Hardware Failure or??

Bramp

Bramp

Member
Okay so my dell vostro 1400 crashed completely frozen accept for the mouse. i could do nothing. So I restarted it using the power button, upon boot it made a funny clicking noise and then displayed this message. (PLEASE VIEW PICTURE)

I tried booting into safe mode etc and the screen kept coming up. So I had no choice but to try and reinstall windows. I reformatted C still no luck and same message. Please view.

What are your thoughts. Also the hard drive is a 120gig toshiba.

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=18yq00&s=7
 
Did it Format the drive, or did you get that error when you tried to format? Not for sure but it sounds like the harddrive committed suicide. If you did format it, did you do a full format, checked for disk errors?
 
I am not sure how to do a complete format with disk error check..

I have a feeling it is the HD too, but I hate to buy a new one and its not it. I just relocated to South America, and is incredibly hard to get parts and they are very costly here.

So if you guys need more information to help me make a more informed decision let me know..

Thanks..
Bramp...

StrangleHold said:
Did it Format the drive, or did you get that error when you tried to format? Not for sure but it sounds like the harddrive committed suicide. If you did format it, did you do a full format, checked for disk errors?
Click to expand...
 
yeah forgot to mention it did the message after it was completely formatted. And the whole reason for the format was because if the message as well..lol Either way we look at it something is busted. just want to make sure its the drive.
 
Exactly what is the make model of the hard drive? Have you tried running checkdisk from DVD? Do you have a way to slave the hard drive to another computer?

Clicking sounds.... ugh. I'm guessing that since you were reinstalling the OS you didnt have anything on there valuable to you???
 
The computer will not boot into windows. Can I run checkdisk without getting into windows? i lost valuable information - oh well i guess.

I know that make is toshiba. If its really important that i get the model number I will open her up and get it???

gamblingman said:
Exactly what is the make model of the hard drive? Have you tried running checkdisk from DVD? Do you have a way to slave the hard drive to another computer?

Clicking sounds.... ugh. I'm guessing that since you were reinstalling the OS you didnt have anything on there valuable to you???
Click to expand...
 
Is it under any warranty?

I was hoping for the hard drive model number and make so I could point you toward the manufacturers hard drive diagnostic program.

IF you have the Dell DVD disk for OS reinstall, and I believe you do because you talked about the reinstall, you can run check-disk from it. Do you know how to run the checkdisk from DVD?

Also, if you have the Dell Utilities and Drivers DVD disk, this is what you want you can use the Dell diagnostics and check on the hard drive for errors check disk doesn't look for. You want to run the diagnostic test, and then a custom test on the hard drive.

If you don't have either disk from Dell, call and order them. They will have them to you in a day, they're pretty fast with these types of items. If you're not that familiar with the diagnostics and how to go through them just post back and say so.

Just so you know... I don't recommend using the diagnostics (in the below section), which are on a partition of your hard drive because of the chance your drive may be damaged.
There should also be a Dell diagnostic partition on the hard drive (as well as a recovery partition, and I don't recommend using the recovery partition for reinstall of the OS). You can get to the diagnostic by pressing F12 at BIOS boot and selecting diagnostics, then you will want to test system, after that select to run a custom test, and then test the hard drive fully.​
 
Bramp said:
S.M.A.R.T long self test (this test froze for 2 hours after making clicking/scratching noises)
http://oi56.tinypic.com/e0oba1.jpg
Click to expand...

Clicking scratching noises! WOAH! Thats most likely from head crashes, it physically destroys the drive. You need to get a new hard drive.

If you want to go a step further and try to mess with it more you can get the Toshiba DOS Diagnostic Tool Ver. 7.0 (For IDE/ATA/SATA Hard Drives) zip file from here. There is information on the file in a TXT file, just unzip it.

However, definitely check with Dell (call them) to see if there are any recalls for that drive. I couldn't find any recalls listed online but it would be better to call and ask them. Be prepared to be on the phone for a bit and endure a few sales pitches (:D), but at least the people are easy to talk to.

If it isn't under warranty do you have another hard drive for the 1400 or one you'd want to get?
 
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I am not a computer expert, but I am pretty handy with computers and I thought it could be the hard drive from the start. Dell Diagnostics is a great tool though that's cool.

I am not under warranty anymore but I will call dell if I can find time, to see if I can get a free replacement. In the mean time I went to Amazon and found a 500gb for $58 bucks. I can do with less. even a 160gb etc. Is there any around for $20 $30 bucks? HAHA or am I in lala land?

gamblingman said:
Clicking scratching noises! WOAH! Thats most likely from head crashes, it physically destroys the drive. You need to get a new hard drive.

If you want to go a step further and try to mess with it more you can get the Toshiba DOS Diagnostic Tool Ver. 7.0 (For IDE/ATA/SATA Hard Drives) zip file from here. There is information on the file in a TXT file, just unzip it.

However, definitely check with Dell (call them) to see if there are any recalls for that drive. I couldn't find any recalls listed online but it would be better to call and ask them. Be prepared to be on the phone for a bit and endure a few sales pitches (:D), but at least the people are easy to talk to.

If it isn't under warranty do you have another hard drive for the 1400 or one you'd want to get?
Click to expand...
 
Update!!!

Just wanted to update everyone who was helping and following the thread.

It was indeed the hard drive. I just installed a new one last night and I am writing this post from the laptop.. Thanks for the help fellas. :P
 
The hard drive heads have been damaged and are scratching the disks inside the hard drive. The drive is a paper weight now.

If you have data you want to get off the hard drive, try this if you have two hard drive bays in the laptop (or connect it to a desktop):

Stick the hard drive into the freezer for about an hour and a half. Make sure the hard drive is in a plastic zipper bag (Ziplock for example)
Put the hard drive into the second bay of the laptop, then boot from your new hard drive. Then you MAY be able to get the data off it. *This will only work once, I have never been successful getting it to work twice* Don't use the hard drive for storage after this. Recycle it.
 
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