Guess the problem?

[camieabz]

Right.

Gateway OEM system.

WD drive I think.

On boot, there are several scenarios.

1. "Device IOS, please re-start"
2. Freeze at Windows screen.
3. In DOS (via boot-disk) access by "dir" or "cd Windows" freezes.
4. Scandisk from a: or c: gives a scandisk freeze before scan initialises.

All system checks and detections are fine on boot-up.
Fdisk disk details are fine.
<b>Clicking from disk.</b>

"Can you tell what it is yet" - Rolf Harris.

Any way to get data from it without spending money?

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[Toejam31]

If there is another hard drive in the machine, maybe.

You could try copying the directories on the failing drive to another drive partition using <A HREF="http://www.easydos.com/xcopy.html" target="_new">xcopy</A>. For example, if the bad drive is C: and the good drive is D:

xcopy c: d: /s

I've done this before with some success when a drive starts to click, and can't be accessed. But it's an iffy thing, and might not work. Even if the files are copied, there is likely to be some corruption.

Toejam31

<font color=red>My Rig:</font color=red> <A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=6847" target="_new"><font color=green>Toejam31's Tantalizing Tantric Toy</font color=green></A>
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<font color=purple>"Procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part."</font color=purple>

 

[camieabz]

Is "xcopy" a disk copy command. I thought it was a directory copy command. Perhaps "diskcopy".

I'll get round to it on Monday.

Meanwhile. Another HDD with similar probs. Fdisk and format ok, but 4.44MB (8GB disk)of bad clusters. OEM system restore disk fails at 55% and Win98SE disk at 85%. Any suggestions?

Both situation above are tight budget deals. If I have to I'll replace the drives, but I'd rather not. I have a drive available for xcopy/diskcopy if necessary.


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[Toejam31]

xcopy will copy ... but not empty directories.

As for the drive, I'd run a low-level format. If that doesn't correct the bad clusters ... time to get a replacement.

Toey

<font color=red>My Rig:</font color=red> <A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=6847" target="_new"><font color=green>Toejam31's Tantalizing Tantric Toy</font color=green></A>
____________________________________________________________

<font color=purple>"Procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part."</font color=purple>

 

[camieabz]

Well.

Problems fixed.

Problem 1: Slaved it to another drive. Got access to critical files and backed them up. 30 scandisks later, I decided to delete the primary partition and re-create it. Result...it wouldn't go! Stayed at 0% for 15mins, so I guess its gassed. Drive is to be replaced.

Problem 2: Bad clusters couldn't be retreived and Windows installation would continually freeze at 91% (OEM system restore disk at 55%). Disk has been replaced and is running nicely.

I might try to re-create the partition of this one if possible, as the disk is still relatively quiet.

Anyway...How do you do a low level format? I've never done one.

Funny how two of the same problems pop up at the same time. A bit like buses.

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[Toejam31]

You'll probably have to pick up some kind of Disk Management Utility from the disk manufacturer to do a low-level format. Actually, it won't be a "real" low-level format ... that can only be done at the factory. <A HREF="http://www.seagate.com/support/kb/disc/low_level_ata.html" target="_new">Low-Level Formatting - Frequently Asked Questions</A>. Check out these pages on the subject, and you'll see what I mean.

If the drive appears to be really dead, I've heard of people putting them in the freezer for an hour before attempting to extract data, or writing zero's to the disk. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't. Anything is possible!

I can never find a bus when I need one.

Toey

P.S. This <A HREF="http://home.arcor.de/christian_grau/rescue/index.html" target="_new">program</A> could come in handy for future problems like this. Sorry I didn't find it sooner, but better late than never. I think.

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____________________________________________________________

<font color=purple>"Procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part."</font color=purple>

 

[camieabz]

Cheers Toey!

Need to hack into your link database one of these days.

Camie.

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[Toejam31]

Ha! It could make you go blind (or grow hair on your palms.)

Gotta get rid of the porn links before I let anyone else start sifting through all my stuff.

Right?

:redface:

Toey

<font color=red>My Rig:</font color=red> <A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=6847" target="_new"><font color=green>Toejam31's Tantalizing Tantric Toy</font color=green></A>
____________________________________________________________

<font color=purple>"Procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part."</font color=purple>

 

[camieabz]

ROFL!

I keep the hair off the palms of my hands by hacking into other peoples porn links.

Oh [-peep-] Another secret out. :frown:

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