Is the Hard drive dead? Please help!!! 2

[livesfreely]

While I was working on it, my computer started making a (clicking) noise. I turned it off and started it again. When I started the computer I recieved a message that a system file is missing.
I had a dual boot with Win 98 and Win XP Pro. I was unable to start the computer in Safe Mode or go back to a previous copy of the registry.
Then, I tried to run scandisk using the startup floppy for Win 98.
Next, I tried to format the hard disk. When I tried to format, I got a message --unable to format, boot sector 0 bad or invalid. It recognized the hard drive in BIOS, but Primary Slave=None
Then, I deleted the partitions and tried to format it again, and installed Win 98.

Current Symptoms:
The win 98 was working fine for the 5 minutes I used it for. Then, I restarted the computer and
it did not detect Primary Master or Primary Slave (I don't know what they are) and I got another message on the screen i.e. --Boot disk failure, insert system disk and Press Enter.
In the BIOS Primary Master and Primary Slave show up as Auto whereas it showed the hard drive before this happened. Also, the computer is emitting a constant clicking sound.
I would appreciate any help you could provide. Thanks!

 

[garebo]

by you mentioning the clicking sound, one of your hard drives is bad, likely the primary master, which is your main, c:\ drive. The other drive could be a primary slave if its on the same ide cable. The second ide cable is called the secondary, the first cable is called the primary. On the motherboard they are marked as either
ide 1 (primary) and ide 2 (secondary). Sometimes you may see
other, similar markings.

First off, best to give us a complete lowdown.
Tell us the age and as much info on the computer as possible, then tell us what is on each ide cable, even if you have to take the cover off to do that. However, you should be able to do this via your bios. You reboot and usually click the "del' button but i think you know all that, lol.
Tell us what is on primary master, primary slave, secondary master, secondary slave, any error messages you are getting as precise as possible.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[livesfreely]

The computer is 5 years old; it is HP Pavillion 9680c, 650Mhz, 256MB SDRAM 100 mhz, Maxtor 40GB Hard drive (the computer has only 1 hard drive),
I don't know what the IDE cable looks like...

In BIOS,
Primary Master -Auto (before it used to be the Maxtor hard drive)
Primary Slave -Auto
Secondary Master -it is the CD RW drive
Secondary Slave -it is the Pioneer DVD drive
Right now I'm in a library. I'd have to look at the PC for any specific info (IDE,etc)and I will post it as soon as I can.

The current error message in "Exact words" is: Boot disk failure, insert system disk and press Enter.

On Startup,
Detecting Primary Master - None (takes longer than usual)
Detecting Primary Slave - None
Secondary Master - CD RW drive
Secondary Slave - Pioneer DVD drive

 

[Freestone]

A clicking noise from a hard drive is never a good thing and usually is it's death rattle. From your post it sounds as if you're not concerned with retrieving data so I'd recommended replacing the hard drive.

Is the hard drive the original drive? If not, how old is it? I'm aiming at a possible warranty return with Maxtor.

 

[garebo]

Livesfreely, no harm intended, but you did say:

"I don't know what the IDE cable looks like"

Now we could still help you thru with all this on your own but it might be better if you could bring a friend onboard with this situation. If your friend knows how to do this stuff and just needs a bit of help here as backup that would work as well.
Up to you as well will do best we can on this end.

What is likely the case is that you have to use a new hard drive as your main c:\ drive. I think fry's has some good deals right now on hard drives, you could also check at newegg.com, they are very fair prices at either place. If you want help on that just ask us.

Also, with a new hard drive, its a small possibility you could use your original drive in this computer just long enuf to get any data you might want off of it. If you dont need any data at all then you only have to have the hard drive tested to see for sure that its a goner, which, from the symptoms you have given, it already is a goner.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[livesfreely]

thanks garebo.

livesfreely

 

[garebo]

you're quite welcome. Anything we can do, just ask.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[garebo]

Wait a minute, dont ask for a million dollars, lol!!


Good advice + great people = tek-tips