Do hard drives just die if you leave them?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

To All

I have been borrowing a Latitude LM from a friend for a couple of years. I
have decided to return it to him.

However, when I borrowed it I replaced the original (newly-reformatted) HDD
with a new IBM Travelstar 20GB model. This required some coaxing (e.g.
overlay software) to get working but it did. Now I have moved that HDD to
another PC and wish to replace the original in the Latitude before returning
it.

I have replaced the hard drive in the bay but, guess what, it looks for all
the world as if it is dead. Stone dead.

Here are the clues:-

1) Phoenix Technologies info panel shows the following "Hard Disk 0: None,
Hard Disk 1: None".
2) "Operating system not found" appears immediately below
3) FDISK returns "Error reading fixed disk."

The disk had previously been kept in a box in cool dry conditions.

So, is my HDD dead or could it be a different problem e.g.:-

1) Not installed in bay correctly (I have redone this 2 or 3 times)
2) Firmware was upgraded to version not compatible with original drive
(can't remember of I did this)
3) A N Other

Apologies in advance for any basic info not supplied.

TIA

Paul Clare
 
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Paul Clare" <moc.evresupmoc@eralc_luap> wrote in message
news:416bc961@212.67.96.135...
> To All
>
> I have been borrowing a Latitude LM from a friend for a couple of years. I
> have decided to return it to him.
>
> However, when I borrowed it I replaced the original (newly-reformatted)
> HDD with a new IBM Travelstar 20GB model. This required some coaxing (e.g.
> overlay software) to get working but it did. Now I have moved that HDD to
> another PC and wish to replace the original in the Latitude before
> returning it.
>
> I have replaced the hard drive in the bay but, guess what, it looks for
> all the world as if it is dead. Stone dead.
>
> Here are the clues:-
>
> 1) Phoenix Technologies info panel shows the following "Hard Disk 0: None,
> Hard Disk 1: None".
> 2) "Operating system not found" appears immediately below
> 3) FDISK returns "Error reading fixed disk."
>
> The disk had previously been kept in a box in cool dry conditions.
>
> So, is my HDD dead or could it be a different problem e.g.:-
>
> 1) Not installed in bay correctly (I have redone this 2 or 3 times)
> 2) Firmware was upgraded to version not compatible with original drive
> (can't remember of I did this)
> 3) A N Other
>
> Apologies in advance for any basic info not supplied.
>
> TIA
>
> Paul Clare
>
>


Unless the drive's physical connections are not properly made, I'd tend to
agree that the drive is dead. It happens.


Stew
 
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Paul Clare" <moc.evresupmoc@eralc_luap> wrote:
>1) Not installed in bay correctly (I have redone this 2 or 3 times)

I was going to guess this one, but if you are sure it's installed
properly it might have died. (There wasn't a BIOS-level password, was
there?)

Try the hard disk in another machine (like a desktop with the
appropriate adapter).
 
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Paul Clare" <moc.evresupmoc@eralc_luap> wrote in message
news:416bc961@212.67.96.135...
> To All
>
> I have been borrowing a Latitude LM from a friend for a couple of
> years. I have decided to return it to him.
>
> However, when I borrowed it I replaced the original
> (newly-reformatted) HDD with a new IBM Travelstar 20GB model. This
> required some coaxing (e.g. overlay software) to get working but it
> did. Now I have moved that HDD to another PC and wish to replace the
> original in the Latitude before returning it.
>
> I have replaced the hard drive in the bay but, guess what, it looks
> for all the world as if it is dead. Stone dead.
>
> Here are the clues:-
>
> 1) Phoenix Technologies info panel shows the following "Hard Disk 0:
> None, Hard Disk 1: None".
> 2) "Operating system not found" appears immediately below
> 3) FDISK returns "Error reading fixed disk."
>
> The disk had previously been kept in a box in cool dry conditions.
>
> So, is my HDD dead or could it be a different problem e.g.:-
>
> 1) Not installed in bay correctly (I have redone this 2 or 3 times)
> 2) Firmware was upgraded to version not compatible with original drive
> (can't remember of I did this)
> 3) A N Other
>
> Apologies in advance for any basic info not supplied.
>
> TIA
>
> Paul Clare
>
>

Did you F2 at startup, and in BIOS Setup set the drive type to Auto and
get a response for the details? If not, do it now.

Q
 
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"S.Lewis" <stew1960@cover.bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:0UPad.310123$%n4.3058@bignews6.bellsouth.net...

> Unless the drive's physical connections are not properly made, I'd tend to
> agree that the drive is dead. It happens.

I'll re-examine them.

How does "it happen"? Is it likely to be a "physical" problem, a "magnetic"
one, or an "electronic" one?

P C
 
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Paul Clare" <moc.evresupmoc@eralc_luap> wrote in message
news:416bdb30@212.67.96.135...
>
> "S.Lewis" <stew1960@cover.bellsouth.net> wrote in message
> news:0UPad.310123$%n4.3058@bignews6.bellsouth.net...
>
>> Unless the drive's physical connections are not properly made, I'd tend
>> to agree that the drive is dead. It happens.
>
> I'll re-examine them.
>
> How does "it happen"? Is it likely to be a "physical" problem, a
> "magnetic" one, or an "electronic" one?
>
> P C
>


Heck, Paul, I'm no expert by a long shot, nor do I pretend to be. But it
can be electronic, mechanical, or even physical in nature.

Since the drive is not responding by giving you the "click of death" from
the read head/platters, I can only speculate and say that it's likely in the
electronic circuitry on the drive board or other internals.

This assumes, of course, that the IDE controller on the Latitude's system
board has not done same and flatly died.

