2nd hard drive killed

[Tib-Tib]

Hi,

I have a laptop DELL Latitude D410, about 6 or 7 years old.

I've had a hard drive that died last September, see post http://www.kubuntuforums.net/showthr...d0-write-error

So I bought a new one.

Everything was fine until last week when it suddently crashed with no warning.

I boot into busybox, impossible to exit busybox. Impossible to access the hard drive when I boot with live USB and impossible to format it when I try to re install kubuntu.

Unless there is someting that I havent tried yet, it seems to me that the hard drive is dead.

I'm not interested in recovering data.

It is under waranty but I bought it in New Zealand and I am now in the UK and I'm not going back to NZ anytime soon...

So what I am wondering now is, if I buy a new hard drive, is it gonna crash again? Or shall I invest in a new laptop?

I know it is a broad question with very little clues to work on but any questions or advice are welcome.

Thanks a lot.

[Snowhog]

Well, a 6-7 year old laptop is, well 'long in the tooth'. It might well be time to consider investing in a new one. Not knowing what caused the failure of the 'new' hard drive, it's neigh impossible to make any informed suggestions. You say the hard drive is still under warranty. Why don't you just mail it back to New Zealand for a replacement? Would be cheaper than the purchase of a new laptop, yes? But again, it's a 6-7 year old laptop. I'm sure you've gotten 'good measure' out of it. Laptops don't last for ever (what does?).

[sir_cheats_a_lot]

eh, it's still a decent laptop. first things first, check your bios settings. . .set them back to their default settings, and reboot. yeah; seems unlikely to fix anything, but . . .you never know, some computers can be quite finicky about that stuff. If nothing, you may want to take the laptop apart, and check the drive connectors. you may also want to boot from the hard drive's install disc, and run the diagnostic tool first. With the way the economy has been lately, it may be best to do those things, before considering buying new hardware. especially when you consider the price of a newer laptop is essentially equal to a week or mores pay.

[jlittle]

I have a laptop DELL Latitude D410 ... a hard drive that died last September ... bought a new one ... suddenly crashed ...

Unless there is someting that I havent tried yet, it seems to me that the hard drive is dead.

Well... maybe it would show more life in another computer; however...

So what I am wondering now is, if I buy a new hard drive, is it gonna crash again? Or shall I invest in a new laptop?

6 or 7 years, Dell ... Conceivably, your laptop has dodgy caps and it stresses the hard drive. (Google "capacitor plague laptop" if you don't know what I mean when I say "dodgy caps".)

[Ole Juul]

I don't see good evidence here that the problem is with the HDD, although it might well be. As suggested, reset the BIOS. If that doesn't work, do a new install. To save time with this test, perhaps just do a minimal install like Ubuntu server, or Debian with no GUI. If that works, you know the HDD can still be used.

It is entirely possible that there is some problem elsewhere which causes the drive to become corrupted. Perhaps something about heating, or a less than perfect BIOS. It is worth checking other people's experience with that particular model.

Well... maybe it would show more life in another computer; however...
6 or 7 years, Dell ... Conceivably, your laptop has dodgy caps and it stresses the hard drive. (Google "capacitor plague laptop" if you don't know what I mean when I say "dodgy caps".)

There's another idea, and it could be model specific. If you are prepared to do a bit of soldering, there aren't that many caps to replace in a laptop. Nevertheless it can be daunting and downright impractical for the uninitiated. I hate to see old(ish) equipment going to waste and generally speaking a 20 year old machine should still work like new (yes I have such). Nevertheless, you'll be starting to have trouble with the latest distros, so perhaps Snowhog is right - it's time.

[sir_cheats_a_lot]

I'm not really convinced it's a HDD issue either, it sounds more like it's software related. of course a bad RAM chip can cause erratic behavior as well, though that possibility seems unlikely in this case as well. I hate seeing old hardware going to waste too. nothing worse then replacing hardware when it's unnecessary. if Tib-Tib is lucky, the BIOS reset, will fix it. if not, well, then it's time to run that HDD diagnostic CD that came with the new drive(should have came with one anyway). if nothing shows up from the diagnostic, next, check the RAM. if it turns out to be the bad capacitor issue.. then I guess it truly is time to let the old laptop go. It's mind boggling, my gateway, was made in 2006...Ironically so was my eMac G4...both still have lots of life in them.

[StormNinja2]

I use my gear until the wheels fall in a manner of speaking. I have a IBM( Not Lenovo- I-B-M )Thinkpad A31 very much in use and that laptop was built Circa late 2002 to early 2004--depending on whose database you read. Anyway, the point is: one way to determine if it is specifically a hard drive issue would be to the place the drive(s) in question in a USB Hard Drive Enclosure. Then scan it with Puppy Linux 5.1 or higher(run Puppy from LiveCD).

