Uncorrectable data error

Question

Well I lost power while using my Dell 2400 Dimension. Now when I turn it on it boots up to the srceen that shows the Windows XP loading and then a blue screen comes up with a message:   error code 0F00:0244 uncorrectable data error or media is write protected.   I ran the Dell diagnostics and everything passed but the harddrive. The test give me these two errors.   error code 0F00:0244 erroe code 0F00:1A44   with the message uncorrectable data error or media is write protected   Any help would be great.

ejn63 · Answer

Replace the hard drive, which has failed.

nardo53 · Answer

Once I get a hard drive. Can I use the restore disk or do I have to buy new software? Thanks again for the quick responce.

jackshack · Answer

Yes; you need to use the CD marked Windows XP, Installation Disk or For Reinstallation of the Operating System, and the CD marked Dell Resource Disk, Drivers and Utilities. Make sure your new hard drive is set for Cable Select (many come with this setting by default). Once installed, boot from the Windows XP Installation CD (press F12 at the first screen, choose CD ROM), press Enter to Install Windows, F8 to accept the agreement, and follow the menu items to Create an NTFS Partition. Once the partition is created, choose the selection to format the disk and install Windows.

When Windows has finished the installation, insert the Drivers and Utilities CD, allow the application to install, and select Drivers from the menu at the top of the screen. Also, there will be a menu at the left that allows you to select the computer that you are using. Once you have selected the computer, install the drivers that have check marks by them one at a time by double clicking each. Begin with the chipset installation utility, followed by the video adapter driver, network interface adapter, and sound adapter drivers in that order. Other drivers may be installed in the order you choose. When you double click the driver name it will expand files onto your hard drive and you will get a dialogue box giving you the option of "Open" or "Save". Select Open in order to launch the installation wizard. If you use the modem you should have a driver for that on a separate disk.

If your D2400 is as old as mine you have Windows XP Service Pack 1a. You should either download Service Pack 2 from Microsoft or order the CD with SP-2 on it. Install that after you have finished with your drivers.

Message Edited by JackShack on 09-19-2007 03:08 PM

inbox · Answer

Do you have any suggestions for another user running xp on a Inspiron1100, with the same issue & error codes + Msg:Block 39017671 on IDE Disk?   If I need to replace the hard drive, can you send those instructions?   Thanks in advance.

nardo53 · Answer

Thanks to all that helped. I replaced the harddrive and reinstalled the OS. I had to download the drivers from Dell as I can not find my driver disk. Computer work good now. Thanks again.   To replace the drive I just open the case. Unplugged the cables from the harddrive. Removed it from the case. Put the new one in its place. Plugged the cables back in. Closed the case. Put the OS software in the CD drive and follow what the screen showed.

jackshack · Answer

nardo53; Good job. Glad you have it running. Good luck to you.

inbox; This is really the desktop hard drive board and you might get better answers if you posted on the Notebook/Hard Drive board instead.

In brief, if you have determined that your hard drive has failed, you need to purchase an IDE, 9.5mm, 2.5 inch laptop drive. Your Inspiron should handle drives up to 120 GB with no trouble. Dell does sell good drives but you can purchase one of equal quality (Seagate, Hitachi, etc.) at your local Circuit City, Staples, Office Max, or other computer or office supply store, and probably at a cheaper price. The only difference I know between buying from Dell and an office supply store is that Dell usually sends you the drive equipped with all the adapters. If you purchase from the office supply store you get a bare drive and you need to transfer the plastic header that holds the drive in the computer from the old drive to the new drive. There is also typically a connector adapter that converts the two rows of pins on the hard drive to a board edge style connector, commonly called the "blade" adapter. To transfer this adapter to the new drive you must very carefully remove it from the old drive by pulling it straight off without rocking from side to side. This preserves the pins on the old drive and allows you the possibility of installing the old drive into an external shell to attempt to recover your data. When you get the adapter off the drive note that there is a blank space in one of the two rows of pins. The blank on the adapter must match up with the equivalent missing pin on the drive for proper insertion. Once you have the blade adapter and plastic header installed on the new drive you can follow the directions in your service guide to replace the drive into the computer. If you haven't found it yet your service guide is here:

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins5100/en/sm/index.htm

Look in "Hard Drive".

