Any Computer Gurus?

[donpisto 5,000+ posts]

I'll try to keep this one short. Basically, I have been transferring files from one of my hard drives to an external hard drive (I have two externals). I hooked up the second external and all the files and whatnot showed up. I turned it off and swapped it for another hard drive (case was removed for easy access).

I put the one I had used previously back in and now nothing happens. I hooked it up to my computer as a master and it says the drive failed to start, which is also what I got in the Device Manager when it was hooked up as an external.

Is there any way I can get at least the data somehow? If not, how can I get the drive to work, whether or not I lose all the data?

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[snoopdan 5,000+ posts]

um, sounds like its trying to boot off of a drive without an operating system.

 

[TurdFergueson2 5,000+ posts]

Have you changed anything else? I would try making the CD drive master and the hard drive cable select. Also make sure you hooked the power back up. And ensure that the cable is properly seated on the board.

I doubt if you F'd it up with static. at worse you pulled it out too early. It still spins even after you turn it off. But try the master/cable select thing.

 

[donpisto 5,000+ posts]

um, sounds like its trying to boot off of a drive without an operating system.

I inserted a Windows CD in so that it allows for installation, same thing I always do after writing zero's to a hard drive.

 

[snoopdan 5,000+ posts]

wait wait wait. so your goal is to re-install windows on your drive? you didnt mention that at all in your first post.

so the drive your wanting to install windows on is a USB drive right?

 

[donpisto 5,000+ posts]

Have you changed anything else? I would try making the CD drive master and the hard drive cable select. Also make sure you hooked the power back up. And ensure that the cable is properly seated on the board.
I doubt if you F'd it up with static. at worse you pulled it out too early. It still spins even after you turn it off. But try the master/cable select thing.

I haven't changed anything. As for the CD drive being set to master, do you mean my booting options, as in have the CD be the first booting device? If so, CD is the 1st boot device. If that's not what you mean, could you please elaborate?

I think I may have pulled it out too early though, I was in a bit of a rush. The driver starts up and spins fine it seems, it doesn't click.

 

[donpisto 5,000+ posts]

wait wait wait. so your goal is to re-install windows on your drive? you didnt mention that at all in your first post.
so the drive your wanting to install windows on is a USB drive right?

Well, ultimately in the end I am wanting to use this drive as the primary drive and load an OS on it. I still have data on it and want to see if I can recover it. Currently Windows is on another drive, which works just fine. I just want to use the other drive since it has more storage space as my primary.

 

[donpisto 5,000+ posts]

Actually, come to think of it, the disc I used may not be bootable. I coulddn't find my original XP Home cd so I used a customized Pro edition, maybe it's not bootable because shouldn't the setup run even if the hard drive is not working since the CD dive is set as my primary boot option?

 

[95BlackGA 5,000+ posts]

I inserted a Windows CD in so that it allows for installation, same thing I always do after writing zero's to a hard drive.

Well, ultimately in the end I am wanting to use this drive as the primary drive and load an OS on it. I still have data on it and want to see if I can recover it. Currently Windows is on another drive, which works just fine. I just want to use the other drive since it has more storage space as my primary.

If you wrote the drive with Zeros, you have no data on it, or am I misunderstanding?

Actually, come to think of it, the disc I used may not be bootable. I coulddn't find my original XP Home cd so I used a customized Pro edition, maybe it's not bootable because shouldn't the setup run even if the hard drive is not working since the CD dive is set as my primary boot option?

EDIT : Yes, the Windows Setup will run, if the CD is infact a bootable ISO.

If you're wanting to access the drive, just for files (to recover them.) set it as a slave and the OS drive to master. It'll boot up, and should automatically assign a drive letter.

 

[TurdFergueson2 5,000+ posts]

I haven't changed anything. As for the CD drive being set to master, do you mean my booting options, as in have the CD be the first booting device? If so, CD is the 1st boot device. If that's not what you mean, could you please elaborate?
I think I may have pulled it out too early though, I was in a bit of a rush. The driver starts up and spins fine it seems, it doesn't click.

No you have to change the jumper on the back. It's a little plastic thing on the back.

 

[donpisto 5,000+ posts]

If you wrote the drive with Zeros, you have no data on it, or am I misunderstanding?


If you're wanting to access the drive, just for files (to recover them.) set it as a slave and the OS drive to master. It'll boot up, and should automatically assign a drive letter.

This drive does not have zero's written to it, but later on I will once and if I am able to recover the files.

Here's the weird thing. My current primary drive, not this one, is setup into 3 partitions. I have tried hooking up several different hard drives and for some odd reason the secondary drives don't show up, even though I have the jumper settings in the proper locations on both drives..

Right now, all I want to do is to be able to get my data back and onto an external HD. If I'm unable to, I'll have to deal with the loss. Either way, I still want to make the drive functionable, whether I use it as a primary drive, slave drive, or hook it up in the case of my external unit. I don't want to be assed out with a dead drive and no data.

 

[Speedbump3]

Any Computer Gurus?

Yes

 

[donpisto 5,000+ posts]

No you have to change the jumper on the back. It's a little plastic thing on the back.

Gotcha. I'll go ahead and try that out when I get home

 

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

I highly doubt you will have to change the jumper, thats only if you have multiple cd drives on that. If he had a Hard drive connected and it worked fine before, there is no reason why it wouldn't work now.

 

[_DjScrew_ 5,000+ posts]

I highly doubt you will have to change the jumper, thats only if you have multiple cd drives on that. If he had a Hard drive connected and it worked fine before, there is no reason why it wouldn't work now.

agreed.

If I was you, I'd pull the drive and throw it into an external enclosure and put it in another machine. You could also you knoppix or another live distro so you can see what data is on the drive and copy it over to usb. Here is a list of live distros: http://www.frozentech.com/content/livecd.php