Power outage outed my ex. HD - malfunction error

Greetings all,

I'm trying to be calm, as I have an external Rock Mobile Disk where I have put everything plus more into it as my C: Harddrive was getting too full, and this was a cheaper solution than getting a new PC, as I love my PC. Granted it could be faster and the internal harddrive could be bigger, but it has worked always wonderful for me and 2009 was the year I was going to finally get a new computer and then take this one down to my classroom for my students to use.

With the storms that have been passing through lately, we lost power for about 30 hours on Monday resuming Tuesday afternoon. My external drive was considered my L Drive, and for some reason it would not register ... there was just a question mark by it.

I have now fiddled with this for the past few days, and when it loads it says the the USB device has malfunctioned and Windows may not be able to read it ... which this has been the case. It comes up as un unknown device, and the green light that usually is on fluctuates to a red, but then back to green.

All of my other USB ports seem to be working just fine.

I tried installing the device on my mom's laptop, but the same error message comes up and windows (I have windows XP service pack 2 Home Edition)
does not even register the external HD as it used to. This disk has run great, oh maybe for the last 14 months. I rarely turn off my computer but when windows decides to reboot to complete updates, I have never had a problem.

There are so many needed files on that drive and all my research for a Master's project I'm working on .... hours and hours ... days ... months really of work.

I've been reading about others possibly in a similar bind ... should I put in a boot disk to see if it can pick up the external unknow device? Will this harm my good harddrive by doing so ... I've brought back my father's laptop when it crashed due to nvidia not upgrading it's graphics driver or one of those companies, since his computer was now about 5 years old and when Windows did an update, his system couldn't handle it - I saved all his data which I was pretty proud of ... so I am able to troubleshoot -- but if I can salvage this external harddrive, I'd be ever grateful ... and then maybe just get a new external drive(?).

What do you suggest? Many thanks.

 

Thanks Arie, Thanks Steve ... I thought that drive was my back-up ... and then some.

With drives getting into the hundreds of gigabytes how do you suggest backing up ? Just get a multitude of dvd's ?

So ... you have given me an idea. After my dad's laptop crashed, and after I was successful in bringing everything back up ... he did something to the computer and couldn't figure out what he did so he had a buddy of his reformat his small 20GB drive unbeknownst to him in the wrong operating system ... Needless to say when he couldn't get anything to work after that he brought the puter back to me, and I was not very happy. We went out and got him a new laptop that day. So, I'm wondering if I put this drive into his old laptop, if it would work?

Let me see what I can do ... I'm totally bummed. Aarrgh.

I don't really have the time for this right now ...

Merry Christmas.

 

Backup drives should only be used to make backups. Your "and then some" implies different

No, I agree it's not practical using DVD's for complete backups, but your data is likely to be a lot smaller.

My advice, buy a second external drive and do a backup of your main drive every month or so (more often if it's crucial you need to get back up and running quickly) or after a major change/instalation.

For your documents, DVD's should convenient enough for daily/weekly/incremental backups.

That would depend on the laptop and hard drive, can you easily remove the disk from the cable and supply Make/Model of both HD and laptop?

 

You guys are awesome ... Ok ... I'm understanding ... backup ... backup ... backup!
Will do defininitely now in the future. So, no more rock drive. And yes, the rock is a 3 1/2" drive, and obviously no OS, so that is a no go in the old laptop.

I'm a great software figureouterer ... I'm good at cleaning things up ... getting rid of bugs, but that is more commandish versus hardwareish. So Pete, you say you have 4 HD's installed in your puter ... wow! Well, this puter will become the play computer after January 15th ... ( payday is Jan 9th and a new tower is in order! : ) ) And for all the programs and stuff I have inside ... I actually do have some on DVD, but golly boo hoo I transferred most things independently having only 1 copy on the L drive to save space.

The puter I have now is a Compaq Presario AMD Athlon(tm)XP 3000+ 2.16GHz, 960 MB of RAM

So are you saying I can install this HD in addition to the main one there and possibly it will work fine (as a slave drive) ? If the data there is not completely frizzled?

I've only installed RAM and have never ventured beyond, besides cleaning out some of the dustbunnies. Do I need to go out and buy an extra hookup cable. I don't really want to do anything yet to this puter as if I frazzle this HD then I'll really be up a creek. I've never been afraid of getting my hands dirty, and that's why I love boards like this and ebooks because it can give pictures on how to do, etc, etc. but sometimes when it's the unknown I don't want to go messing something up unintentionally. I know I am capable ... like I was truly proud of myself when I restored his data from the blue screen of death ...

So let me search slave drive how to ... and I'll get back in touch in a few days. I'll be busy tonight and tomorrow, but perhaps Monday I'll begin the surgery.

You guys are truly awesome. Thank you for you expertise and thoughts and advice.

~ Darling DD aka Dana

 

Dana,

Can you remove the drive from the Rock Casing, and supply make/model # of the hard drive inside?

As Pete said,

If the BIOS in your Compaq recognises the drive then things are looking good. That's a big if though but definately worth a try.

If you've installed RAM without a problem then installing a second Hard Drive won't be that difficult for you. Regarding the extra cable, that does depend on your current setup. Once you supply the drive model I'll be in a better position to comment. Also if you can provide details of the internal drives (hard and optical) that's already installed in the Compaq? ie Current master/slave settings no need for model number of those.

