PC won't recognize HDD

2009-04-28 10:45:14

#1

Jenspm: penis; +1,716|6995|St. Andrews / Oslo

So it all started one morning when I woke up, went over to my PC and noticed that it was turning itself on and off, not even getting to the boot screen (on and off in a second - the fans were barely able to start turning before it turned itself off again).

I turn the PC off and on and it works. yay, I think.

The next morning, the PC is off. I think "hrm, that's weird", turn it back on and it works.

Now the next morning, which was today, it wouldn't recognize my HDD. I put my ear next to the HDD (damn it's too quiet), and I can hear the discs spinning, so it's getting power. I have tried 2 different SATA cables in two different SATA ports.

I haven't tried a different HDD because, tbh, I cba. Was hoping there was some simple stuff I could test before I have to do that.

So yah, halp?

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2009-04-28 10:52:34

#2

King_County_Downy: shitfaced; +2,791|6860|Seattle

Sounds to me like your power supply is going out. Can you plug your HD into another computer to test?

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2009-04-28 11:07:21

#3

Jenspm: penis; +1,716|6995|St. Andrews / Oslo

Hrm, it'll boot from a Linux Live CD though...

2009-04-28 11:08:23

#4

GC_PaNzerFIN: Work and study @ Technical Uni; +528|6677|Finland

Does it show up in BIOS?

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2009-04-28 11:11:02

#5

King_County_Downy: shitfaced; +2,791|6860|Seattle

Well, the thing that usually happens to power supplies, is one or more of the wires will stop working or give the wrong voltage out.

Maybe see how long the computer stays on with linux loaded up...

I dunno bro, HDD's usually go out with some clicking and such. Also wouldn't be reset by the motherboard on boot-up. If it turns off iinstantly after powering on, then I'd say it's the BIOS telling the MOBO to turn off. The HDD wouldn't do that, it'd say "NTLDR Missing" or "No Boot Device Found" or some shiat.

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2009-04-28 11:13:56

#6

Jenspm: penis; +1,716|6995|St. Andrews / Oslo

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:
Does it show up in BIOS?

nope

@Downy: I can hear the HDD spin and shit... Could it still be a PSU problem?

2009-04-28 11:14:52

#7

King_County_Downy: shitfaced; +2,791|6860|Seattle

Jenspm wrote:
GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:
Does it show up in BIOS?
nope

@Downy: I can hear the HDD spin and shit... Could it still be a PSU problem?

Can you try using another power dangle thing out of the PSU? Maybe the connector's loose???

Sober enough to know what I'm doing, drunk enough to really enjoy doing it

2009-04-28 11:15:06

#8

GC_PaNzerFIN: Work and study @ Technical Uni; +528|6677|Finland

Jenspm wrote:
GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:
Does it show up in BIOS?
nope

@Downy: I can hear the HDD spin and shit... Could it still be a PSU problem?

take hdd off. it should go to screen saying "no boot device found" or something similar.

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2009-04-28 11:17:16

#9

Jenspm: penis; +1,716|6995|St. Andrews / Oslo

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:
Jenspm wrote:
GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:
Does it show up in BIOS?
nope

@Downy: I can hear the HDD spin and shit... Could it still be a PSU problem?
take hdd off. it should go to screen saying "no boot device found" or something similar.

it says Insert system DVD/CD or something.

In boot menu, under HDD, it says additional something or another, not HDD anyway.

will try that Downy.

2009-04-28 11:18:50

#10

GC_PaNzerFIN: Work and study @ Technical Uni; +528|6677|Finland

try reseting CMOS too

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2009-04-28 11:54:11

#11

FatherTed: xD; +3,936|6763|so randum

Most likely PSU. if its HDD failure the drive clicks pretty badly for a while before it finally spins its last spin. got a meter to test volts on the cables?

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2009-04-28 11:55:32

#12

GC_PaNzerFIN: Work and study @ Technical Uni; +528|6677|Finland

I won't say its PSU unless proven otherwise.

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2009-04-28 11:58:57

#13

FatherTed: xD; +3,936|6763|so randum

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:
I won't say its PSU unless proven otherwise.

id counter by saying a bad psu is the cause for the main of pc issues

followed by ram. which is just too funky

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2009-04-28 12:00:07

#14

GC_PaNzerFIN: Work and study @ Technical Uni; +528|6677|Finland

FatherTed wrote:
GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:
I won't say its PSU unless proven otherwise.
id counter by saying a bad psu is the cause for the main of pc issues

followed by ram. which is just too funky

But so far nothing indicates its PSU. Everything powers up fine. HDD, MOBO then PSU.

Last edited by GC_PaNzerFIN (2009-04-28 12:00:38)

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2009-04-28 12:02:56

#15

FatherTed: xD; +3,936|6763|so randum

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:
FatherTed wrote:
GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:
I won't say its PSU unless proven otherwise.
id counter by saying a bad psu is the cause for the main of pc issues

followed by ram. which is just too funky
But so far nothing indicates its PSU. Everything powers up fine. HDD, MOBO then PSU.

yeah but funky shit on a single line would throw the hdd. mechanically it sounds fine, since it hasnt clicked its way to death.

btw how much does a decent 250-500gb hd come in at now a days? my media drive is clicking like hell.

