Hard drive crashes

Question

I have installed an extra hard drive (Maxtor SATA 300 GB) on my Dell Dimension 8400. From the beginning it acted funny, and crashed when there was a Norton virus search. Otherwise it worked smoothley. Recently it crashed more often and a diagnostic test showed reading errors, so I went back to the store and got a replacement. The installation was simple and I copied several GB to the drive. But then it crashed. After diconnecting the drive it worked properly again, but everytime I try to virus search, it crashes and diappears. Restarting doesn´t help. But if I disconnect the drive and connect it again it´s there. The diagnostic test of the disk is OK. I tried to upgrade BIOS, but that didn´t help. In fact it works more bad now. With the old drive I could shut down and start upp again, now I have to open the PC to disconnect.   I thoutght that the drive might become to hot, but, after one night´s rest (shut off) it didn´t improve it´s performance.   I suppose Dell doesn´t support this problem since I didn´t by the extra HD from Dell.   RViberg

ejn63 · Answer

Check to make sure the new drive is cabled and jumpered properly (as cable select). Run PowerMax on the drive to rule out a hardware problem.

Rviberg · Answer

Thanks for your reply! Since it´s a S-ATA disk, the jumpers should not be set. The Maxtor PowerMax can´t run, it simply doesn´t start. RViberg

ejn63 · Answer

Then try the Dell diagnostics.

Rviberg · Answer

I wonder if the problem has to do with the power supply. Perhaps the power can´t manage the two HD? RViberg

Rviberg · Answer

I did that. See my first post. RViberg

ejn63 · Answer

No, that's surely not the issue. Is the drive jumpered properly (as cable select) and did you run the full, extended diagnostics or just a quick test?

Rviberg · Answer

You don´t seem to beware of the fact that S ATA doesn´t use jumper settings. I´m running the diagnostic test once again. How can tou be sure it´s not the power supply? I got the PowerMax test working (I had a defect cassette), but it won´t recognize any HD.   RViberg

ejn63 · Answer

Some SATA drives DO have jumpers on them, though you are correct that jumpers should not be required. I've seen both WD and Maxtor SATA drives recently equipped with EIDE-style jumpers.

The OEM power supply should have no trouble running two hard drive, plus two optical drives, plus a floppy drive. Make sure that the new drive has its own power tap (i.e, that you've not split a connector for use with another drive or other device).

Rviberg · Answer

I found this on Maxtors website:

No jumpers need to be set to configure a SATA drive. Serial ATA connections take the guess work out of master/slave drive configuration, since the single drive point to point connection has been introduced.

The Serial ATA host automatically determines the master and slave hard drive.

Well, nethertheless, there are no jumpers at all on the HD.

The power cables are in line and very easy to connect inside the PC.

I´m still running the diagnostic test ( three hours now) and so far no errors. I think I will by a new S ATA-cable and try.

RViberg

Rviberg · Answer

The Dell test was OK. I tried to do the Maxtor test, but it wouldn´t recognize the disks. The temperature of the disk is very hot, though it´s slave. I think that´s the problem. I suppose the high temperature is caused by a defect HD. Or are there other reasons? The tower i sopen.

RViberg

Storage, Drives & Media

Hard drive crashes

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