Once the hardware has been replaced you need to boot your Windows installation CD and follow the directions on the screen. When you finish installing Windows and get to the drivers you need to add one file to the list I gave nardo53; in the System Utilities section of the Dell downloads and drivers page you will find the file Notebook System Software. This file needs to be installed ahead of all the other drivers.

Good luck.

Message Edited by JackShack on 09-25-2007 10:49 AM

rhinodad · Answer

I have the same messages on my 2400...any chance of recovering any files from the bad drive?

jackshack · Answer

If the drive has not completely died, yes, you can recover data from it. The first step is to purchase a new drive and load the operating system and drivers on it. Once you have completed that, install your antivirus and make certain that you have a firewall activated. If you are using one of the Internet Security programs that includes both the antivirus and the firewall, use that one. Otherwise go to the control panel, go into Windows Security, and make certain that the Windows firewall has been activated. If you are still using the Windows XP Service Pack 1a disk that came with the machine you will also need to go to the Microsoft site and get the Service Pack 2 update. Once Service Pack 2 has been installed, go to Windows updates so that the operating system can be brought up to date.

You now have two choices regarding data recovery from the old drive. You can purchase an external hard drive shell that connects to one of the USB ports on the computer and install the old hard drive into it. Make sure the shell is one that accepts IDE 3.5 inch hard drives. Once you have connected, Windows should detect the external drive interface, install it for you, and you can copy the files from your old My Documents folder to the new one on the new hard drive. If you had a password on the old drive you may need to take ownership of the folder. In Win XP Home this must be done in Safe Mode. Use Windows Explorer to navigate to the old My Documents folder, select Properties, and choose the appropriate security settings to allow you to access the drive.

The second choice is to purchase a 3 connector 80 conductor IDE cable. This is usually necessary as the D2400 is typically delivered with an IDE cable that has only two connectors. The middle connector on the 3 connector cable is for a slave drive which the D2400 does not usually have. You then replace the IDE ribbon cable in the D2400 with the 3 connector cable. Blue goes to the motherboard, black to your boot drive, and the gray connector in the middle goes to the old, now a slave, drive. There are extra power connectors in the D2400, simply choose one that looks like the power connector on the old drive and plug it in. Again, if there was a password on the old drive you must take possession of the folder as described above for the external USB shell.

If you are unable to use Windows Explorer to simply transfer the files from the old drive to the new one there are some data recovery products on the market that might be able to help. Use Google or the search engine of your choice to investigate, or you could use the Search box at the bottom of this page to see what other forum members recommend. If this fails, there are commercial companies that recover data but their charges are quite steep.

OldFORTRANDog · Answer

After a power outage, I have the same problem on a Dell Dimension 4800. However, it was purchased as part of a bundle that did not include a CD of the Windows XP. :-P Any suggestions for how I can contact Dell to get the needed media to reinstall on a new hard drive?

Thanks for any help, suggestions, words of wisdoms or other wise remarks!

Cheers,

Old FORTRAN Dog

Message Edited by OldFORTRANDog on 10-06-2008 07:03 PM

jackshack · Answer

I'm afraid I'm not familiar with a Dimension 4800; a typo perhaps? At any rate, if you live in the U.S. you can use this form to request replacement back-up disks: Replacement Disks. If you ordered the computer during the period that Dell was providing the disks only by request, you can use "Did Not Receive Media" as the reason. If you do not live in the U.S. you will need to contact Dell Technical Support for your region and request the disks.

I see you are new to the forum; welcome. I've found this to be a good place to find answers, I hope you will find the same. One thing you should note, however, is that we seldom keep a notification for a thread active for longer than a few months. You will normally be much better off starting a new thread on your own. Attaching a request to an old thread (this one is more than a year old) usually results in no responses as the only folks that will see your question are parties to the old thread.

Storage, Drives & Media

Uncorrectable data error

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