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Near death experience

Discussion in 'Computers & Technology Forum' started by Trotter, Jan 22, 2008.

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  1. Trotter

    Trotter <img src =/6412.jpg>

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    Let's say I have had a horrendous weekend.

    My comp locked up Thursday evening. A complete lock-up... no cursor, three-finger-salute didn't work, nada. So I powered down and then rebooted. but it wouldn't come back up, kept throwing up errors. So I did a repair of Windows, but it said I was missing files. I left it for the night and went to bed.

    Friday evening. I repaired Windows again, and got the missing files from the driver disk for my motherboard. I was finally able to get it back up and running... sorta. My data disk (separate hard drive was missing), and my computer kept locking or doing the BSOD tango. I fight with it for hours, and finally go to bed.

    Saturday. I format and reinstall Windows. this means I have completely lost EVERYTHING on my computer... programs, files, music, movies, TV shows, all my college coursework, everything. I spend the rest of the weekend trying to find and reinstall the stuff on my computer.

    My data disk is still not showing up. I have swapped out the cable (SATA) and tried a different SATA jack, but got nothing. I haven't swapped out the power connector yet, but I have little hope in it. I got the drive for a great price, but at the cost of a shorter warranty that has already expired. Guess a new drive is the top item on my wish list now... besides the funds to just build a new computer. :D

    I wish I could say the moral of the story was to back up your data, but mine was backed up on the second drive. When it went it screwed the other drive up as well. If you are going to back up, use an external drive and keep it disconnected unless you are backing up or restoring. Be sure to keep your various installation disks together in a safe place, as well as the locations/web addresses of where to find the drivers for your hardware.

    The main point is to be prepared. Just as Christ told us to be ever vigilant because we don't know the hour of His retorn, we should be ever vigilant for such catastrophes in our lives and not let them take us by surprise. in all this I give God the glory for giving me the knowledge to know how to put it all back together. God knew I needed to clean my installation up in a bad way and this was His way of helping me get it done. ;)
     
    #1 Trotter, Jan 22, 2008
  2. Magnetic Poles

    Magnetic Poles New Member

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    Try taking your data drive and putting it in another PC. Perhaps the data is still intact. Sorry to hear of your problems.

    Also, try a live Linux CD...if you can boot from it, you may be able to see and recover your data.
     
    #2 Magnetic Poles, Jan 22, 2008
  3. Trotter

    Trotter <img src =/6412.jpg>

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    I would try another comp, but the drive is SATA and mine is the only computer in the house that has SATA... five other computers, and they are all IDE.

    The drive doesn't show up at all. I have a couple of Linux distros around... I'll give one a shot tonight.
     
    #3 Trotter, Jan 22, 2008
  4. exscentric

    exscentric Well-Known Member
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    Multiple drive failures are impossible - but it happens :-( I always keep multiple backups since the first time years ago I lost several hours work when an electrictian pulled the mains on the ad building :-(

    Anyway few years back I noticed my main drive starting to fail, I was in the middle of backing up some recent stuff to the second drive on the machine when the main one failed compeletly. I stuck the second into a working puter to backup the recent stuff and just a few minutes after it finished it failed completely. I could not believe two in less than an hour.

    I try to burn data cds or externals that go to the garage in such cases as well as the possible theft or fire in the house.

    I had not thought of the linux idea - good one to stick in the back of my mind :thumbs:
     
    #4 exscentric, Jan 22, 2008
  5. Trotter

    Trotter <img src =/6412.jpg>

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    Thankfully only one drive failed physically. I have a couple of IDE drives I could use if push come to shove... a 40 and a 100 gig.

    I still don't get how one drive failing completely messed over my OS installation like it did. Nothing on the second drive was crucial to the first. but, then, who knows what it really did when it went, or even why it went.
     
    #5 Trotter, Jan 22, 2008
  6. ccrobinson

    ccrobinson Active Member

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    Was there some sort of power event, Trotter? I'm with you in that I don't see how one drive failing would cause the other to fail unless there were some sort of power issue.
     
    #6 ccrobinson, Jan 22, 2008
  7. Trotter

    Trotter <img src =/6412.jpg>

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    Not that I am aware of. I am on surge protectors, but that wouldn't help if the current dipped... but a dip wouldn't cause failure.

    I dunno. But I am now looking for a new drive. This time I will pay full price and get the full five year warranty (I buy/use Seagate hard drives).
     
    #7 Trotter, Jan 22, 2008
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