[Novaprospekt]

Hey guys,

Today after noticing I was running low in my main hard-drive's disk space, I connected the SATA cable to my storage drive which was sitting 'inactive' inside my case for the past few months.

I transferred some of my big chunks of files like DVD's, Beatles collection of music (2gigs worth), and ISOs.

Later, I opened iTunes and tried to play one of the Beatles songs and needed to redirect iTunes to the updated file location. As soon as I clicked where it was, Windows completely locked up (no hard drive accessing noise or anything, just a hard-lock) and I reset.

Then the computer began to hard-lock at the ASUS logo BIOS screen and after loading my main harddrive's RAID array. Sometimes, if I didn't lock, I'd get to a point where it says Disk read error, press ctrl+alt+del to continue and the cycle would repeat.

When I disconnected the SATA cable from the storage drive, everything works fine and I get back into Windows XP. I reconnected it again and got to the disk read error (and d/c'd to get back to post this here).

So finally, my question... Is the hard drive failing or has it already failed and should I not attempt to recover my files? I was afraid that I lost everything from the initial restart but after discovering that it's isolated to a few files that may be lost, I'm grateful.

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If possible try running check disk on it.

Instructions for check disk:
My computer > right click aflicted drive > Properties > Tools > Error-Checking > Click "Check now", then check the 2 boxes.
It might or might not need you to restart.

If it does, go ahead and restart. It will scan the drive before you're able to log in. Beware, this may take a while depending on the size of hard drive.

If not let it scan, again this may take a while.

Also make sure that the volume is NTFS. Single click on the aflicted drive > look to the left in the window, under "Details" it should say "File System: NTFS", if it doesn't. You might want to format it.

BEWARE FORMATING REMOVES ALL DATA FROM DISK! (you can recover it but it is a PAIN! and will most likely cost you money).
To format:
Right click afflicted drive > Format > Make sure NTFS is selected under file system, then click start.


Hope this helps!

Edited by Dryfter, 02 April 2007 - 08:29 AM.

[Dryfter]

If possible try running check disk on it.

Instructions for check disk:
My computer > right click aflicted drive > Properties > Tools > Error-Checking > Click "Check now", then check the 2 boxes.
It might or might not need you to restart.

If it does, go ahead and restart. It will scan the drive before you're able to log in. Beware, this may take a while depending on the size of hard drive.

If not let it scan, again this may take a while.

Also make sure that the volume is NTFS. Single click on the aflicted drive > look to the left in the window, under "Details" it should say "File System: NTFS", if it doesn't. You might want to format it.

BEWARE FORMATING REMOVES ALL DATA FROM DISK! (you can recover it but it is a PAIN! and will most likely cost you money).
To format:
Right click afflicted drive > Format > Make sure NTFS is selected under file system, then click start.


Hope this helps!

Edited by Dryfter, 02 April 2007 - 08:29 AM.

[Novaprospekt]

Hey Dryfter,

I would do that but I don't think I can get the computer to even boot with the afflicted drive connected. If I manage to get past the RAID (other harddrives), and BIOS load screens, the system just hangs with a blinking "-" and eventually says disk read error.

And if I try to connect the SATA cable while in windows (I know, not a good idea) the hard drive isn't recognized -- figures it isn't plug n' play.

Is there a way to disable the initiation of the afflicted drive in the boot process, to somehow get Windows to start without the afflicted drive's "cooperation?"

Also, the drive format is NTFS -- FAT32 is for teh lose.

Thanks for the help.

[ChrisWright]

Hey,

This sounds worryingly similar to a problem I encountered when I added a 2nd SATA drive to my PC, and decided maybe I should drop in when I noticed you said you were running on an ASUS mobo.

Please may I ask, are you able to give a specific model number?


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I have had very similar problems, as I said, whilst trying to run 2 drives on my Asus A8V-Deluxe board. It took a bit of tweaking, setting up two seperate RAID arrays (both 1+0), to actually get the PC to recognise the drives.

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I do not wish to sound like I'm "talking down" to you, because this is a technical weakpoint for me too, but was wondering- tried connecting the drives in different combinations of SATA sockets on your motherboard?

[Novaprospekt]

Hey Chris,

Sure, the model number for the ASUS is P4C800-E Deluxe Edition.

To clarify my drive configuration, I have two Western Digital Raptors 74.4GB 10k RPM in RAID 0 SATA. I also have a [now problematic] 80 GB WD Raptor 7200 RPM in a non-RAID SATA interface.

When I first built the rig, the (3) drive configuration worked fine, but after several formats and SATA cable disconnects (for various reasons) I'm now having the problems getting it to boot and stay stable once in Windows.

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No I haven't tried connecting to a different SATA port. However I only have 1 other non-raid SATA port to try. And don't worry about sounding condescending, any help is great help and I specified before that hardware wasn't my strong point so it's all good.

I will try the other SATA port after you decide whether or not it's a motherboard issue since I don't want to go into the wiring if I don't have to.

[Novaprospekt]

This is interesting... I'm trying to remember if I ever deleted the SuSE Linux install I had on that 80GB storage drive...maybe that's why it's locking (not that that drive boots first in the sequence anyway).

If that helps the situation let me know, also include how to format that drive because I don't know how to format outside of a Windows Install.