Is my new Maxtor HD damaged?

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Hi,

I just bought a brand new Maxtor hard drive. It's an 80GB, 5400 rpm and Ultra100, in a retail box.

My motherboard is fairly old, about 2 years, and the Bios is Award Modular 4.51.

Since the first time I tried to install the HD, it always made clicking noise everytime it spinned. Sounded like there was something loose in it that created that clicking noise. My computer won't detect the HD. I used the 80-wire UDMA cable that came with the HD.

Also I've made sure that I got the jumpers setting correctly without any luck.

Does the clicking sound of the HD tell me it's damaged?
Also, is that true that all motherboard including the newest ones will need its BIOS updated first before it can detect an 80 GB HD?

Thanks in advance for any answer. :)

Regards
Elyse
 
It's very unusual for a hard drive to click continually. An occasional click is normal, but continual clicking plus your system's failure to detect it makes it sound like a bad drive. I'd exchange it. If you bought it locally, take it back to the store where you got it; if you send it to Maxtor chances are you'll get a refurbished drive right off the bat, which you probably don't want, and the vendor will be able to replace it more quickly--no shipping hassles.

---
Dave Farquhar
author, <i>Optimizing Windows for Games, Graphics and Multimedia</i> (O'Reilly)
<A HREF="http://thesiliconunderground.editthispage.com" target="_new">http://thesiliconunderground.editthispage.com</A>
 
I highly doubt hat your motherboard will detect this new drive. You should invest into a promise ultra 100 card. See if this card detects the drive. Even if you do exchange the drive you will need the promise card to utilize the new drives speed.

A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing!
 
Retail-boxed Maxtor drives 40GB or larger usually come with the card.

---
Dave Farquhar
author, <i>Optimizing Windows for Games, Graphics and Multimedia</i> (O'Reilly)
<A HREF="http://thesiliconunderground.editthispage.com" target="_new">http://thesiliconunderground.editthispage.com</A>
 
Hi all,

Thanks for all the reply. :)

I already have Promise Ultra66 Controller card. I know it's an Ultra66 not the Ultra100. But I think I'm gonna stick with this Ultra66 controller for a while. :)

I tried connecting the new HD to the Promise Ultra66 controller card, and it couldn't detect the new drive too.

And I believe that I set the jumpers setting correctly. So I'm pretty sure it's not jumpers error.

Most people have told me that abnormal sounds from the HD is a bad thing. I have 3 harddrives in my computer, and they're very quite. And most people also said that the clicking sound might be the reason why both the BIOS and the controller card couldn't detect the HD.

I guess I'll ask buy.com to replace my new hd. I've heard enough people having refurbished drives sent to them for the replacement by maxtor. :)

One more thing, I really want to know if all motherboard will need its BIOS updated before it can detect 80 GB hard drive? I'm thinking to get a new motherboard (Asus P3V3X) next month, so I need to know for sure if it will detect 80 GB hard drive.

Thanks again all.

Regards,
Elyse
 
Check first to see if the promise controller is detecting any other drives. Also, go to promise's site and make sure you have the latest bios and drivers for your card. When you flash the new bios for the ultra 66 it will magically become a ultra 100. I do admit it sounds like you have a bad drive but never hurts to be sure.

A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing!
 
ncogneto:

I'm using the Ultra ATA66 for one of my HD. So I know for sure the controller card is working. But still it wouldn't detect the new HD.

I'll go see the Promise website and download the newest BIOS and driver so my card will become the Ultra100. By the way, should I get the newest BIOS and Driver for Ultra66, or Ultra100?

Thanks again.

Regards,
Elyse
 
Hi Elyse
I had a 4.3g Quantum that developed the same problem, initially I thought it was a head strike problem, I would get the noise, the screen would freeze for a moment, then it would resume, It seemed to be worse when I was doing intensive apps (Playing Baldurs Gate), The hdd had the problem from almost new, eventually it gave up the ghost, so I pulled it apart expecting to see a scored platter, but the cause was not head strike at all, it was the locator spring and mechanism that locates the heads on the platter, But it sure sounded like a head strike problem, I probably thought that because I saw on the Quantum site that they had had a problem with that
 
elyse please don't open your drive up...:)



***Hey I run Intel... but let's get real***
 
Hello,

Does anybody knows if all motherboard's BIOS need to be updated to detect 80GB hard drive?

Thanks. :)

Regards,
Elyse
 
Not sure, but try and you'll find out 😉

Rob
Please visit <b><A HREF="http://www.ncix.com/shop/index.cfm?affiliateid=319048" target="_new">http://www.ncix.com/shop/index.cfm?affiliateid=319048</A></b>
 
In theory if your bios supports int13h extensions that give support for over 8G drives(which yours should as it's been around for awhile), it will support 80G. But with an ATA66 controller.. it's not an issue. The ATA 66 controller is even a workaround for bioses that don't have an upgrade for int13h extensions. You've already shown the ATA 66 card works.. so if it isn't recognized with an 80pin cable (either the one with the card or drive) or even a regular IDE cable of the mb connector in UDMA mode 3 or 2, there is something wrong with that drive. Take it back..



***Hey I run Intel... but let's get real***
 
Good decision. If your HD is making clicking noises it is going to go bad soon, maybe days maybe months but it will. I have seen/heard this many times. Get it replaced.

"A masochist walked up to a sadist, and said 'Hurt me'. The sadist said 'No' and walked away."
 
It's not something I would advise most people to do..



***Hey I run Intel... but let's get real***
 
Continuous clicking indicates a failure in the drives cicuitry, I have seen this many times and have even replaced the card and got them back up again. The drive is bad, get it exchanged.

Suicide is painless...........
 
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