice I have heard the sound of a metal object hitting
metal, the only thing that makes such a sound is literally
something flying off the ....

thingy that reads the plates inside the hard drive ...

???? (I'm not a technical person)

and hitting the side of the hard drive enclosure.

When the hard drive LITERALLY starts "flying apart", a hard
drive failure is imminent.

Backup up you can. This is the perfect opportunity to invest
QUICKLY in an external hard drive enclosure (usb) and a hard
drive large enough for your DATA.

Be sure your external hard drive enclosure has an "off/on"
switch.

I got an 80 GB and an enclosure. It's solved 95 % of my
problems. I still have to remember to turn it off before I
format. Otherwise, you are likely to format your
external/backup drive.

;-)


....




I have gotten a distinct "bang" almost like the crack of a
..22 bullet being fired.

Definitely "new hard drive' time.


Tallahassee

Thanks for the tips. I'll check into it.

Yeah, I haven't really gotten any really horrible sounds like the hard
drive is chewing itself to pieces, or that it is ripping apart at the
seams/joints yet. Just the disengage sound when it first starts up. Once it
is running, I can access my data fine. I haven't had any trouble accessing
any directory so far. I should know, since I've been scouring my entire hard
drive in preparation for a significant backup, but of only necessary data.
About almost 100 GB of backup to do! I've kept my computer on and didn't
shut it off to rest, fearful of not being able to get it on again, and I've
had no trouble with it so long as I keep it on, so I don't think the
read/write head is having trouble just yet in normal access. Only when it is
cold. Something is messing it up when it initially tries to load windows. The
only trouble I had was when I accidently bumped it, twice, and it froze. I
had to restart the computer. But it restarted fine, with no trouble.

Someone also mentioned that the hard drive may not be spinning up fast
enough, due to lack of proper voltage. This might be possible. I'm not sure
how to really check it though, or check the power supply. We have periodic
power surges here sometimes (where the power dims in intensity slightly, then
regains to normal, over about a minute or so, or dims quickly for a quick
second, then regains to normal). I don't know if this could have affected it
any, over time, or messed up the power system. I don't have a surge protector
yet. I would wonder, though, how a slow hard drive spinning start would cause
the hard drive to hiccup and disengage, several times in succession, even
when it reboots itself to retry. And this last time, when I tried to turn it
on from cold start, it seemed like the hard drive didn't even want to get
going at all at first, until I turned the computer off about 2 or three times
and on again to get it going fianlly. As long as I keep it on, though, and
don't turn it off, it seems perfectly fine. No scratching, no clicks, no
disengaging, no banging, or whatever.


Anyway, since this cold start trouble didn't start plaging my computer until
recently, I just wonder what set it off so suddenly. Either maybe my
accidental bumpings of the table it's on could in a while have had a
cumulative affect on knocking something loose, or screwing up the internal
workings of the hard drive (clumsy me!), or maybe it just is wearing out
(cheaply made).

Interesting point: My previous computer was a computer custom made/built
for me by a person in a nearby town. It's a 200 MHz, Pentium 1, 6.0 GB HDD,
64 MB RAM. I'd used it intensively for about 6 years, then gave it to my
father about 2 years ago. He does not use it too much now, but the thing
still works! Slow, yes! But it works, and decently good, all things
considered! Nothing internal like hard drives, RAM, processor, motherboard,
etc. wore out to the point where it forced a replacement yet! Outside of my
dial-up modem on that one, which never worked right anyway from the start,
even when I got a different one (not a problem now since I installed a
wireless Internet card in it to access the Internet through my router). And
I've had my share of bumping that computer, too. Must have been made well,
with quality parts! And this one I have now is giving me trouble after only
2 years. Eh! Sometimes you get a lemon, and maybe my hard drive is too
cheaply made. I don't know. Getting a new one sounds like it would be a
safe bet, unless it really is a loose connection or something.



dreamweaver79