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Computer Geeks...HELP!!!

posted 10/8/2008 11:50:42 PM |

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EternalFlame

I was toodling along, surfing the net as usual, when I got a flashing yellow exclamation point message. I figured my computer was going hinky and I rebooted.

ACK!

I got the HP splash screen and then the most dreaded, hateful error message I've ever seen...

'SMART failure predicted on hard drive *******. Warning! Immediately back up drive. Failure may be imminent. Press F1 to continue.'

I pressed F1. NOTHING.

I restarted my computer a few times...same message, so I pressed F10 while restarting and entered the BIOS diagnostics for the hard drive. My primary hard drive checked out fine. It's my secondary that is failing. That's my storage drive....you know...the one with all my pictures and stuff.

I can't jumper the hard drive as a slave to another computer to check it out because my existing hard drive caddy only fits SATA and PATA drives...this one is something else. (Don't ask me cuz I'm not sure what kind it is. The computer is an HP Pavilion DV series.)

So...my questions are...

If it's my storage/secondary drive that is failing like the BIOS diagnostic said, why won't my computer boot up? Why can't I get off that hateful screen??

Also, is there any hope to save my pictures??

Hopefully The Geek Squad will have me back up and running tomorrow. Until then...I'm going freaking BONKERS here! I miss my computer! Who is going to take care of my Neopets?

Oh, and is it safe to just remove the failing hard drive and run with just one when the computer is made to use two? Which one of the two is the secondary??

Copy & paste to friend: (Click inside box; Ctrl + C to copy; Ctrl + V to paste)

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Comments:

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kywonder	Oct 9 @ 12:31AM
	I could ask my granddaughters to take care of your neopets. They would have a blast.

EternalFlame	Oct 9 @ 12:57AM
	Well, I've got to go to bed. I'll be able to check the computer first thing in the morning before Ken leaves for work...maybe a half hour if that. Hopefully somebody can give me something...anything...sigh This sucks.

Gman762	Oct 9 @ 6:23AM
	SMART is right sometimes...but it is wrong equally as often. A diagnostic tool from the HD manufacturer should be run against the drive to be sure (normally). That will be no easy task if the drive will not boot. My advice is to not run the drive further because of this message. I also suggest to not take the hard drive to Geek Squad as they do not have the tools or the training to recover data. Get a new drive and install all of your base software yourself. You seem to understand enough about computers to do this. Drives are cheap. Data is not. If the drive stops functioning while Geek Squad is playing with it, it will cost a minimum of $1000 to repair the drive so that data can be recovered. Krollontrack is your best bet then... FYI...

malexand	Oct 9 @ 6:41AM
	Haven't had a lot of experience with Vista and the newest computers, I returned it cause it was lame, but here's my advice. Your secondary HD is only a storage cabinet from what you say and shouldn't be needed to start your computer. It should still be working. Yes, you can run with just one HD. Follow the cable to the HD's and the HD that is plugged into the end of the cable is the primary. With the computer off, unplug the secondary HD that is plugged into the middle of the cable. Try rebooting. If it still fails to boot, then your primary is the culprit. Purchase a new HD, install it as a secondary and with the software it will usually copy the information from the primary to the new drive. Or just install it as a primary alone and re-install your operating system from your restore disks. Weird tip. You might try freezing the HD in the freezer for about 4 hours. I have recovered all the information from HD's before by doing this. Hope this helps.

ColdinWisconsin	Oct 9 @ 7:18AM
	Post this question in the comp help in the forums...there are techy guys everywhere. You poor baby. I just went through this and lost just about everything.

fenderchick	Oct 9 @ 7:33AM
	Good luck...I count myself lucky that I know how to turn this thing on...When I bought it before Xmas I was like yay, now I can burn cd's...Anyone know how to do that?

vinnytmd	Oct 9 @ 9:03AM
	The freezer idea works. Freeze the drive and try ONE TIME to access it with an external device. Immediately copy the data. You have to do it fast. If you try to access it and it locks up stop immediately. I have had a crashed hard drive copied for $400 that was completely damaged. If you have to send it away go on the net and keep looking. There are few that actually have the facilities to do it and many that send it to these few and double the cost to you. Good luck

EternalFlame	Oct 9 @ 9:23AM
	OK..I pulled out the slave drive and POOF, computer boots and runs fine. Now it's about data rescue....

Josuha	Oct 9 @ 10:24AM
	OK..I pulled out the slave drive and POOF, computer boots and runs fine. First look at the little things first. 1. Disconnect offending and demonically possessed hardrive from motherboard and hardrive. Reconnect. 2. Go to seocund hand store, summage thought dicardec computer parts and find one each connector ribbon fitting hardrive. Follow number #1 above. A bad connection in either the ribbon cable or at the motherboard and hardrive will display tis message. If all else fails, and info has to be recovered, once done, take holy water to computer, do proper exorcism and get back online.

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