Harddrive issues

First off, I would like to apologize if I am missing any topics covering my problem, but it seems that there is one definite difference from my issue to the others I have been finding online, which is why I am posting a new topic.


Here's the deal. I have a 2.5 year old Dell Dimension 2350, running Windows XP with SP1. I have a Maxtor HD, 6e0... something something 40. Tonight, the computer stalled, shut off, and next thing I know I am getting a message saying there is no boot device detected. I hunt down the diag tools from the Maxtor site and run them, and for the first test (installation confirmation), BIOS extension support and SMART enable function failed, and the partition information read failed.

Now, I'm not exactly a computer beginner; I have gotten myself out of some sticky computer sitatuations before, but my understanding of hardware does not go that deep. While I haven't replaced the cables, I have no reason to believe why the cables would out of nowhere stop working; they are fully intact and without damage. I have not installed a new HD, this is the original HD that came with my Dell. To my knowledge, I do not have any viruses on the system, and I have not recently installed any programs (at least, not within the last 4 weeks or so). I'm a little bit out of my depth as to what this could possibly be and how I could possibly fix it, so any help would be greatly appreciated.


Thank you!!!

 

catherinem,

Welcome to the board. This sounds allot like what I went through awhile back. My failed drive was on a Dell 2300. Look at this post. I ended up using Active @File Recovery Software to recover any information I needed. The cost was $49 and well worth it. The program was very easy to use. I do not know for sure what happened to the drive and it is still sitting in my drawer in case I need something else off of it. All my files were left intact, I just couldn't boot the drive. Even if I installed as a backup drive on another system. At some point, I will format the drive and try using it again. Best of luck!

Mike

 

Thanks for the welcome.

I do have another computer I can hook up to in order to save my files. I was just hoping I could avoid it.

Is there any reason why my hd just died? Is it something I did wrong? Is there someone I can write a sternly worded letter to?

I've decided I hate all technology. It's all a tease.


Thanks, guys.

 

Sometimes hardware just fails without warning. Harddrives are bad for that. One computer at work worked fine on day and the next it would not boot. The harddrive had died just like that.

 

In case anyone was keeping tabs if they are having the same problem... when I connected the HD to another Dell system, the HD went completely unrecognized (as a slave and as a master in place of a cd-rom drive). However, I managed to recover my files onto another Compaq system (which did recognize the HD). Is there a possibility that there is some kind of faulty relationship between Dell Dimensions and Maxtor drives? Anyhow. Either way, it's toast and I need to buy a new HD.


Thanks again for your help!

 

Thanks for the update. At least you were able to find a system that the drive would be recognized in. I put mine into another Dell system and I had the problem you had, the drive was not recognized. Still wish I knew for sure what happened to it.

Mike

 

It ain't necessarily so.
Well done that you have salvaged your data

The problem would be in the Boot Sector. Something has corrupted it. If you were able to access the data on the drive, it is probably fine. It is the data in the Boot Sector (Master Boot Record information) that will not allow the disk to run normally.

(I have not done this for a while, anyway...)
With the drive as the only drive in the computer, run the Maxtor Utilities. Format the MBR/Boot Sector, then run the partitioning program in MaxBlast. Otherwise run a low-level (zero) format (in PowerMax, I think), then partition with MaxBlast.
Do not install EZ-BIOS.
You will then need to run the Dell recovery/setup disk.

If you have recovered your data there is nothing to worry about, you can run any formatting utilities you like.

Matt

 

Also go to your bios and make sure that the hard drive is enabled. Very unlikely but not totally impossible that it could of somehow gotten turned off in the bios.

Like I said, not likely but might as well cover bases.