HDD won't turn on

[BARRACK]

For some reason,my computer is not working properly. Few weeks ago my computer started to not recognized my HDD. I tried
my WINME start disk,turning on and of,desconnected and reconnected HHD harnnes until started to work againg. But, I have a spare HDD for same computer(backup and not connected) and tried with same result. when I tried to shut it down or restart,it didn't respond.Have to turned of from surge protector switch.I hit the HDD with my hand couple of time and worked once. Later I found an older HDD for same computer but didn't work. Fan turns,CD-Rom works Ok. Is my motherboard bad,
power supply(even fan and cd-rom works) or I got a Virus? I have Ontrack System 4.0 updated for virus last night and did a Deep Virus Scan and found no virus. Any help? Thanks.
INTEL 815E ;HDD are WD 20 GB. 2.5 yrs old

[Markoman01027]

Hello Barrick,

Go to Western Digital's website and download the Hard Drive Diagnostic utility and run a test on the drive to make sure it is OK. It sounds like the drive is going bad. I doubt it is the motherboard, because it runs everything else fine.

Have you tried putting the HD on another IDE channel just for the hell of it to see if it would detect?

[You are experiencing what my friend kinda is experiencing. Everything detects on his PC, but his new Western Digital drive that he got. It could be the motherboard.]

[BARRACK]

The thing is the HDD is not powering up. Is dead,no power. It worked today for few minutes.once activity stopped,the computer became idle and not responding. And only one cd-rom turn on whe power is applied. Thanks.

[Cricket]

Have you tried different power connectors from the power supply to the hard drive?

:) Cricket

[georgesltd56]

adios

[BARRACK]

yes, Itried different terminals and IDE channel.and I have a copy of WD diagnostic tool but FDD does not respond. and to george,thanks,but your help is not need it here at this moment.
Thanks.

[BARRACK]

I connected both HDD to my other and works fine(turned on),but one is making a weird sound. maybe I banged too hard when trying to make it word. I'll check volts on Pwr Supply.

[mike breck]

So you've tried both HDDs in another PC and both are working?

I would still run the diagnostics on both drives to give them a clean bill of health.

Try a different IDE cable and PSU in the suspect PC.

Double-check that you can get into CMOS Setup and that the IDE controllers are enabled.

Does the BIOS detect any of the devices? Does the BIOS appear OK?

Try removing the Ram and booting up. Do you get healthy missing Ram beeps?

If possible, try the online anti-virus for a second opinion

http://housecall.antivirus.com/

HTH

[BARRACK]

The problem is; no power,no lights,no rpms when idle cable is connected , but turned on only when pwr cord is connected to HDD. I can't perform no diagnostic in my computer or you mean to do it on another computer?Thanks.

[minsonngo]

You may want to replace the ide cable then. The cable may have gone bad or it is not installed correctly. The hard drive that is making a weird sound probably means that it will fail soon. So you should back up any important data you have on that hard drive. If the ide cable is not the problem then you may need to consider the IDE controller as the fault. But replace the cable before you do anything and see if that helps.

[mike breck]

Yes,

If possible, hook the drive up to another PC and run the diagnostics from a floppy.

Any beeps from the mobo when you remove the Ram?

Also, try clearing the CMOS.

Could also be the PSU in the suspect PC is not supplying juice to the IDE devices. Try swopping the PSU from the other PC and see what happens.

[BARRACK]

I replaced ide cable and put the HDD in my working computer and worked fine. started in safe mode,everything ok. Put HDD of working computer and didn't powered up. I believe HDD and PWR Supply is good.

The problem: when HDD is connected with IDE cable,HDD won't power up,no RPM. IDE cable disconnected,HDD strat to run normal.

[Cricket]

Originally posted by BARRACK
I replaced ide cable and put the HDD in my working computer and worked fine. started in safe mode,everything ok. Put HDD of working computer and didn't powered up. I believe HDD and PWR Supply is good.

The problem: when HDD is connected with IDE cable,HDD won't power up,no RPM. IDE cable disconnected,HDD strat to run normal. Is the IDE cable good? Is it installed correctly (red stripe to pin 1 on motherboard and drive)? Have you replaced the IDE cable?

Are you getting any error message at startup about the IDE controller?

:) Cricket

[mike breck]

I still think you should run the WD diagnostics on the HDs when they are in the working PC. This will tell us positively that HDs are OK.

As Cricket says, make sure you've got the cable PIN 1 to PIN 1. Also make sure there are bent or slightly misaligned pins on the HDs.

If you've tried a known, working IDE cable and that doesn't work, then you should try swopping in the other PSU.

If that doesn't work, then I would think, as the guys have already suggested, the mobo is faulty. Especially when the FDD is not responding either.

[BARRACK]

The first thing I did when checking HDD in the working computer was using the same ide cable and worked fine.But I used a new
(sealed bag)cable. That computer does not work,HDD is not powering up. there is no way for me to perform any kind of diagnostic on that computer. I have another motherboard and may replace it. Can Intel replace this mobo? is only 19 months old.Thanks.

[glc]

Have you tried a different power supply yet? That's more likely than the motherboard.

[BARRACK]

Itried a new PWR Supply. I'm replacing motherboard this afternoon.Thanks.

[glc]

If you can't get a new mobo on warranty, you could try disabling the ide controllers and use a Promise card. Just a thought.

[_-=GODSPEED=-_]

try putting your hardrive on other computers. if it works, then your motherboard is in danger. have you tried it already???

[BARRACK]

glc,I thought about that too. but the sound too is bad(does not work) in this mobo. Thanks.

[BARRACK]

replaced mobo. still same problem..

[BARRACK]

I'm going to try everything on a different case.