I'm pretty sure this means my hard drive is dying / dead?

Kelly Truex · 12-06-2006, 02:07 PM

A few days ago, we had a power outage, and some how the lines in the house were messed up. My friend's mom calls me over to tell me her computer is not turning on. I assumed it was a power supply problem (no response after power button on computer pressed), and took her power supply to my house. Other electronic things in the house on that same line had been working fine.

At my house, I tested her power supply with my computer, and it worked fine. I went back to her house with my computer and her PSU and turned my computer. As soon as I plugged in the power supply, all the lights in my case flickered, as if it wasn't getting enough juice. I quickly unplugged it and tried a different room, where it worked fine. I later found out, that it somehow fried my mobo, and my computer would hang after POST, before the OS would load.

Anyways, i found out the problem was her mobo. I bought a new one, and it installed with no problems, but the OS won't load, that was expected with the new mobo

I formatted my hard drive on her new computer so I could make sure everything was working fine on her computer. After installation, I transferred all her needed files and pictures to my hard drive (mine worked fine), using my hard drive as master and hers as slave. I was able to pull all the data off the hard drive and got everything I needed. Data saved.

Here's where the problem lies. I attempted to format her hard drive and put Windows 2000 on it. I was able to delete the partition and format it. The OS appeared to install fine. However, I tried to boot, and it said I was missing a certain file and windows couldn't load. I tried setup again, formatting the hard drive and installing the OS. This time, while the OS was installing, it couldn't install a different certain file, and the installation had crashed.

I deleted the partition again, and booted from my hard drive, hers being secondary. I tried to format it in Windows 2K, and about 75% though, it said the drive couldn't be formatted. ScanDisk wouldn't run on her hard drive.

Is my conclusion correct, her hard drive is failing / dead, and she needs a new one?

**Archangel** · 12-06-2006, 02:40 PM

Is it a Western Digital drive? I know WD has a program to check the hard drive, like wrtiting a '1' on all locations, to check the harddisk.
I gues other manufacturers have the same for their produc's.. so you might want to check those out

Kelly Truex · 12-06-2006, 03:06 PM

yes, it is a WD. Do you know where i can find the diagnostic tools?

I'm about to take it to the shop where I work at. They got all the fun tools I can use to take a look at it.

**Archangel** · 12-06-2006, 03:11 PM

http://support.wdc.com/download/?cxml=n&pid=999&swid=3

I think you need this one

12-06-2006, 02:07 PM	#1 (permalink)
Kelly Truex New Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Age: 24 Posts: 7	I'm pretty sure this means my hard drive is dying / dead? A few days ago, we had a power outage, and some how the lines in the house were messed up. My friend's mom calls me over to tell me her computer is not turning on. I assumed it was a power supply problem (no response after power button on computer pressed), and took her power supply to my house. Other electronic things in the house on that same line had been working fine. At my house, I tested her power supply with my computer, and it worked fine. I went back to her house with my computer and her PSU and turned my computer. As soon as I plugged in the power supply, all the lights in my case flickered, as if it wasn't getting enough juice. I quickly unplugged it and tried a different room, where it worked fine. I later found out, that it somehow fried my mobo, and my computer would hang after POST, before the OS would load. Anyways, i found out the problem was her mobo. I bought a new one, and it installed with no problems, but the OS won't load, that was expected with the new mobo I formatted my hard drive on her new computer so I could make sure everything was working fine on her computer. After installation, I transferred all her needed files and pictures to my hard drive (mine worked fine), using my hard drive as master and hers as slave. I was able to pull all the data off the hard drive and got everything I needed. Data saved. Here's where the problem lies. I attempted to format her hard drive and put Windows 2000 on it. I was able to delete the partition and format it. The OS appeared to install fine. However, I tried to boot, and it said I was missing a certain file and windows couldn't load. I tried setup again, formatting the hard drive and installing the OS. This time, while the OS was installing, it couldn't install a different certain file, and the installation had crashed. I deleted the partition again, and booted from my hard drive, hers being secondary. I tried to format it in Windows 2K, and about 75% though, it said the drive couldn't be formatted. ScanDisk wouldn't run on her hard drive. Is my conclusion correct, her hard drive is failing / dead, and she needs a new one? Last edited by Kelly Truex; 12-06-2006 at 02:11 PM. Reason: more logical

12-06-2006, 02:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
Archangel Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Netherlands Age: 21 Posts: 8,060	Is it a Western Digital drive? I know WD has a program to check the hard drive, like wrtiting a '1' on all locations, to check the harddisk. I gues other manufacturers have the same for their produc's.. so you might want to check those out __________________ Newton is dead, Einstein is dead, I don't feel very well either Xfire - Mirrari Intel Q6600 ( @3.6GHz) Asus Triton 79 Amazing 549/3200 4x 1Gb Corsair XMS2 DDR800 Asus Maximus Formula Asus & Sapphire HD3870 512Mb ( 850/1180 ) Corsair HX620W PSU

12-06-2006, 03:11 PM	#4 (permalink)
Archangel Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Netherlands Age: 21 Posts: 8,060	http://support.wdc.com/download/?cxml=n&pid=999&swid=3 I think you need this one __________________ Newton is dead, Einstein is dead, I don't feel very well either Xfire - Mirrari Intel Q6600 ( @3.6GHz) Asus Triton 79 Amazing 549/3200 4x 1Gb Corsair XMS2 DDR800 Asus Maximus Formula Asus & Sapphire HD3870 512Mb ( 850/1180 ) Corsair HX620W PSU

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12-06-2006, 03:06 PM	#3 (permalink)
Kelly Truex New Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Age: 24 Posts: 7	yes, it is a WD. Do you know where i can find the diagnostic tools? I'm about to take it to the shop where I work at. They got all the fun tools I can use to take a look at it.