Read Error on Dell desktop SATA hard drive

Da Mail Man

Active Member
Greetings all!,

It has been a while.....I have a Dell Optiplex GL280 (an older one for sure) 3.2ghz, 2gb ram in 4 slots, win xp pro, 1 TB SATA hard drive....

About 3 days ago, was using computer and about an hour later came back to it and it was no longer operating...It was on but, that is all I remember at this point....I wish I could remember what the screen looked like but, I cannot. Re-booting It says "cannot read from drive."

It is making no clicking, grinding or other unusual noises and I can feel it vibrating (spinning). Nothing rattles when gently shaking.

I have a dell diagnostics disc and ran that and it found a "crap-load" of errors with the ram and/or ram slots!

I have attempted to place the hd in 1-2 other dell computers of similar speed/ram configurations and still get the same error......I hesitate taking good working ram out of another Dell and place into the computer but, if i have to, I will....I am desperate to retrieve some vital info from it.....

I have quite a few "3rd party recovery discs" but, not sure what that will do or even work since I cannot read from disc (aforementioned disc error message)...I have an external hard drive reader that I connected to the drive and another computer and it will show the drive but, not access or read from it when clicking on the icon of that drive...

I need assistance and suggestions very badly
...I doubt the head arm is sticking and assume if it was, I would hear clicking...This computer has NOT over-heated or been subject to ANY bumps or jarring.
 

johnb35

Administrator
Staff member
The drive doesn't need to be clicking in order for it to go bad. You will most likely need a new hard drive and reinstall windows from recovery disk.
 

Da Mail Man

Active Member
Thanks for the reply!

The drive doesn't need to be clicking in order for it to go bad.
Yes, I know but, I simply ruled it out

You will most likely need a new hard drive and reinstall windows from recovery disk.
ugh!...Could the "read" arm be "hanging up" and not hitting the platter?..Advise opening it up?
 

johnb35

Administrator
Staff member
No I do not recommend opening the drive. That must be done professionally in a clean room designed to not have dust particles land on the platters. If you know what brand of drive it is you can use the drive makers diagnostic utility to see if the drive is repairable but it sounds like it shot. Especially if its the original drive and was never replaced. Might want to just chalk it up to a learning experience. Always have a backup....
 

Da Mail Man

Active Member
Thanks for the reply!

No I do not recommend opening the drive. That must be done professionally in a clean room designed to not have dust particles land on the platters.
Yeah, I have read about it and observed a video on it.

If you know what brand of drive it is you can use the drive makers diagnostic utility to see if the drive is repairable but it sounds like it shot.
I ran the tests of the hard drive via a Dell Diagnostics CD and it says drive "passed"...

Especially if its the original drive and was never replaced.
It is of course, NOT the orig drive.

Might want to just chalk it up to a learning experience. Always have a backup....
I was thinking about that about 2 weeks ago but---but---but---

I have read someplace about screwing around on the inside but, at this point after I have exhausted all, and I mean ALL my options, I don't know how much more damage I could do by opening it up......Some sites suggest that the circuit board attached to and "feeding" the drive is shot and CAN be replaced.

**I just ran another program "to it" and received an error message that "boot manager is missing or corrupt".
 
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Da Mail Man

Active Member
UPDATE!

Got it back up and running!...Now I have to buy another hd and clone disc, etc to it...PHEW!.....I hit "restore master boot record (MBR)" in whatever disc I used....I will post program disc I used after a little bit....MANY THANKS for the support anyway! (Really!).
 
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