Grinding Sound at Start Up

[sbev]

I have a 40 gig Maxtor 5 4098H8 SCSI disk running under Win 2k. Often at start up the drive gives out a grinding sound and seems to stop. The drive isn't recognized by the BIOS and I'm told to insert a startup disk. A reboot may solve the problem but at other times I may have to restart the computer 4 or 5 times before its OK. (I solve the problem by not turning off the computer as the drive runs OK) (1) I assume the drive is failing but would like some confirmation or suggestions on what else may be occuring. Assuming that it is failing, I want an exact copy of it on a new disk. (2) Does the new HD have to be SCSI in order to copy on to it and use it to replace the old drive, and perhaps use the old disk as drive D for data I can afford to lose? (3)What is the best way to generate an exact copy with win 2000.
Any help appreciated

 

[gargouille]

Check Event Viewer logs: there may be a problem with the SCSI controller...
The drive mfr.'s site has diagnostics you can run to test the drive...
What you're looking for to save it is hard drive imaging software...there are lots of them...I prefer Power Quest Drive Image.
You can image SCSI to SCSI or to IDE.

 

[edfair]

Best to clone it off on one of the successful boots and then take the old one to the depsey dumpster or to metal recycling. These problems don't get better.
It sounds like the drive is having problems finding track 0. Ed Fair
unixstuff@juno.com
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.