1
davidthomas1
BSOD Hard Disk Dead - advice please!

Aaargh, I just got a blue screen of death on Windows XP (something about a kernel page error)

Now my hard disk is fried and even the bios doesn't detect the disk!

Bascially, it looks like I've lost everything on my computer.

My question is :

Is there anything I can do?

I have the linux live CD Knoppix. Can that CD be used to repair a hard disk?

If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.

thanks,

David.
みんなちがってみんないい。

XOOPS 2.0.13.2

2
jdseymour
Re: BSOD Hard Disk Dead - advice please!

All I can suggest is to double-check the cables to the hard drive, if that still does not work try it in another machine. If the bios will not detect the drive, no operating system will either. If the drive is truly bad, then you need to decide how important the data is. There are companies that specialize in retrieving data from dead hard drives, but their services are very expensive.

Oh, and make sure you try new cables also, it is possible that they could go bad.

Sorry to hear of your problems, but that is why regular backups are a must.

3
gediminasbyt
Re: BSOD Hard Disk Dead - advice please!

Yeah... Sorry to hear about that. Check this hard drive on the different computer, might be some other problems. Can try data recovery software, have used several and was amazed by how much data was recovered after system crash, format and another OS install on it,I still managed to get about 95% of files! Can't remember the names now, but can look them up. Write if you need.

Gediminas

4
JMorris
Re: BSOD Hard Disk Dead - advice please!
  • 2005/10/6 3:18

  • JMorris

  • XOOPS is my life!

  • Posts: 2722

  • Since: 2004/4/11


If you can get your machine to recognize the drive, try this handy freeware program.

Link: Restoration

It's great for recovering data from systems that BSOD. It's saved my butt more than once.

Hope this helps.

James
Insanity can be defined as "doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

Stupidity is not a crime. Therefore, you are free to go.

5
pegasus00321
Re: BSOD Hard Disk Dead - advice please!

Yeah definitely check the basics before you do anything drastic.
Then try booting up Knoppix and see if knoppix sees your HD. It will mount it and place an icon on the Desktop if it detects it.
Or use a Windows Pre-Install Disk such as this one.

Can you hear your Hard Disk spinning when you power up your computer?

There are tricks to "try" and get Dead HDs to spin again for a short period of time so you can get data off.
I've seen people place their HD in a zip lock bag and freeze it and plug it back in and stuff like that. Or sometimes dropping it lightly can unstick a stuck HD.
Dont try this unless its your last option.

As always, people should always have a program to monitor S.M.A.R.T. Read this for more info (i dont actually recommend that program btw)
Hard drives do fail quite a bit and SMART can help to tell you before it does.
Pegasus00321


I would appricate it if you click this link
TuFat.com PHP Scripts and etc

6
davidthomas1
Re: BSOD Hard Disk Dead - advice please!

Wow, thanks so much for all your suggestions peoples.

It's much appreciated. I didn't know where else to go so I asked the XOOPS community - to the rescue!

The good news is (drum roll please....) IT'S WORKING!!!

Just when I thought all was lost, and was preparing for a complete reinstall, everything worked out fine.

It turns out the physical hard disk cable had become a little loosened from the motherboard. The connection to the disk itself was fine but the connection to the motherboard was loose. I use a notebook and had recently upgraded my hard disk and switched them back and forth a little. The motherboard connector was a bit tricky to get to but I got it and squeezed it back snugly into place.

There must have been some data-transmission problems and hence the BSOD. The fact that the BIOS didn't show anything did indeed suggest a cable was unplugged.

Thanks again so much for your advice and help.

I'm happy to say it's all working perfectly - and such a simple solution too!

All the best and have a good day.

David
みんなちがってみんないい。

XOOPS 2.0.13.2

7
Zoobink
Re: BSOD Hard Disk Dead - advice please!
  • 2005/10/6 4:15

  • Zoobink

  • Just popping in

  • Posts: 23

  • Since: 2005/8/27


Quote:

Sorry to hear of your problems, but that is why regular backups are a must.


Glad to hear everything is OK.

In real estate the 3 main words are Location, Location and Location. In I.T they are Backup, Backup and Backup.

8
pegasus00321
Re: BSOD Hard Disk Dead - advice please!

Good to hear everything is ok.
Make sure you run a ScanDisk check.
Pegasus00321


I would appricate it if you click this link
TuFat.com PHP Scripts and etc

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