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Crash & Disk Boot Failure, Hard Drive unrecognised...

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zoroaster

zoroaster

Programmer
Jun 10, 2003
131
GB
I can't be sure this is a hardware issue, but having reformatted C: drive and reloaded windows with no effect, this is what I suspect.

The problem is that after a short period of system run-time, the PC attempts to reboot, no warning, nothing, same as if I'd hit the 'reset' button. Then reboot fails: 'Disk boot failure, insert boot disk and hit enter'. In the bios the Primary Master and Slave says 'None' with 0Mb Capacity. If I remove the IDE ribbon and power supply to the Hard drive, turn the PC on, let it fail to boot, reconnect the IDE and power supply to the Hard Drive, it will then recognise the Hard Drive, and boot successfully, albeit not for very long!

Any ideas?

Laters, Z

"42??? We're going to get lynched!
 
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Has all the symptoms of a heat related hard drive failure. The only problem is the ribbon reconnect issue. That would indicate the possibility of a board crack or possible flaky power connection that makes contact again when the drive board is flexed. In any case, it is time to replace the drive. You don't need the grief of losing it after you've reloaded everything.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.
 
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Thanks Ed, I've got another PC I can scavenge a hard-drive from to test the theory, so I'll give it a go. Anything I need to know before I simply swap them over?


Laters, Z

"42??? We're going to get lynched!
 
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Best bet would be to format the new drive and install os wth service packs.
However, i think your prob points to your motherboard, but changing hard drives will tell you wether it is or not. If the problem continues its a bad ide connection at the motherboard. This often comes from the motherboard not having the proper amount of support where it connects to the case, so that when pushing on the ide cables the motherboard gets flexed too much and the solder connections break. Not saying you did this at all.
Could also simply be a bad solder at the ide connector.
If all of the above fails then i would suggest using a multimeter to check your power supply voltages to make sure they are within specs.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips
 
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No, you swap it out. Depending on the operating system, you may get an error message or a request to change some stuff. You don't want to let the system make any changes or you risk it not working when you put it back.

And depending on what is set in CMOS, you may need to change it to allow the disk to get far enough to give the error message.

If you could get a floppy that would work with whatever OS is installed that would be a better choice. You would still get access to the drive to check that it is running, but without the system wanting to corrupt something by doing repairs. Just doing fdisk and looking at the partition table would be enough to verify that the drive hasn't shut down.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.
 
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Sorry, i thought the exercise was to install a new drive, not to test it.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips
 
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Thankyou both for the advice,

looks like I've got my work cut out on this one - I'm not used to fixing hardware issues, so I may come unstuck and be back to you on this... at least I've got somewhere to start now! Thanks again


Laters, Z

"42??? We're going to get lynched!
 
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I imagine you didnt just make up that name, right?
Kinda like having a name of "Nostradamus".


Good advice + great people = tek-tips
 
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Hey, Zoroaster:

Off the top of my head i can think of three causes of spontaneous rebooting:

(1) Power
(2) Heat
(3) Computer Virus

However, i'm sure there are others causes.

If the power is the problem, it may be that you have more devices than your power supply can handle. Try disconnecting the power to some of the devices (for example, a CD-ROM drive, or a Zip drive) to see if this is may be the cause. If the PC does not reboot, you may just need a more powerful power supply. Be sure to buy one with a greater wattage output, & get the correct type that will work with your motherboard.

If heat is the problem, you may be able to tell this if the computer case may seem warm to the touch. A fan inside the case (such as the fan on the CPU heat sink) may be defective & need to be replaced. A large build up of dust on the motherboard may even cause overheating! Check the fans inside the case & also the fan on the power supply (don't take the power supply apart as it may shock you even if it is unplugged!). Use a can of compressed air (from a computer supply store or Radio Shack) to blow the dust out of the case. Replace any fans that aren't working (or replace the power supply if its fan is not working). Also, a larger case may also help keep your system running cooler. Make sure to purchase one that is made for your type of motherboard.

If a virus is the problem your anti-virus software may not have detected it. There are several Web sites that offer free online scanning for viruses that you may try. Let me know if you need any links to some of these sites.

Hope that points you in the right direction.

===============================
"Freely you have received, freely give." --Jesus Christ
pcdoc4christ@yahoo.com

 
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Thanks again PCdoc4Christ -

OK, just one clarification re. the virus issue - I managed to get an updated version of McAfee on the PC and scan, and it isn't finding anything untoward (at least when I can get the thing booted long enough to find out) - there WERE viruses on the PC, but they have all (to the best of my knowledge, obviously) been cleared by McAfee.

I'll follow your collective advice over the weekend, starting with the easier stuff like power supply/fans/dust and work from there.

(P.S. Garebo - "Zoroaster"? What was I thinking?!! Now I suppose I've just got to live with it!)



Laters, Z

"42??? We're going to get lynched!
 
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zoroaster:

Sounds like a plan! Start with the easiest possible causes first, & move to the more difficult ones once you eliminate these probabilities.

Still, don't brush off garebo's suggestions. He has a better PC hardware sense than i do.

Regards,
Doc
 
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I dont know about that, but i will take the compliment anyway!

Pcdoc4christ has a good idea on the power supply, often they can be the cause, specially when they go from one computer to another to another and get older.
If you have a simple $5 to $10 multimeter you can check the power supply to see if its delivering the correct amount of power on each "rail", that is, the 12 volt, 3.3 volt, 5 volt. A multimeter is those household meters you see on sale all the time at the hardware and big box stores, but you do need a digital not an analog, digital has number readouts and analog has a pointer. If you have such an animal around i can point you to a tutorial to test the voltages, its very easy.

Still, what Edfair has to say is haunting and true. But you will find out in the end. If its not a hardware prob with the mobo then it is a heat related or power supply prob.
You can also set it so windows doesnt reboot and shows you more details of what the prob is. Right click on my computer, properties\advanced\startup & recovery\uncheck auto restart and make sure other 2 items above DO have a check mark on them.

One final issue, which prolly should have been FIRST.
Did you check the voltage on your coin battery? Its supposed to be 1.5 volts. I dont remember how low it can get but if its lower than 1.3 or 1.4 i would replace it. You can get them at the dollar store, its usually battery #CR2032 and only the 2032 matters. But make sure, it could be a 2016 or another number. Any battery that is about the same size will work anyway, just wont work for 5 to 10 yrs like the correct one will, will only run for 2 to 5 yrs.
Usual tell-tale sign is that the clock is off and you have to reset it all the time, but who knows, could be enuf power to keep the clock but not enuf for the system.



Good advice + great people = tek-tips
 
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garebo:

Yeah, only a cracked pot would have no fear of a cracked mobo!

;)
 
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Hey garebo - where can I get tutorial on using the multimeter to check voltages?

Thanks!

Laters, Z

"42??? We're going to get lynched!
 
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I will look and get back to you. The last one i found on the net, i made a tutorial of it.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips
 
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Sorry, those are all power supplies, let me try again.
Although, you will likely still find it with what i gave you.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips
 
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