Computer problem. Not Kubuntu related.

[charles052]

Okay, my 750 gig hard drive has been disappearing on me here and there. I've checked the Bios and it's gone, but It'll probably reappear later. Since the Bios doesn't even recognize there's a drive there at the moment, I thinking something is physically failing. The hard drive works terrific when the computer recognizes it's there. I don't have another computer to put it in to check the drive itself.

I've also been getting strange messages from my Linux when I boot saying root directory not found or something and it won't boot. Then I type 'exit' into the prompt and it boots right up.

It's a Dell 531 Inspiron with a dual core AMD 2.0 Ghz processor, if that's any help. Of course, I'm running Kubuntu on it.

It is a seagate barracuda, I believe.

Something tells me it's got to do with the motherboard. I'm going to grab another sata cable and clean the connections this weekend and see if that solves the problem. If that don't work, I guess I'll just save up for an Intel i7 DDR3 upgrade since I'm planning on doing that sooner or later anyways.

[The Liquidator]

Re: Computer problem. Not Kubuntu related.

My son had a similar thing happen to him a while back.

My thoughts are that a broken hard drive is unlikely to work intermittently, it either works or it doesn't. As you have alluded to I would suggest you eliminate the following first:

Dodgy or dirty connection at each end of the HDD connections - don't forget the power cable as well

Dodgy cable

If neither of these work then I suspect the mobo may be on the way out.

HTH

Ian

[wizard10000]

Re: Computer problem. Not Kubuntu related.

Yup. Check power and data connections - replace the data cable with a known good one if you can. Also, try plugging the drive into another SATA port - I've had single ports fail on a motherboard.

If you've got another known good hard drive try that on the same connection and see if it disappears.

If that doesn't solve the problem you might consider getting your data off the hard drive as quick as you can.

[charles052]

Re: Computer problem. Not Kubuntu related.

That is one thing that I do have is another hard drive packed away somewhere. If it works, that would mean it's a bad HD. Thanks!

[woodsmoke]

Re: Computer problem. Not Kubuntu related.

And do those things one at a time, that is what techs do.

woodsmoke

[wizard10000]

Re: Computer problem. Not Kubuntu related.

And do those things one at a time, that is what techs do.

woodsmoke

Exactly. It's not possible to solve a problem with more than one variable.

[Guest]

Re: Computer problem. Not Kubuntu related.

It's a Dell 531 Inspiron with a dual core AMD 2.0 Ghz processor, if that's any help. Of course, I'm running Kubuntu on it.

[charles052]

Re: Computer problem. Not Kubuntu related.

Well, the hard drive has kicked in again. It's working perfectly for the time being. Still can't use it for fear of it going out again. Never got a chance to check anything so I won't know what the problem is until it does it's thing again.

[oshunluvr]

Re: Computer problem. Not Kubuntu related.

Rather than wait for the next failure, do two things now:

1. Pick one variable (cable, power connection, sata port, whichever) and change it. Then if it fails again - one test done. If it doesn't fail again - finished.

2. Install and run smartmonutils and run smartctl. Read up a bit on what tests to do and what to look for. If the drive itself is failing it might be kicking some errors.