Help meh.. >_<

[Tercia Atroce]

I'm having some problems with the PC, i don't know where else to turn... maybe one of you lot could give me a hand?

About three months ago I installed a 160gb HDD as a slave. It's been working find until this morning. I turned on my PC, and I got a BIOS message saying there was a new hardware config, and it showed me the first HDD, and my two CDs. The second HD wasn't in the list. I pressed F1 to save the config (there was no other option), and it restarted. I got another message, this time telling me hardware had been updated again, and it listed both HDs.

Once windows had started the second HD wasn't in My Computer, although it showed up in device manager. When I right click on it it says the volume is 0MB. This scares me. It doesn't show up at all in the disk management part of Admin tools.

I've rebooted several times, checked the bios, and made sure all the cables are plugged in. Everything seems normal, except that when I first turn on the PC there are some loud 'clonk' sounds about a second apart.

I'm bloody frustrated, I had so many files on that thing. I know I don't post much on these boards, but pweeese, if any of you can help, or even tell me how screwed I am, I will love you forever. Unless it is screwed, in which case I'll just cry. A lot.

Thanks .. :(

[Charley]

If its making clonk sounds on boot-up, it might be the head failing to scan the drive, maybe due to a bad sector or worse. It could possibly be a bad drive.

[Tercia Atroce]

Is there anything I can do?

[Marcus Telcontar]

I've rebooted several times, checked the bios, and made sure all the cables are plugged in. Everything seems normal, except that when I first turn on the PC there are some loud 'clonk' sounds about a second apart

You have probable head / controller crash on the second drive. I hope you backed up because unless your real lucky and it starts or you can afford a disk recovery service, or know a geek who is skilled enough to attempt a hdd rebuild, it's toast.

[Tercia Atroce]

Yay. -_-

Well, thanks for the input. Someone mentioned to me that because it's bigger than 120gb it may have something to do with me not having Service pack 1 installed, so before I give up all hope I'm doing that...

[Marcus Telcontar]

Originally posted by Tercia Atroce
Yay. -_-

Well, thanks for the input. Someone mentioned to me that because it's bigger than 120gb it may have something to do with me not having Service pack 1 installed, so before I give up all hope I'm doing that...


What?

No.

The clicking and clunking gives it away. Your drives are controlled not by the OS but by the BIOS of the machine. XP can acknowledge drives sizes far in excess of 160Gb, I've personally set up RIAD 5 drives sizes in the 500Gb range, I know 1tb has been done and used 160gb's without a hassle. I'm sorry, but you got a bum steer. If BIOS does not see the drive there is not a thing you can do at OS level.

[Tercia Atroce]

BIOS does see the drive, it's purely windows explorer that doesn't. The reason I've been told to install the SP is because there were reports of people installing 160gb HDDs, and only 120gb showing, which happened to me although I didn't really pay much attention to it at the time. He seems to think they may be related, so as a last resort I'm trying it.

That said, I understand what you mean about the clunking and don't have very high expectations of the SP.

[Tercia Atroce]

Well the service pack did absouletely nothing (as predicted), but I just booted the PC and everything's working. O_O

I guess I was just real lucky then.. thankyou so much for trying to help :)

*cuddles his computer and mumbles about backing up more often*

Ma baby's back...

[imported_Firebird1]

Now thats working again... Back everything up on that hard drive...

If it is still clicking, then you have a hard drive failure.

If your BIOS is still not seeing the drive, you might need to update it.

Your OS can see drives of 160 GB.
Having the Service Pack should not change that unless there is a better driver for your Motherboard.

[TheHolo.Net]

Originally posted by Firebird1
Now thats working again... Back everything up on that hard drive...This cannot be said enough. Do it! Or at least back up what is most important to you while the drive is functional.

Sounds like what you described can only be one of a few things, since there are very few moving parts in a PC. Fans, Hard drives, and CD style drives are about the only things that can make noises like you describe in an average consumer computer. If it is the hard drive, permanent failure of it is probably not far away.

[Charley]

Back in 2001, I had my hard drive fail on me. It was under warranty, so I was able to get it replaced for free, and somehow by the grace of God, I managed to get back onto that sinking ship and extract all the files, so I didn't have a catastrophic data loss.

Let this be a lesson to you. Back up your files whenever you can. I usually keep a few discs with my images, documents, video clips and mp3's, and another disc full of my various program extractable files, so that I can reinstall things easily upon a reformat.

[Marcus Telcontar]

I guess I was just real lucky then.. thankyou so much for trying to help

You lucked out, I'm glad that happened. Back up your files. Now. You drive will die soon.

If BIOS doesnt see the drive size correctly, then IT is what is wrong, not the OS. It is quite true some BIOS misreport drive sizes. and the OS can see the true size - this is not desireable at all. If BIOS misreports, you always must investigate why. Sometimes there might be a jumper set wrong, or more likely, the BIOS needed to be flashed to a newer version.

Now.... have you backed up yet?

[Tercia Atroce]

I already said, BIOS does recognise the drive, and it did all the way through except for the first time I booted this morning.

And yep, I've backed up onto my 30gb mp3 player.

[Figrin D'an]

What brand of HD was it? If it's only 3 months old, you probably can get it replaced by the manufacturer. Most major brands have a minimum of 1-year waranty policies on HD storage media .

[Tercia Atroce]

Well if it packs in again it looks like that's where I'm headed. As you say, I've only had it 3 months, and it's from PC World, there should be no problems getting an exchange.

[Figrin D'an]

PC World? Is that a store or something?

You should check the receipt... some places only have 60 or 90 day return polices. The manufacturer will always have a longer warranty (a year or more). You may find yourself doing an RMA directly to them.

As a side note, this is why "extended warranties" that retail stores offer are such a rip-off.

[Tercia Atroce]

*shakes a stick at everyone who's ever asked him if he wanted extended warranty*

I knew there was a reason I despised those people!

And yup, it's a shop. Big chain of 'em. The HDD is a Samsung :)

[Figrin D'an]

'k.

If the store takes it back, see if you can get store credit instead of a direct exchange, then consider trying a different brand. I'm a big fan of Western Digital. Segate is good. Maxtor is decent.

Otherwise, surf Samsung's site and read their warranty and return info.