But, mind you, this is carnival side show guessing from this distance.
Anecdotal.

It also assumes you've not got the drive disabled or turned off in BIOS....


Stew
 
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"S.Lewis" <stew1960@cover.bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:7lRad.310134$%n4.296879@bignews6.bellsouth.net...


> It also assumes you've not got the drive disabled or turned off in
> BIOS....

Ah! A clue!

If I go into BIOS Setup, the prompt "Internal Hard Drive" does indeed yield
"Disabled". Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any way of altering this.

PC
 
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
news:416be97a.8346774@news.charter.net...

>Make sure the drive is properly connected inside the drive
> bay... Ben Myers

HUGE clue.

Inside the drive housing, a ribbon cable which connects the drive to the
port in the PC is ripped. Presumably the cable, or the drive housing
assembly must be replaced. Are these parts easily obtained?

PC
 
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

The ribbon cable should be something to be replaced all by itself. Not sure if
HP's spare parts has them in stock though... Ben Myers

On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 16:10:10 +0100, "Paul Clare" <moc.evresupmoc@eralc_luap>
wrote:

>
><ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
>news:416be97a.8346774@news.charter.net...
>
>>Make sure the drive is properly connected inside the drive
>> bay... Ben Myers
>
>HUGE clue.
>
>Inside the drive housing, a ribbon cable which connects the drive to the
>port in the PC is ripped. Presumably the cable, or the drive housing
>assembly must be replaced. Are these parts easily obtained?
>
>PC
>
>
 
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

The ribbon cable should be something to be replaced all by itself. Not sure if
**** DELL's **** spare parts has them in stock though. Try Dell's spare parts
number: 1800-357-3355 . If you know the Dell part number of the item you want
to replace, the ordering will go much faster and be practically foolproof.

My bad. HP won't have them! .. Ben Myers

On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 16:10:10 +0100, "Paul Clare" <moc.evresupmoc@eralc_luap>
wrote:

>
><ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
>news:416be97a.8346774@news.charter.net...
>
>>Make sure the drive is properly connected inside the drive
>> bay... Ben Myers
>
>HUGE clue.
>
>Inside the drive housing, a ribbon cable which connects the drive to the
>port in the PC is ripped. Presumably the cable, or the drive housing
>assembly must be replaced. Are these parts easily obtained?
>
>PC
>
>
 
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Paul Clare" <moc.evresupmoc@eralc_luap> wrote in message
news:416bf3d1@212.67.96.135...
>
> <ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
> news:416be97a.8346774@news.charter.net...
>
>>Make sure the drive is properly connected inside the drive
>> bay... Ben Myers
>
> HUGE clue.
>
> Inside the drive housing, a ribbon cable which connects the drive to the
> port in the PC is ripped. Presumably the cable, or the drive housing
> assembly must be replaced. Are these parts easily obtained?
>
> PC
>


Yep. Call the spare parts number in the thread. Go up to
www.support.dell.com for the user's guide for the system, and it should show
you how to access the cable.

Stew
 
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Quaoar" <quaoar@tenthplanet.net> wrote in message
news:VoCdnSaQ25OAqvHcRVn-pw@comcast.com...

> Did you F2 at startup, and in BIOS Setup set the drive type to Auto and
> get a response for the details? If not, do it now.

Did that. "Drive Type" does not appear in the menu system.

I think it's a torn ribbon cable (qv) now.

PC
 
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"S.Lewis" <stew1960@cover.bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:TlXad.310208$%n4.159178@bignews6.bellsouth.net...
>
> "Paul Clare" <moc.evresupmoc@eralc_luap> wrote in message
> news:416bf3d1@212.67.96.135...

>> HUGE clue.
>>
>> Inside the drive housing, a ribbon cable which connects the drive to the
>> port in the PC is ripped. Presumably the cable, or the drive housing
>> assembly must be replaced. Are these parts easily obtained?
>>
>> PC
>>
>
>
> Yep. Call the spare parts number in the thread. Go up to
> www.support.dell.com for the user's guide for the system, and it should
> show you how to access the cable.

Situation's moved on now.

Apparently the part number for the drive caddy (yup - that's what it's
called) is the same as the drive i.e. they are normally supplied together. I
have contacted a few spares suppliers here in the UK to try and get hold of
one. I'm waiting for three or four call backs.

PC
 
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

In article <416c43bc@212.67.96.135>, moc.evresupmoc@eralc_luap (Paul
Clare) says...
>
> "Quaoar" <quaoar@tenthplanet.net> wrote in message
> news:VoCdnSaQ25OAqvHcRVn-pw@comcast.com...
>
> > Did you F2 at startup, and in BIOS Setup set the drive type to Auto and
> > get a response for the details? If not, do it now.
>
> Did that. "Drive Type" does not appear in the menu system.
>
> I think it's a torn ribbon cable (qv) now.

Does the drive spin up?

--
http://home.teleport.com/~larryc
 
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Larry Caldwell" <larryc@teleport.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.1bdcc53692495dee98b270@news.west.earthlink.net...
> In article <416c43bc@212.67.96.135>, moc.evresupmoc@eralc_luap (Paul
> Clare) says...
>>
>> "Quaoar" <quaoar@tenthplanet.net> wrote in message
>> news:VoCdnSaQ25OAqvHcRVn-pw@comcast.com...
>>
>> > Did you F2 at startup, and in BIOS Setup set the drive type to Auto and
>> > get a response for the details? If not, do it now.
>>
>> Did that. "Drive Type" does not appear in the menu system.
>>
>> I think it's a torn ribbon cable (qv) now.
>
> Does the drive spin up?

This problem has been resolved and put to bed (ribbon cable replaced).

I have a new one now!

PC
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom