Wierd HD Problem

[ttoad4000t]

I am going to shoot this computer one day.


The problem:

I have a 120gig for my main drive
A 20gig for backup for important files
a 60gig in my server.

I sold the 60gig, and it was promptly returned claiming it didnt work. I took out my 20gig, and put this one in its place. It wouldnt recognize it. Windows started up, and then the screen went blank, but the monitor still said there was a signal, and the comp was working hard, so I restarted. Needless to say, now it wont recognize any HD, as a matter of fact, neither the 20, 60, or 120 even try to spin, I have tried them all with 3 different power supplies, 5 different cables, and in the server also, and I cleared the CMOS (some guy told me that would fix it, but it didnt) All the drives are Maxtor's

Any help would be GREATLY appriciated


Thanks,
Todd

 

[Ice Czar]

you can access the BIOS?
You can run DOS aps? Like a Win98 startup disk?

 

[ttoad4000t]

yes

 

[Ice Czar]

and the HDDs arent recognized in the BIOS
a cascade failure, sounds bad, one bad component fries another
(the IDE controller\southbridge?)

see if you can test that with a DOS ap that for instance accesses some kind of PCI card

try the 20 and 120 in another computer?

if on the other hand it is recognized in the BIOS, run the manufacturers diagnostic

 

[ttoad4000t]

doesnt rec0gnize it in the bios/cmos


Ive tried it on my computer and the server, no HD works.


Are the HDD's fried?

 

[Ice Czar]

a perfect cascade failure where component A fries component B (mobo controller) which then fries any component it comes in contact with is pretty rare

What Id try is swapping out the PSU in the computer where component B is (I find it more likely that is the cause) and try an old CDROM on the same channel that fried the subsequent HDDs
if it dies (and wont work in another computer), then that would be definitive proof the mobo is frying components (which would more than likely be a power issue in the mobo, which could have been caused by the original HDD)

as far as recovery, the mechanics of the HDDs are probably fine, and the data is more than likely still just sitting there on the platters, if you contact the manufacturer for a list of compatible circuit boards off other models (same general model but also extended model numbers like WD400BB-00CCA0 cross parts with a WD400BB-00DEA0) you can try to access the data again, bt swapping the circuit boards

had a member do that the other day, but cant seem to locate the thread, of course you have to pony up for the duplicate HDDs