Re: hd failure (maybe), please adivse
On Wed, Jan 31, 2001 at 11:14:35PM -0500, D-Man wrote:
>
> Hi all!
>
>
> I have 2 hard drives in my computer:
>
> o an 8GB Quantum Bigfoot that came with the computer, Win98
> preinstalled (/dev/hda)
>
> o a 10GB Maxtor that I bought ~1 year later and installed myself
> (/dev/hdc)
>
> I also have a DVD-ROM (/dev/hdb) and a Zip drive (/dev/hdd)
>
>
> On /dev/hdc I have RH7 on the first half (not gone yet ;-)) and Debian
> potato on the second (with swap in the middle)
>
>
> Recently when I was in RH using X it began to drag, then just stopped
> responding. The hd was making a repetitive clicking noise (didn't
> sound good). I had to kill the power and cold reboot to get the system
> back.
>
> Shortly after that I was in Debian using 'find' to find a file. The
> same thing happened, except that I was using the console so I saw lots
> of hdc: IRQ timeout, Device Busy error messages and a some ide1: reset
> success messages in between. Some of the hdc: messages gave read or
> write errors on particular sectors.
>
> I was thinking that it must be a hardware problem, but my dad said
> that some low-level disk access programs can have a similar effect on
> a disk if they try to read/write beyond the end of the disk.
>
> Does anyone have any ideas as to whether it is a software or a
> hardware problem and what I might do to find out (and correct it!)?
> I'm looking for my warranty information (the drive is ~ 1.5 years old)
> in case it is hardware and still covered. If I do need a new drive,
> what would you suggest I consider? What should I flee from?
>
> Thanks for any suggestions or ideas you might have,
Sounds to me like your drive is going. I would nab as much info off it
as you can and send it back, if you have warranty. Both the sound of the
drive and the errors messages you are experiencing are indicators of
that, especially combined. Incidentally if it does completely crash
before you can get what you want off it, let it set for a while,
a day or so. Then try booting into it. I don't know why but
sometimes these drives can "recover" for short periods of time after
sitting idle.
kent
--
I'd really love ta wana help ya Flanders but... Homer Simpson
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