hard disk failure?

Question

When I turn on my 3 and 1/2 year old Dimension 8200 I hear a clicking noise. The error message says, 'Primary hard disk drive not found.' When I go into setup it says primary drive is 'unknown device.' Is this a hard disk failure? Is it worth taking my CPU into a shop for a diagnosis? Is there any way to coax on more boot out of the system so I can retrieve emails and browser favorites? Thanks

David2343 · Answer

Osprey, I ran the90-90 diagnostics and it says 'No IDE Device for both Drive 0 and Drive 1. It appears that the hard drive is not being detected. David

osprey4 · Answer

David:

Try the 90-90 diagnostics. Reboot your computer. At the Dell blue logo screen, press the Ctrl + Alt + D keys at the same time. The computer beeps once to acknowledge that the hard drive diagnostics have been initiated and the following message appears:

IDE Diagnostics running, please wait
Primary
Drive 0: (Drive Model) -

The test may take up to three minutes to run the diagnostics (the time is dependent upon size and speed of drive). When the diagnostics are complete, one of the following messages appears:

IDE Diagnostics running, please wait
Primary
Drive 0: (Drive Model) - Pass
Drive 1: No IDE Device
-OR-
Secondary
Drive 0: (CD-ROM Model) - Diagnostics not supported
Drive 1: No IDE Device
Test complete, Press to reboot

Press the key and restart the computer.

ejn63 · Answer

Reseat the data cable, and clear the CMOS (F2 to setup, illuminate num, caps and scroll lock, and then press ALT-E until the system beeps; reboot).

If the drive still doesn't show up, it's a goner - replace it.

jessiechau04 · Answer

I have a Dimension 4100 upgraded to Window XP. When I turn on my computer, the hard drive make clicking noise and then after a while, it said Invalid Disk error. Place Boot diskette in A:. The operating system never get loaded. I tried the 90-90 diagnostic and the drive model displayed for Drive 0. However, it says diagnostic not supported. Could somebody tell me if it is because my hard disk is failing that why there is the clicking noise and my operating system doesn't get loaded? Does this mean that I need to replace the hard drive and install the operating system? Please help. Thank.

nekia · Answer

My 7 month old Dimension 3000 is blue-screening. When I reboot it, I get an error message of 'Primary drive 0 not found'. However, I do not hear any clicking. It often happens for a moment. Later I am able to turn the computer on and use it. Before it happened maybe once or twice. Now it happens maybe 3 or 4 times a week. Right now I have it in safe-mode. I'm afraid to turn it off due to the possibility of not being able to get into the software.  I am going to perform a diagnostics on it tonight. How will I know if I have hd failure? What should I do afterwards?   Nekia

osprey4 · Answer

Run the 90-90 diagnostics. If a problem is indicated, first check the connections to the drive by opening your case and unplugging each end of the hard drive connector, including the connector on the motherboard. Then try again. Post back and let us know what happened.

catatonic611 · Answer

hey just  little note, after having much the sme problem I took osprey's advice nd cleared cmos plus detached and reseated all cables, boots up on first try.  However my follow up question is my system has been doing this off and on for roughly two weeks, is something slipping tht badly? or is the drive in the first stages of failing? Do they normally just go all at once or a little at a time?   Having never had a drive fail on me before I replaced the system I'm not sure if this is a sign.  It has bluescreened and non-boot I would say 6 or 7 times in the last two weeks.   Thanks for the great info Osprey, even if its only temporary.

osprey4 · Answer

They go when and how they want to. Sometimes they sink like the Titanic and sometimes it's like watching the movie--it takes forever.

Storage, Drives & Media

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