[zortar77]

Hello everyone,
My problem is this:
Yesterday while I was working on my pc, the computer jammed and i restarted, only to restart with It didn’t load windows but, showed a blank screen with the message

PXE-E61 - Media Test Failure, check cable
PXE-MOF: Exiting Intel Boot Agent.

Naturally I panicked. I restarted but still the same. Please note that I have two hard drives (SATA): One (200 GB Seagate) with the OS (WINXP) and the other for my files (500GB Seagate). I did some research on the Internet and assumed that either the HD are faulty or fried or that this might be a boot problem in the bios (boot sequence). So I checked the bios and would not recognize the hard drives (The order was floppy, DVD, Harddrive, then Network). I played around with the sequence but still nothing. I then thought that it might be a cable problem. I switched the SATA cables, I even replaced them with new ones. I then proceeded with the power cables. Nothing. I then attempted to check the Hard drives by themselves. I left the OS HDrive and it booted all ok. I then placed the second hardrive and would not recognize it. I assumed that there might be a problem with the second Harddrive. I attempted to placed them both again, but again it would not recognize either. I them checked the second Harddrive on another computer, and again it would not recognize it, but it would recognize the OS Harddrive of the other computer.

Is there a possibility that the OS of my 1st Harddrive faulty and it may be causing a problem? If so then why doesn’t the second hardrive get recognized on the other computer? So I connected my second Hardrive with a Sata USB connection. I heard it spinning! but would recognize the USB but said UNKNOWN Device. I tried to use HDD Regenerator but would not find the second Harddrive.

I thought of using the freezing trick, but I am too afraid to do so, scared of what happens after.

My Work of THREE long years is on that drive and I am very disappointed and confused.

Any suggestions please?

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hi, I suppose ur harddrive is dead. Its very rear but bad luck for you. If its not detected then we can do nothing.

sorry

[baula]

hi, I suppose ur harddrive is dead. Its very rear but bad luck for you. If its not detected then we can do nothing.

sorry

[baula]

hi, I suppose ur harddrive is dead. Its very rear but bad luck for you. If its not detected then we can do nothing.

sorry

[baula]

hi, I suppose ur harddrive is dead. Its very rear but bad luck for you. If its not detected then we can do nothing.

sorry

[baula]

hi, I suppose ur harddrive is dead. Its very rear but bad luck for you. If its not detected then we can do nothing.

sorry

[baula]

hi, I suppose ur harddrive is dead. Its very rear but bad luck for you. If its not detected then we can do nothing.

sorry

[zortar77]

Thanks for your reply.

any other suggestions?

[dji]

Don't panic.

Check first this: if your 500GB drive is SATA2 and your board support only SATA then jumper on that disk must be at position for 1.5 Gb/s transfer (not 3GB/s). Check it and ensure it is tight enough for proper contacts.
Try disk as you are already did.
If it doesn't work then:

1. Make system works with your single OS drive! (means you can boot OS)
(go to Segate site and find information about your HD: number of sectors, cylinders, heads, etc. maybe you'll need it later)
2. restart computer and enter in BIOS
3. find exact place in BIOS where you can read the full name of your system drive and remember that place
4. exit BIOS and turn off computer
5. disconnect SATA cable from your system drive and connect it to your 500GB drive
6. Remove SATA power connector from your system drive and connect it to your 500GB
7. Turn on comp and enter the BIOS
8. Go to place you remembered and look does the BIOS report the name of the hard drive

At that point you can see just None OR lot of messed characters without meanings (same thing if you see lot of spaces) OR Name of your hard drive
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If you saw NONE, HD is dead but that means electronic part of drive is dead and mechanics of your hard is probably fine.
In that case if you need data from it you'll need to find exact the same model of Hard Drive and just replace electronics from new drive to old. Or if you know someone has the same model you can temporary take electronics just to read and backup data from your drive to some new drive.
Changing electronic is trivial job. You'll need just special screwdriver. Do not try it with standard screwdriver because you will destroy screws! Be careful when disconnecting "folia-cable" from electronic board. Folia-Cable is usually stick in plastic connector (some of those connectors must be opened first to allow folia-cable goes out)
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_______________________

If you saw a lot of messed characters (or just blank line) then something is wrong with ROM (EEPROM or FLASH) on your HD or with SATA communication chip on HD.
To check to see what exactly is the problem:
1. Disable S.M.A.R.T in BIOS if it is enabled
2. Then try to select that disk (select that line of messed characters or blank line) and press enter to change mode from AUTO to USER DEFINED. AUTO data detection will not be possible if ROM is dead
3. Change mode to USER DEFINED
4. enter data manually (data you are found on the web or from friend with the same disk)
5. exit BIOS saving changes, system will restart

If it pass POST and report something like there is no bootable record then everything is fine with SATA controller on HD only ROM is dead. Turn off computer, connect both drives, in BIOS set your OS drive bootable, for "messed or blank drive" set USER DEFINED parameters like you already did, save BIOS settings and restart.
After Windows start backup your disk data.
If system doesn't boot then you still have chance to replace electronics board on HD
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__________________________

And finally if you saw the name of your HD it means some part of HD electronics is dead probably part for mechanic control OR mechanic itself is dead.
Now, the only way to check does mechanic is ok is to replace electronic board. If disk wont work after that then mechanics is definitely dead.
________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________

If you have valuable data on disk there are other ways (you can not do that at home) to backup them

[zortar77]

thanks for your reply. Will start immediately. I let you know how it goes.

[dji]

If your data is not valuable enough to spend thousand dollars (or more) and if you didn't success on previous methods then you can do advanced methods:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAUtv6kOCGE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xdboKrOllE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MydSI4Jv2EI