inaccessible_hard_drive 4

[zooomcasper]

Maybe someone can help me w/a similar problem. I also got the blue screen of death and STOP inaccessible_boot_drive. I hadn't done anything with my computer, or added any hardware. I cannot go to safe mode, or anything. It is like the drive is not even there anymore. Any suggestions? Is it my drive?

 

[Prydonian]

zoomcasper;

This can be a couple of things ranging from easy fo fix to complicated and inexpensive to mildly expensive. Check the easy things first:

1. Open the case and observing ESD procedures (investing a couple of dollars in an anti-static wrist strap is a good idea) make sure all of the cables to the disc drive are in place and secure. Make sure the other end of the data cable is securely in place on the MB.

2. Have you recently tried to uninstall any third-party backup, tape drive or media burning software? Improper uninstalls can leave behind corrupted drivers that have been known to cause this issue. You said that you couldn't get into safe mode. Do you get to the point where you can press F8? If so, don't select Safe Mode from the menu; select "Last Known Good Configuration". This could put things back in working order.

3. If you have a second computer, pull the hard drive from your system and put it in the second system as a slave drive and see if you can access the drive. This will show whether or not the drive is any good and if so, give you an opportunity to run a complete virus scan and off-load data.

4. If the drive is OK, put it back and use your original installation CD. (You don't say what your OS is, but for the purposes of this, I'm assuming it's 2K or XP). NOTE: This will NOT work if your CD is a vendor system restore disc! Boot from your CD and, now read this carefully, select INSTALL, NOT REPAIR!!!! When the CD finishes loading files into memory, it will detect any existing OS installs on the HDD and ask if you want it to try and repair the OS. Select Yes. This will overwrite the system files and drivers while leaving your installed applications and data intact. You will, however, lose any service packs installed since the original loading, so you will need to reinstall them.

5. If the drive works in another system but not when you put it back in your system and try Step 4, your PSU may be failing. If the drive isn't recieving enough power to spin up fully, you could see this type of error. If the PSU is more than a few years old or if you recently got hit with a power spike, it might be toast. SIDE NOTE: If you pick up a new PSU, buy a UPS at the same time. They aren't that expensive and provide a lot of protection from dirty power and such.

6. If all of the above gets you nowhere, you may need a new HDD.

Let us know how it works out....

Mike, The IT Guy.



Life is too short to drink warm beer....

 

[garebo]

Great answer, deserves a star!

Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[garebo]

One thing. Since its usually easy to do, you might replace the ide cable. When they break, its the wires inside and we cant see them. We usually have another cable sitting around so its a good idea to swap cables just to make sure.
Always go for the easy stuff first.



Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[Prydonian]

Garebo!

Doh! The IDE Cable! I meant to put that in, but missed it!

Thanks for the catch and the star...


Mike

Life is too short to drink warm beer....

 

[garebo]

I figured you simply forgot while trying to remember the tougher stuff,lol.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[zooomcasper]

Thank you, I have done an F8 to get to the safe mode menu and tried everything. I have tried the disks from the original OS, but it does not see it. I put a floppy in the drive to see what it would do w/it and it did see it and knew it was not a recover disk. I have unplugged the hard drive and all its connections and traced them out. I know (or I think I know) that the drive is not totally corrupt, because I get the bios start up, and then the windows 2000 professional screen, then it goes to the blue screen of death. So I am thinking it is just a sector? or something. I am going to have a friend help me try to recover it w/some software he has, and will let you know if you want.

 

[garebo]

Please let us know, its how we learn. Also hope you can get it repaired as well!

Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[jlockley]

A couple of other thoughts:

Check your bios to see if the hard drive is registered. If it is, it is not a cable problem.

I have had this problem when a virus wiped out a partition. Try starting with your recovery disk / virus software in the CD.

Hook up an old drive (I keep a few hanging around for stuff l ike this) and install windows on it as os. You can also set your bios to allow you to boot from the USB drive (I have one around for this, too). Set up a USB drive as boot drive (you need to uninstall the others..this can be a challenge with W2K's bsd issues with new hardware configurations, but it CAN be got to work). Set the USB as boot drive in bios and use it to check whether the information on the others can be recognized at all.

Good luck.