Won't recognize HDD

SeekerSeeker Near St. Louis, MO
edited November 2008 in Science & Tech
Hello, folks. I'm trying to revive a crashed machine . Two HDDs, 10 and 40g, 10 had the OS. After the crash, I managed to format the 40 and reinstal XP. However, the only way it will run is with the 10 plugged in and set as master. I cannot format the 10 or delete everything. I basically want to clean this machine completely, and just use it as a studio net puter, so my DAW stays offline. I tried the 8 step plan, but the thing won't recognize the CD command. I would like to be rid of the 10g drive, but it's like it possesses the whole computer. It'll freeze up after a few tries at working on it.

I have tried all jumper positions, resetting the bios, I'm drawing a blank. Any ideas?

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited November 2008
    Can you run a drive diagnostic utility on it like Hitachi's Drive Fitness Test or Seagate's Seatools for DOS? They're bootable CDs that will scan the physical integrity of the drive. I suspect that yours has gone the way of the dodo, especially given its age.
  • SeekerSeeker Near St. Louis, MO
    edited November 2008
    You think the 40G shot craps or the 10? It'll run for a while on the OS in the 40, but freezes up, which is what it was doing when the OS was on the 10.

    I'm kinda screwed here because the CD controllers seem to be bad, and this mobo doesn't want to boot from USB, or I'd just stick a new drive in it and start from scratch.

    BTW, thanks for the quick reply.

    Will the utilities you mentioned work on any HDD, or just the one it's named for?
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited November 2008
    I think the 10 has gone tits up, but no harm in scanning the 40 as well. Both programs will scan any drive, but sometimes they're fussy (DOS apps are fussy), so you'll want to have both around in case one gives you crap.
  • SeekerSeeker Near St. Louis, MO
    edited November 2008
    Cool. Thanks.

    Err, went to get the HDD no. off the bios, and now it won't do anything. Amber power light, nothing on but the power unit, just like before I replaced the CPU. I guess it really resented the hell out of me trying to run that 8 step repair plan on it.
  • SeekerSeeker Near St. Louis, MO
    edited November 2008
    Wait! Look, he's up again! Left the battery out overnight and jumped the bios and it booted up. I can't seem to get a good image burn of the Sea tools with the progs I have. Gonna try plan N--runnin' deep into the alphabet here...
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited November 2008
    Use a program called IsoRecorder V2 to burn ISOs to CD by right clicking on the file in XP.
  • SeekerSeeker Near St. Louis, MO
    edited November 2008
    Will do, thanks.
  • SeekerSeeker Near St. Louis, MO
    edited November 2008
    Okay, the 10G (C) drive passed the Seatools long test, so I got a registry cleaner. That fixed a whole list of things, alledgedly. Now the problems are less dire but more annoying. The computer still won't recognize the 40 (D) by itself, even though it starts fine with the C plugged in. Mistakenly thinking fixing the OS in the C drive would help, I now have an OS that demands to be activated or it won't open, so I can't get in to do anything. It won't boot off the installation CD anymore, either. Is there a way to erase the XP off the C drive? Operating from the D drive?

    Knowing that the machine won't boot without the C drive plugged in, would I be shooting myself in the foot by using killdisk or the like to just wipe it?
  • SeekerSeeker Near St. Louis, MO
    edited November 2008
    Just wanted to drop a quick FYI--

    Apparently, the reg cleaner fixed the CD controller, because one CD drive works. I was then able to use the Seagate DOS disc to retest, then clear the 10g drive, and reload XP on the other drive. Had a setback when MS Malicious removal clashed and crashed with AVG, but I was able to get it to run long enough to do a system restore to the previous night, then reload everything. Won't load that malicious thingy next time.

    The upshot is that, for now, the machine is up and running and I have internet in my recording studio.

    Thanks much for the help, Thrax!:bigggrin:
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited November 2008
    Glad everything is up and running! :D Glad to help.
Sign In or Register to comment.