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| Thread ID: 42546 | 2004-02-14 07:47:00 | IDE failure | Jim** (4369) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 215460 | 2004-02-14 07:47:00 | I have had three hard drives fail on me over a period of several months. I am well aware this is not normal and have come to the conclusion that perhaps my motherboard IDE connections are failing. Two of these drives have been replaced under warranty, but the third has just failed me. I find that most of the time the drives run fine for a while. Every now and then when the machine is booting, it will hang when "Detecting IDE Drives...". The computer freezes and requires a reboot in which the problem corrects itself. This continues on occasion for weeks with it occurring about 1 in every 20 boots. Finally, the computer will lock up suddenly when I am in windows, an application or a game and a reboot is required. I belive the drive experiences some kind of header crash because system files are reported missing on reboot and windows will not boot. Even when i manage to replace the missing and erroneous files, the drive will continue to do this at times until the crashes get closer and closer together and large amounts of files are lost and the the computer is essentially unbootable. When booting after the "crash", the drive makes a high-pitched whiring sound which ascends in tone and loops over and over. I am failry convinced that this is a motherboard problem, specifically the IDE connectors. What I don't understand is why the drive runs perfectly fine for weeks and then decides to die for no obvious reason (ie. not overheating, not running for any extended periods etc.) This has happened three times and is the same each time (runs fine for a while and then crashes more and more until unbootable). Any advice or experience on this problem would be greatly appreciated. Specs: Seagate 40GB 7200RPM (all three drives) AMD AthlonXP 1800 1.53GHz Albatron KX400-8XV PRO Motherboard 256DDR XP Pro SP1 OS |
Jim** (4369) | ||
| 215461 | 2004-02-14 08:21:00 | What kind of power supply have you got in it? | bmason (508) | ||
| 215462 | 2004-02-14 09:33:00 | 400W Pentium 4 Edition | Jim** (4369) | ||
| 215463 | 2004-02-14 17:53:00 | I';d be more inclined to be suspicious of the powersupply but if you want to detour around the onboard ide controllers get a raid card and use that instead it'll plug into a pci socket and you run th eharddeives thru that bypassing the motherboard controllers | drcspy (146) | ||
| 215464 | 2004-02-14 22:03:00 | Yes, that's what I believe could possibly be the other problem. I don't know why nothing else in my computer appears affected if the power supply is indeed faulty. Thanks for the RAID idea. That could save me buying a new motherboard. | Jim** (4369) | ||
| 215465 | 2004-02-14 23:08:00 | have you checked for bios updates for the motherboard and firmware updates for the harddrive? otherwise if possible change hardrive to a non-seagate and see if it still happens. also what is the case temps like ? |
tweak'e (174) | ||
| 215466 | 2004-02-15 03:18:00 | I have checked for bios / firmware updates and there is nothing as far as I can see that would help my problem. My case temps are nothing outrageous (approx 40 degrees on average) and the drive is spaced well so that air can circulate properly. I don't think it is a cooling issue. I would say it is either the PSU or the motherboard. Not sure how I will determine which though. | Jim** (4369) | ||
| 215467 | 2004-02-15 03:42:00 | i would call 40 degrees outrageous ;-) did they actually test the old failed hardrives?? i doubt the motherboard is killing the drives. either poor power or overheating. |
tweak'e (174) | ||
| 215468 | 2004-02-15 03:45:00 | have you tried running the manufacturers diagnostic program on the hard drive ? you just download it .........then double clik it and it'll write up a bootable floppy for you to run the diagnostic from............ can tell you wether the harddrive is stuffed or .............. |
drcspy (146) | ||
| 215469 | 2004-02-15 04:26:00 | hm........witout knowing where/how your case is situated and how many fans etc it's hard to comment on temps but mine usually runs at about 30-34 but can reach 40 on a REAL hot day | drcspy (146) | ||
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