Dead HHD?

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by Bobomoomin, Dec 29, 2005.

  1. Bobomoomin

    Bobomoomin Specialist

    Hi, I've just got hold of an old 20 gig hdd, I tried installing windows XP on it but before i could even start the setup just said that it cannot acess this disk. So I thought to myself "Ahh it might not be formatted properly" so I've just fitted it in my computers as a slave however windows doesn't recognise it either in my computer or in the computer management section on the admin tools.... Would you say that the drive is dead?
     
  2. Bobomoomin

    Bobomoomin Specialist

    Oops, missed edit time. I also forgot to mention that during the windows xp installation if I try and continue with setup i just get the BSOD! :(
     
  3. DavidGP

    DavidGP MajorGeeks Forum Administrator - Grand Pooh-Bah Staff Member

    Originally it was in a PC and set to Master? if so did you delete the Partition and then re-partition and format?

    Dependent on the drivers maker you can download test utils/diagnostics to run to see if the drive is indeed DEAD!

    Most are found here
    http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloads8.html


    Mmmm... new Avatar I see bobo?
     
  4. Bobomoomin

    Bobomoomin Specialist

    Im guessing it was set to master but I was just given the hard disk with no information apart from the size. I'm not sure if that diagnostics tool will work to be honest, the computer doesn't recognise the drive what so ever, as far as the computers concerened theres nothing there. :(

    And yes indeed I have a new avatar, originally one of myself in very trendy glasses :D
     
  5. DavidGP

    DavidGP MajorGeeks Forum Administrator - Grand Pooh-Bah Staff Member

    The diagnostic tools work from booting to the floppy and running the drive makers diagnostic tools, they can determin if a drive is indeed dead...

    take this from Maxtors Maxpower util

    note the bold bit.. so worth a try once you know who made the HD or as it seems from earlier post, that booting to the XP cd to install XP got some way in how far? if you get to the point in which you can delete the partition do so and recreate a new partition and format again.
     
  6. Bobomoomin

    Bobomoomin Specialist

    Yea, well the drive is made by Western Digital,I suppose it would be worth a shot. The XP installation gets to the point where you are just about to start the installation, first it loads the drivers.. etc then I agree to the terms and conditions and then it gets to select which drive and I cannot get any further :(
     
  7. DavidGP

    DavidGP MajorGeeks Forum Administrator - Grand Pooh-Bah Staff Member

    Did or have you tried to delete and recreate the partition the XP install process will allow this?
     
  8. Bobomoomin

    Bobomoomin Specialist

    I don't think I can get that far with the installation. The second I try and do anything involving the drive I just get the BSOD :(
     
  9. DavidGP

    DavidGP MajorGeeks Forum Administrator - Grand Pooh-Bah Staff Member

    ah ok next think to try apart from the diagnostics from WD is to use a WinME bootdisk and use Fdisk to delete and recreate the partition, you can format it but it will be Fat32 as Fdisk doesnt do NTFS, but once if you get into the install process of XP you can reformat to NTFS.

    You will have to set the floppy as boot device in Bios.


    Bootdisk ( get the OEM one, run the exe and it will create a boot floppy )
    http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm


    then instructions on how to use FDisk
    http://fdisk.radified.com/
     
  10. Bobomoomin

    Bobomoomin Specialist

    Ahh ok cheers Halo :) I feel so damn stupid, I've just broken my 2nd hard drive :'( I accidently bend the dam IDE pins on the drive and snapped one off while bending one back :( Now my parents think I'm a complete faliur and that I suck at computer engineering.
     
  11. DavidGP

    DavidGP MajorGeeks Forum Administrator - Grand Pooh-Bah Staff Member

    hey I've done that before, especially when the IDE connector doesnt have a aligning key ( little nobbily bit ) as one of the holes on the connector is solid and will bend a centre pin! ouch.

    the snapped one could possibly be fixed with a bit of solder? dunno how bad you've snapped it off.
     
  12. Bobomoomin

    Bobomoomin Specialist

    No, Im pretty sure this is beyond repair it's snapped off right at the root of the pin so there's nothing to solder too :(
     
  13. G'day

    G'day Private E-2


    Your drive could be 'locked'. If so, you will need to know what locked it (eg. an Xbox) before you can unlock it. :cool:
     

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