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2009-04-28 12:21:16

#16

King_County_Downy: shitfaced; +2,791|6860|Seattle

Everything indicates PSU to me

Turns off randomly- PSU or RAM (RAM Would usually BSOD before shutting down)
Turns off before boot (on then immediately off again)- PSU or Mobo (RAM would cause a beep so I'm ruling that out)
Turns on for a second, then immediately shuts off again- PSU or Mobo (BIOS Returning faults)

Most of these things are PSU related usually. Luckily, it's also one of the least expensive and easiest parts to test and replace.

Edit: Reverend Ted, try www.pricewatch.com

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2009-04-28 12:35:06

#17

Varegg: Support fanatic :-); +2,206|7073|Nårvei

I would be surpriced if it wasn't the PSU ...

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2009-04-28 15:30:55

#18

max: Vela Incident; +1,652|6830|NYC / Hamburg

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:
But so far nothing indicates its PSU. Everything powers up fine. HDD, MOBO then PSU.

This. If the PSU were faulty there would probs also be other issues. PC boots fine into a linux CD.

Simplest way to test the HDD and mobo is with another PC.
Simplest way to test the PSU would be with a multimeter.

could be a bios config issue too so:

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:
try reseting CMOS too

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2009-04-29 09:35:43

#19

Jenspm: penis; +1,716|6995|St. Andrews / Oslo

The HDD showed up in BIOS when I plugged it into a different PC, so the HDD is fine, at least.

Now, what to do:

a) ruin my cable management to get a different power cable for the HDD (will take some time)

or

b) ruin my OC by resetting CMOS.

Imma go for b.

edit- CMOS reset didn't work....

Seems like it's either a problem with the MOBO or that one PSU cable...?

I'll try plugging the HDD to the Power cable from the other PC and then to the main PC with SATA...

edit- that didn't work either... Under boot priority, all I get is "bootable add-in device"...

Fuck, looks like a mobo problem, doesn't it? I also noticed that the boot screen is different... Instead of the Gigabyte screen, I get some black shit with that Energy Star logo...

Last edited by Jenspm (2009-04-29 09:46:49)

2009-04-29 09:47:10

#20

King_County_Downy: shitfaced; +2,791|6860|Seattle

Jenspm wrote:
The HDD showed up in BIOS when I plugged it into a different PC, so the HDD is fine, at least.

I'll try plugging the HDD to the Power cable from the other PC and then to the main PC with SATA...

Ooh, that might not work... Try using the power cable from the CDROM to power your HD and just leave the CDROM powered down for now. I've never had any luck cross connecting from one PC to another. It may work, but I've never seen it work.

Sober enough to know what I'm doing, drunk enough to really enjoy doing it

2009-04-29 09:50:30

#21

Jenspm: penis; +1,716|6995|St. Andrews / Oslo

King_County_Downy wrote:
Jenspm wrote:
The HDD showed up in BIOS when I plugged it into a different PC, so the HDD is fine, at least.

I'll try plugging the HDD to the Power cable from the other PC and then to the main PC with SATA...
Ooh, that might not work... Try using the power cable from the CDROM to power your HD and just leave the CDROM powered down for now. I've never had any luck cross connecting from one PC to another. It may work, but I've never seen it work.

oh, fuck, The other cables from the main PC are fastened tightly on the other side of the mobo tray under the back door that I barely got shut..

And the CDROM is IDE

And I'll assume the other connectors on the same cable won't work if the cable is fucked anyway... tried those, don't work.

2009-04-29 09:55:54

#22

Jenspm: penis; +1,716|6995|St. Andrews / Oslo

ok, now I took the same HDD, power from the main PC and connected to second PC via SATA...

and it showed up in BIOS.

fuck. Definately mobo now, right?

2009-04-29 09:56:54

#23

GC_PaNzerFIN: Work and study @ Technical Uni; +528|6677|Finland

try every sata connector from mobo.

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2009-04-29 10:03:29

#24

Jenspm: penis; +1,716|6995|St. Andrews / Oslo

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:
try every sata connector from mobo.

indeed.

Took 5 tries, and the second-to-last one worked...

Oh well, I won't be needing any more HDDs in this PC anyway. Thanks for all the help guys.

2009-04-29 10:31:55

#25

King_County_Downy: shitfaced; +2,791|6860|Seattle

Dang man, I was really hoping it wasn't the mobo... sorry for your loss-

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BF2S Forums PC won't recognize HDD

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:

Jenspm wrote:

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:

Jenspm wrote:

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:

Jenspm wrote:

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:

FatherTed wrote:

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:

FatherTed wrote:

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:

Jenspm wrote:

King_County_Downy wrote:

Jenspm wrote:

GC_PaNzerFIN wrote:

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