Topic: BIG problem

[daveeb]

Sorry for this long post, Wasntt even sure where to put it.

Win ME        
Primary Master (C:) Maxtor 40 GB,
Primary Slave (D:) Maxtor 60 GB
Norton AV 2001 (renewed)

Opened internet explorer last night, ok a few zone alarm requests then clunk, whirr sounded like a momentary HD power down.  PC froze.

On reboot got REG/CONFIG ERROR
Scandisk opened in what looked like safe mode but wouldnt run.

Reset

Ran Maxtor diagnostic bootup disc.  
C: OK
D: Failed smart self test.  Error Code 663S57
Power DPS repaired errors succesfully.

Rebooted.  
Error message for D: Drive   S.M.A.R.T capable but failed.
 S.M.A.R.T status BAD backup and replace.

Reset

Ran Norton emergency rescue (floppy disc and zip disc)
Managed to open windows (very slowly).  Copied some important files from D: to C:
Couldnt seem to access internet although browser opened.

Disconnected D: drive

Reboot

Same message regarding reg/config error
Scandisc runsno problems
New Hardware found, but then cannot locate drivers (only looks on A:)
Locks up on white screen.

So I seem to have two problems.  Slave drive has problem with SMART whatever that is and windows wont load from master drive either.  ANY suggestions would be very helpful (especially before 4 pm as Im off home then and cant read them)
 :'(

[Mustapha Phagg]

daveeb: you should be able to disable S.M.A.R.T from the bios. If that does not work then disconect drive D: so you are only left with C: and try and reboot. If re boot is successful then looks like you will have to do a complete format of drive D: and hope it springs back to life.

Failing the first set of options the only other recourse is to bite the bullet and do a complete trashing of both drives, losing all your valuable work, unless by some miracle you aready have a backup on cd-rom. Then do a complete re-install of everything.

Naturally let's hope one of the guys out there with more knowledge than me on the subject can come up with a simpler and less destructive method of solving your problem.

[Adept]

Hi daveeb, sorry to hear you're having problems.

The SMART system is supposed to be an early warning system for hard drive failure. It looks like this one caught it by surprise. It looks like your slave drive has failed It's possible that a re-format may solve the problem, seeing as the Maxtor utility says it fixed the error successfully. You may find this Maxtor document useful.

I'm not really sure what is wrong to stop your PC booting. Does your machine see the CD-ROM drive at all? If this is missing it may inticate a virus infection.

[daveeb]

as i can get into windows with the norton rescue discs, maybe i could do a system restore (prior the crash) to try to solve the booting up problem.

as for the slave drive,  :'( :'(

[Sandra]

Sorry that this may be a bit late to help.I have only just managed to get back on line since 8pm yesterday  

A friend had a similar problem last weekend and I was told that if you let Scandisk try to do any repairs it often cant find certain essential files afterwards  
In fact in every case that another friend had let Scandisk repair it ,it had necessitated a full reinstall of the OS to start working correctly  :'(

Not sure if Scandisk did any repairs as you state that it didnt run,so this is really a warning to others  

[daveeb]

hi all, got it up and running with SCANREG.
thank god i had a bootup disc. still got the S.M.A.R.T problem with the slave drive so i'm now going to reconnect this drive (gulp) to see if i can break it further.

thanks for help peeps.

[Simon]

I was told that if you let Scandisk try to do any repairs it often cant find certain essential files afterwards    In fact in every case that another friend had let Scandisk repair it ,it had necessitated a full reinstall of the OS to start working correctly  :'(

That also happened to me on my old Win98 PC.  Did a SCANDISK, it said some files needed repairing, so said OK, and that was that.  Couldn't get back into Windows at all afterwards.  Turns out the user.exe had been corrupted.  Full reinstall was required, but fortunately nothing was lost, as a friend managed to reinstall W98 over the top.

Moral: DON'T LET SCANDISC REPAIR FILES!!  

[Sandra]

Scandisk is ok to run Simon,just dont let it repair any errors that it finds.If you tell it not to ,it gives another option ( the name escapes me at the moment,help Adept   ),it was something like UBON  

[daveeb]

well i've reconnected the slave drive and it all boots however i still get the ominous message

"S.M.A.R.T capable but failed,S.M.A.R.T status bad, backup and replace."

anyone know what this means, presumably drive is up the creek. its the replacement of an ibm drive that went to meet its maker in june so its only lasted 5 months.

who'd own a pc.

 :'(

[Sandra]

Hi Dave,I found a link to this off the URL that Adept put up earlier :

Self Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology (or S.M.A.R.T.) is a technology that enables a PC to in some cases predict the future failure of storage devices (like hard disk drives).

This SMART technology is present in your drive, but by default is set to disabled on your drive. For making use of the S.M.A.R.T. feature you would require a software (or BIOS) that enables and monitors the S.M.A.R.T status of your hard drive, and an operating system that supports the S.M.A.R.T feature i.e. Windows 95 or higher. Some BIOS contain this software, otherwise EZ-SMART from StorageSoft is an example of a utility that can enable and monitor the SMART status of your drive too (only available for Windows 98 and Windows NT).

Thus the message

"S.M.A.R.T. Capable but Disabled"

means just that - the drive supports the feature, but it isn't enabled / supported by the BIOS or other software.

A S.M.A.R.T. status check is included in the Quick Test of our Maxtor Diagnostics software which can be found on our Product Support Download Page. This will allow you to monitor the current health of your drive, and attempt to predict a future drive failure.

If you have a Compaq PC and have just added a new Maxtor drive to it you may receive a S.M.A.R.T. error message which says "1720 error" or similar. This does not actually indicate an error on the hard drive and Compaq have released drivers to correct this problem.


Hope this helps a little  

[Sandra]

I see that you gave detaled info of your system earlier but missed out make of PC and CPU/Mobo (if known).I was just wondering if it needs the ide drivers reinstalling or updating as it apears that they have a known problem with COMPAQ,maybe yours is an as yet unknown one  

[Adept]

"S.M.A.R.T capable but failed,S.M.A.R.T status bad, backup and replace."

anyone know what this means, presumably drive is up the creek. its the replacement of an ibm drive that went to meet its maker in june so its only lasted 5 months.

I think you've killed it Daveeb Did you try the low level format? If it doesn't work after this take it back to the shop.

Oh and be very very careful to format the correct drive

[daveeb]

i havent tried the low level format adept. i'm going to get that bastion of customer care **** plc to take it away and send me (yet) another one.  

thanks for ideas as well sandra, the smart is enabled but unfortunately its also failed.
 :-[

[daveeb]

sorry i missed half of your post sandra, its a pentium3 1ghz, mobo via/133, and not a compaq.  

[Sandra]

There have been problems with VIA over recent months and they have a 4 in 1 driver update on their site.I am not sure if this will help but may save losing some stuff if it cures the problem  

http://www.via.com/external/resources.htm

I think this link should do it but as would happen it is off line at the moment