Hard drive error??

Question

For the last week my computer has been giving me an error on bootup sometimes, and now all of the time that the 0 hard drive is outside the Dell parameters and that I should backup my software and replace the hard drive.  I did a defrag and came up with few errors.  I also did a virus scan to clean the hard drive of anything.  The only thing I notice is that the computer is taking longer and longer to bootup and then when it does bootup it takes forever for all of the drivers and programs to load.  I have no doubt the hard drive is probably bad, although I haven't seen one fail in less than 3 years before, and then you usually can hear them going bad (clicking noise or loud bearing noise from motor)  I am just curious from a technical standpoint what is failing on the drive.  Is it the drive motor or some of the electronics.  I am assuming the easiest way to get around this would be to get a new hard drive and use Ghost to push my software across so that I have all of my software, drivers and bootup sequence in order on the new drive.  I would appreciate any feedback on my questions.  Thanks in advance for any and all help.   Mike

shesagordie · Answer

mfiedl.

That's a S.M.A.R.T drive error message, telling that the hardrive is failing and should be replaced, time to back any data you wish to save.

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kb/en/document?dn=1012192&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19

If the drive is making a noise, then it could be the bearings.

Regards to the reinstallation of software, etc, it would help to post the computer model and version of windows.

Bev.

mfiedl · Answer

It is a Dimension 8250, Pentium 4, 2.4 GHz. The operating system is Windows XP Professional and I have downloaded over the past 2 years, all of the updates, including the major service packs.

shesagordie · Answer

rything

mfiedl.

You could install the new HD as the secondary, jumper it to "Cable Select" and mirror [clone] the exsisting HD to the new, using imaging software,such as.

Casper XP version 3.0 http://www.fssdev.com/products/casperxp/

Either Acronis True Image 9.0 or 8.0 http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage//

You can buy a retail copy of Acronis True Image 8.0 for $36.90 from here

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=32-200-201&DEPA=0

How to install a second hard drive in the D-8250, after the drive is installed, check the BIOS setup, that the drive is enabled [on]

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim8250/replace.htm#1107279

Note that some brands of hard drives have free imaging software, included in the retail boxed drives or can be downloaded from their websites, personally. I prefer one of the above utilities.

After the drive is cloned, shut the system down and install the new cloned hard drive in place of the exsisting boot drive, then you should be able to boot to the new hard drive.

Bev.

mfiedl · Answer

Thanks, Bev.  That was extremely helpful.   Mike

shesagordie · Answer

mfiedl.   You're welcome.   Bev.

Storage, Drives & Media

Hard drive error??

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