maxtor 200gb sata drive. Is it broken?

Hi,
I started having problems wit my pc, very slow crashing all over the place etc, and was advised it was a hd problem, but i could not run the powermax utility as it was sata on xp!! so i contacted maxtor an they said send it back, sent it in waited two weeks an when it finally arrived put it in did a fresh install of a brand new xp, and it is worse than ever. takes about 5-7 min to boot, then about 1-2 min to open anything, when windows do open they dont close properly (leave bits of themselves behind etc).

Is this still a hdd problem.

I know I havent explained very well, I apologize, but it is just acting very oddly. I use it for study, and at min am having to use my sons pc, (which he hates).
please help a beginner

thanx

msi k8m 800
nec dvdrw
1gb pc3200 ddr400
amd athalon 64 3400
200gb sata

 

Hi,
One area that would point to a HDD problem would be when starting a program or saving files to the drive. Maxtor doesn't seem to think there is a problem with the drive itself, but I would pull and reseat the cable connections (also at the motherboard). See if you can borrow another data cable to test.

Check memory (RAM) modules. Pull and reseat those. There will be instructions in the motherboard manual/User Guide, although it is relatively straight forward. There are memory diagnostics in my signature.

Go into the BIOS/Setup settings. Check the temperatures. The CPU should be running at less than 50*C at idle. Look for a setting Quick Boot (POST) and disable it, at least until you overcome the basic problems. Save on exit.

If there is an add-in graphics card, check the fan is spinning freely. In fact, check all the fans are spinning freely, including the Power Supply fan.

"leave bits of themselves behind" That may indicate a graphics problem. After installing Windows you need to install the chipset drivers then the graphics (display) adapter drivers. Windows installs basic drivers, but you need to install the manufacturer's drivers to run the hardware correctly. There may be a problem with drivers for the features of the graphics (card).

If you have updated to SP2 you may need to find more recent drivers for your hardware than were supplied originally.

Run the tests at www.pcpitstop.com. They may tell you the source of the problem.

Matt
Edit: Go through the power calculator here:
http://journeysystems.com/power_supply_calculator.php
Some systems are supplied with a PSU that is only powerful enough to run the basic hardware.

 

Thank you

Thank you for the advice, I will follow your advice and let u know how it goes. Thanx again.