hd getting ready to crash?

[ellenfl]

i am having a problem starting my computer. when i push the power button, the power comes on but the computer doesn't boot. i then have to push the reset button to get it to boot and, even then, somtimes i get the dreaded blue screen error warning. does this sound like my hd might be going?

i recently purchased a new hd which i installed in a box and hooked to my computer by usb. if i decide to install this in my computer, can i clone the existing to it without much problem?

here is what i have:

computer purchased from a computer show (not mainstream manufacturer) with (info from aida and belarc):

unknown motherboard (aida - bus width 64-bit; real clock 100 mhz (ddr); effective clock 200 mhz; bandwidth 1600 mb; belarc - bus clock 66 mhz; bios ami made in asia and not supported by ami)
amd duron 850 mhz processor
2-512 mb ram modules installed (1008 mb effective ram)
windows xp sp 2
cd and dvd drives; lots of peripherals

the new hd is maxtor diamondmax plus ultra ata/133 160 gb. i have maxblast 4 as well as acronis true image 8. i understand from acronis that i can install the new drive as a slave, clone the existing drive to it and then change the new drive to master.

what do you all think? will this hd be compatible with my existing equipment? can i do this myself? which program would you recommend . . . maxblast4 or acronis?

tia

ellen fl

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

1. Trying to clone a dying hard drive is "iffy"

It may work, but once the impending failure of a drive reaches a certain point- and it usually seems to happen quite rapidly- vital system files will probably start to come up missing. I recommend you pull the hard drive, have your vital information copied while it can still be done, then install your new drive as the master and just do a new Windoze install.

It may sound like a royal pain, but I've done enough of these to know what can realistically be done to save your data.

[ellenfl]

2. . . . but i don't have a full version of windows xp, only the upgrade.

and i wouldn't want to start back as far as 98 and go through all the updates. does it sound like my hd is going?

ellen fl

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

3. Have you installed new hardware lately?

Does it go through the same thing if you unplug your USB device, or does it boot normally? Are there any sqealing or regular clicking noises coming from your old hard drive? Once it boots (WHEN it boots) does it perform normally for long periods of time? Does it spontaneously reboot or shut off? Any programs refuse to work? Is your machine slowing down drastically, especially during bootup, but also when topheavy programs (i.e. Just about any MS program) are started by you?

When you say "blue screen" does that mean the Blue Screen of Death, or is your computer booting into the BIOS? (Some machines may be set up to boot into the bios automatically if there is a hardware change.)

Blue Screen Of Death


A typical BIOS screen

[ellenfl]

4. yes, there is new hardware but i have unplugged it and

still have the problem. the hd makes noise but very rarely (but is what got me thinking about replacing the hd). once it boots, it is fine for very long periods (i am on it all day) . . . no slowdowns and no reboots. it is definitely the blue screen of death and not the bios screen.

my first thought is that the power button is turning the power on but not accessing the boot system. the reset button (which is below the power button) brings the system up every time (so far) but often in the middle of boot-up so that it does a disk check.

the other option could be the monitor but i don't see why the power and reset buttons would have anything to do with that.

btw, the new hardware (external hd via usb) would shut down my computer when i tried to access it but i think i have that problem solved. also, my oem adobe photoshop cs also occasionally closes me down.

my current problem is much newer than any hardware or software. i am thinking better safe than sorry as far as replacing the hd goes. i have created a backup file so i can re-create and i have ordered an oem full version of windows xp. i have been wanting to install a bigger hd anyway and the existing one is about 5 years old (and has been a work horse!). fear has been mostly keeping me from doing the job.

so does it look like a hd problem?

thanks for your help.

ellen fl

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

5. Either a failing hard drive or corrupted operating system files

due to a virus. I'd come down on the side of caution and urge you to do a complete backup of your important files, do a complete disk scan and then a defrag, and then attempt your cloning operation onto a new drive.

The disk scan will look for and attempt to recover files from possibly failing hard drive sectors while marking the bad sectors as unusable, and the defrag will give you a greater chance of a successful clone by physically consolidating the files.

Then after the clone is successful, do a complete virus scan on it.

[ellenfl]

6. thanks, six.

i have already did an hd backup, defrag and disk recovery. i still have the problem so i am going to try cloning this weekend . . . after my new xp software arrives.

one of the reasons i have put it off is the pain of untangling the cords!

wish me luck!

ellen fl