 

Hi Wildfire,

I'll probably be up late fiddling with this and then of course I'll be off line from this puter. I've not opened up my box as of yet ... but I did take the casing off from the Rock Mobile Disk. I've unplugged the drive that was inside from the power source so I could remove that case. I don't think I need to remove anything more from the harddrive casing ... it says warranty void if removed stickers on the side and of course on the main front with all the specs:

250.0GB Magnetic Data Technologies
Drive Parameters:
7200 RPM
ATA 300
8MB BUF
5VDC
12VDC

Model: MD02500-BJDW-RO
Date: 29 Aug 2007
DID: JS00PdB02500

Then it goes on with a picture that above the picture reads:

MasterSave jumper not required for SATA.
Jumpered pins 1 and 2 enable SSC (Spread Spectrum Clocking)
Jumpered pins 5 and 6 enable SATA 150 Mb/s only operation
------------------------------------------------------
P15 P1 S7 S1 7 <5> 3 1
--------------- --------------- 8 <6> 4 2 oooo
------------------------------------------------------
SATA Power Serial Data Factory Legacy Power
Jumper
Settings

<> means where the white plastic cap sits on what pins

When I turn the drive over for the factory jumper settings this is what it states on the green panel:
Pins 1 and 2 SSC
Pins 3 and 4 PW2
Pins 5 and 6 OPT 1 <--- these are the ones jumpered SATA
Pins 7 and 8 OPT 2


In just a little bit, I'll open my box ... however, I need to run out to the post office and will be back online probably around 10pmish CA time.

Do I need to buy an extra cable to hook up this drive inside my computer?


Many thanks again ... I'm all hoping that perhaps this way I can get the drive back and then just use it as an internal drive and then I'll figure out the best way to back up the data ... I'll probably just get some rewritable DVD's ... this drive is all files and music.

I'm being very hopeful as if it was a power issue and if it didn't fry the heads of the drive then I can be up and running ... when I reconnect the external HD back inside the USB case and turn it on, it does absolutely nothing ... although the green light stays on versus fluctuating red/green. So perhaps this is a good thing?

However, Wildfire ... just looking at some of the tutorials on how to slave a drive seems pretty daunting. People's responses are very positive, but I hope I can stay away from my main drive and not have to fiddle with that just in case something goes wrong and then I'll be out completely of my puter ...

Also, do I need to change the white plastic box of the jumpered pins ... this drive doesn't state SLAVE.

Dana

PSS ... The underside black plastic under the green board states Western Digital.

 

The diagram didn't format as I had it ... so sorry hope it is understandable

P15---------P1 SATA POWER
S7-----S1 Serial Data
7 <5> 3 1
8 <6> 4 2 Factory Jumper Settings (White plastic casing over pins 5&6)
oooo Legacy Power

Dana

 

Hey Wildfire ...

Allright ... I opened my box ... not as daunting as I thought. Actually whoever made this computer made it quite easy. The Master cable is split and has a SLAVE cable printed right on it. I then found the 4 prong P4 plug that I assume goes into the legacy power source.

However, I still have a problem. The slave drive cable is a 39 prong female plug of which the external harddrive I have does not have the male slots to fit. It just has the flat board prongs (15 of varied size, a gap and then 7 more also of varied size) that slips into the power source green board of which i now have pulled out of the casing and disconnected.

Looks something like this:

I had to do it in horizontal view ... sorry

--
--
---
---
--
---
--
--
---
---
---
---
---
--
--
gap
---
--
--
---
--
--
---

What to do now? Can I get an adapter? Can I stick the P4 power cable into the male 4 prong slot and then use the USB cable as the connection to the computer (if I slide the green board back into the hard drive slots?) since I cannot seem to connect to the slave cable?

Any new suggestions? Thanks.

 

The cable you are looking at inside your case is a 40 pin IDE or Parallel Cable and is not compatable with your Serial ATA Hard Drive. The little white 4 pin connectors are called molex connectors and they are for powering various drives/devices. They have a red, yellow and two black wires. Now, some Western Digital SATA Hard Drives will accept Molex connectors, others will not. I am including a Wikipedia Link so you can read up on standard SATA connectors (both power and data cables). As you can see, these are quite different than your 40 pin IDE cable which also has that Slave tag on the intermediate connector.

If you have a SATA header on your motherboard, you may be able to test the drive once you have the necessary cables, however, there may be some changes required in your BIOS to enable an onboard SATA port and you will need drivers for the SATA controller unless you already have another SATA drive installed (same would apply to whether or not changes required in BIOS).

This may be a little overwhelming to you, yet maybe it isn't. If you are not comfortable with this, take your drive down to a small repair shop and have them check it out. If you want to proceed on your own and have a SATA header on your motherboard, post back for more detail.



Two SATA Headers

 

Dana,

I'll leave this to Rockster now, follow his advice and you won't go wrong.

I will point out if you don't have a SATA controller onboard you can buy one (either internal or external). Whether this investment is worth making just to test a faulty (probably dead IMHO) drive would be your decision, but SATA drives are better than PATA so buying a controller with a view of future expansion is worth considering.

 

Hey Rockster, Wildfire ~
Again, many thanks ... I'm always amazed at the depth I've ventured into of learning the computer -- sometimes more than necessary, but always valuable. I'm a nerd/geek at heart! LOL

Alrightty, I'll make a few more inquiries ... figuring out this SATA stuff ... I have to admit that I'm bummed ... why can't things ever be easy?!

If I have any news ... I'll post, but for the time being, I want to say again THANK YOU TO ALL who have pondered my dilemma ... thank you.

Happiest of times, staying healthy and safe during this time of Holiday cheer ...
Merry Christmas to all and a Happy New Year!

With every good wish, ~ Dana aka DarlingDD

 

Dana,

Hope all goes well and please let us know how you get on.

A Merry Christmas/Holiday period to all, I'll be signing off for a couple of days soon but will look in on this thread to see how you're getting on.

Christmas is for families not silicon