A Stange Freeze-up Condition

Hi All,

The title requires some explanation, so here goes. My computer has two disks, a 100 GB disk as Disk 0 and a 80 GB disk as Disk 1 in a Master-Slave configuration. The slave disk is only for backup and has the same programs as the Master through cloning. When both have power connected, no problem. When I remove power to Disk 1, that is when the freeze-ups occur. When I interchange the two disks so that Disk 1 becomes the master, no problem. No problem when I operate D1, the 80 GB, with Disk 0 disconnected, no problem. By the freeze-up problem I mean that I have no control of the computer screen, neither the mouse nor keyboard function and I must use the power switch to shut the computer off.

Now the freeze-up can occur under a variety of conditions from the plain desk top, or using Firefox for web browsing, to defragging. There doesn't seem to be any particular condition that would institute the problem. Heat might cause the problem but sometimes the freeze-up happens right after the first boot of the day. Besides my system normally operates with a CPU at 32 degrees C and the motherboard at 37 degrees C as measured with the Asus Probe.

It would appear that the Disk 0, the 100 GB, is the problem source so that is where I have been attempting to find a solution. What I have done so far is to wipe that disk clean using zeros and reinstall WindowsXP SP3. (I had used the the same process on Disk 1 previously) In addition, I used CHKDSK /f /r several times. Then System File Checker /scannow several times. Any time I attempt to use Disk 0 alone the freeze-up happens. From what I have given above, is it time to send the Disk 0 to the junk heap or is there something that I might be missing?

 

What I would investigate is if Disk 1 is partitioned as an extended partition of Disk 0.

Disk Management is in Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management. The Help menu will give you some guidance if you need it. Check the properties of both.

Have you installed the chipset drivers for the motherboard? Be cautious if the motherboard has an nVidia chipset, nVidia recommend that you don't install the IDE drivers.

You could try running both HDDs' jumpers as Cable Select (CS). You will need to put the boot drive at the end of the cable to make it the master. Check the jumper settings carefully (look them up at the manufacturer's website), some drives have different settings for "Master with Slave" and "Master without Slave ".

Do you disconnect the data cable as well? Both cables need to be disconnected.

In the worst case situation you can get an external case and put the problem drive in that.

You can go to the HDD manufacturer's website and get their testing utilities, also, if I find problems with drives, I use the HDD manufacturer's setup utilities to partition and format them.

Matt

 

Hi mattman,

Once again I think you saved the day for me. For completeness let me answer some of your questions first.
Disk 1 is not an extended partition of Disk 0. Each can run independently of the other.
All the drivers have been installed separately.

Your next point about Cable Select was the clincher. Since both disks are Maxtors, I dragged out the MaxBlast 4 CD and followed the directions for the types of pin connections on the disks. The CD also gave the following:

So far, after about 12 hours running, I have yet to have a freeze-up and if the computer continues to be well-behaved, I'll consider this problem solved. My sincere thanks for your helpful support.