I have two Maxtor HDD both less that two years old. One is 60g and the other 40g. The 60g has windows Xp etc installed and the 40g is used as a file store.
I leave the PC on 24/7 and recently I am finding that it is locking up, rebooting and hanging at the point where it should begin reloading XP. Some investigation shows that the HDD light comes on perminantly just before the lcok-up. A warm reboot kicks everything back into life (although sometimes it takes a few attempts and a cold reboot). This began on an occassional basis but now happens every four or five hours.
I've downloaded Powermax from the Maxtor web site and run a full test on both drives.
It fails the quick test on the main 60g drive saying I need to do a full test. After a full test it finds errors which it reports it can and has fixed.
The 40g drive passes the quick test but oddly fails the full test, reporting that the drive is failing. I've disconnected the suspect 40g HDD and will see what the effect is. I don't use any Raid features. I run both drives from a single cable straight into IDE1 . A DVD and CDRW are cabled into IDE2. IDE3 and 4 are empty.
Question is -
Can I trust the Powermax test?
Can a drive that does not have an operating system on it bring down the whole PC? I could understand if my main 60g drive went belly up but it seems odd that a drive that just has files on it can wreak so much havock?
Could this be a Mobo problem (Giga-Byte GA-7VAXP)?
Any help much appreciated.
Additional gubbins
AMD XP2100 CPU
single stick of 512mb 3200 Ram
ATI Radeon 9800 SA (flashed to Pro)
Audigy Player
My 2 cents.
Don't trust anything - get the data onto a new disk ASAP.
TL.
Done- but I'm loathed to throw away a 40g HDD if it utrns out to be my mobo or some otehr obscure fault. Still time will tell :)
Seagate and IBM both do testing software which I am lead to believe will work with some other manufacturers disks (it is non destructive testing)
IBM Drive Fitness Test (http://downloads.zdnet.co.uk/0,39025604,39068555s,00.htm)
Seagate Seatools (http://www.seagate.com/support/seatools/index.html) <- You want the middle column (Desktop Edition
HTH?
Ta I'll have a crack at it tomorrow :)
It'll be that dodgy graphics card if you ask me....whoever heard of a 9800SA (and they are not too close on the keypad!!)
I would follow TL's advice firstly....but
Knowing what a tight fisted git you are I would recommend that you change the 1930's ide cable that you hang on to as a family heirloom and invest in a new one!!
(Moths, I see moths everywhere!!) :D
It could be the mobo (Promise RAID + ATA 133 IDE function) but you don't use that so the more obvious choice might be a dodgy cable (ie) reporting errors on both hdd's at the same time is rare I believe?
Your mobo is well specced (but you should have got an Asus or EpoX :devil: ) but it is worth starting from the beginning as it were.
If it is a recent problem then the weather may be a cause (what are your temps like and what cooling do you have?(ie) are your hdd's overheating?)
But remember I am a bit of a Doris (read the post) at this kind of thing!!
Alternatively I have a lovely third pc I am just building that has your name on it!! :whistle: :devil: :dribble:
I post a plea for help and the dog touts for business <_<
read carefully, it is help, of a sorts!! :D :whistle:
Ive got a spare 40 gb hdd now just shout if you need it
QuoteOriginally posted by DarkAngel@Aug 11 2004, 11:57 PM
Ive got a spare 40 gb hdd now just shout if you need it
Oi!!, I saw him first!! :whistle: <_< :D