I have found that a very useful means of determining if there is a hardware issue with the drive and., of course, this would go a long way to resolving the issue of whether or not the laptop's motherboard is faulty.

Good Luck.

[Tib-Tib]

Thanks for all those replies, unfortunately I haven't managed to read them until today, hence, I haven't got a working machine!

I was running it on the live USB until the power adapter (that I bought for cheap on my last trip through Bangkok) decided to give up too!

Anyhow, any install wasn't possible, it just told me that it couldn't write on the disc.

But luckily WD has an amaizing warranty service, they just ask you for the serial number and no matter where you bought the product on the planet, they will replace it wherever you are when it breaks down, according both places are reasonably "wealthy" countries of course :] They have taken the old one and sent me a replacement one, they haven't told me so but I believe that they have diagnosed the old one as defected. So i should have received the new drive today in the post (I am away from home today, hence, I can use a computer, woohoo!)
Also that means that I don't have the old one anymore to do tests on.

Alrite so solutions solutions:

To reset the BIOS, do I just get in the BIOS at the start and somewhere I will find a line that will offer me to reset the BIOS to the default settings? Or does that involve some more complicated manoever? Or do I actually need to do that at all with a new hard drive?

If I've got "dodgy caps" how can I diagnose that? And if so, would I be taking a risk by plugging the new hardware in?
I have done some basic soldering before (my dad offered me a kit stereo amplifier for my 14th birthday lol), if I can get my hands on a soldering iron and some tin I might be prepared to have a go.

I know it is a lot of questions in one post but I am crossing my fingers!

I will get back to you when I sorted the power supply out.

Thanks a lot!

[Ole Juul]

There should be a default setting in the BIOS. As for caps, let's hope not. A visual inspection of the electrolytics can often identify bad ones, but it is not guaranteed. You can do a net search on what a bad one might look like - it varies. Since your machine "sort of" worked before, I suggest you put that one on the back burner until you do further diagnosis. Before you put in the new drive, you should boot a live CD to determine that the rest of it works properly.

[ardvark71]

If I've got "dodgy caps" how can I diagnose that? And if so, would I be taking a risk by plugging the new hardware in?
I have done some basic soldering before (my dad offered me a kit stereo amplifier for my 14th birthday lol), if I can get my hands on a soldering iron and some tin I might be prepared to have a go.

Hi...

This is just my opinion but I think you ought to take your laptop to a repair shop and let them see what's going on.

There is a site dedicated to the issue of bad capacitors. You can find them here.

Regards...

[Snowhog]

I would still check the new HD in a USB enclosure on a known good computer before committing it to a suspect computer.
All computers of the past 4-5 years can power a 2.5" disk via USB and you don't need an external power supply.

IF the USB ports on the PC are USB 3.0. If the ports are USB 2.0 and the HDD is USB 3.0, the power supplied by a single USB 2.0 *may not* be sufficient to provide both the data channel and power requirement. In this case, you need to use two USB 2.0 ports for the single USB 3.0 'device'. They make y-splitter USB 2.0 cables for this.

[woodsmoke]

My main Kubu drive went south a couple of days ago, it was JUST made in 2006, a little chillun as it were! lol

woodsmoke

[mmmmna]

I was running it on the live USB until the power adapter (that I bought for cheap on my last trip through Bangkok) decided to give up too!

In the US, we have Best Buy and Staples, they sell universal laptop power supplies for around $45, some Dell lappys love them.

Anyhow, any install wasn't possible, it just told me that it couldn't write on the disc.

Through this thread, I've wondered if the drive needed to be reseated. Or if the lappy BIOS got switched to being password protected or some such. Maybe not, though.

But luckily WD has an amaizing warranty service, they just ask you for the serial number and no matter where you bought the product on the planet, they will replace it wherever you are when it breaks down, according both places are reasonably "wealthy" countries of course :] They have taken the old one and sent me a replacement one, they haven't told me so but I believe that they have diagnosed the old one as defected. So i should have received the new drive today in the post (I am away from home today, hence, I can use a computer, woohoo!)
Also that means that I don't have the old one anymore to do tests on.

and no response yet!

To reset the BIOS, do I just get in the BIOS at the start and somewhere I will find a line that will offer me to reset the BIOS to the default settings? Or does that involve some more complicated manoever? Or do I actually need to do that at all with a new hard drive?

My Dells have needed F2 or Delete to be pressed when the Dell logo first appears onscreen. Keep repeating. Once into the BIOS, double check for supervisor password, etc. If the date and time are wicked wrong, the BIOS backup battery might be dead. Even laptops have them.

If I've got "dodgy caps" how can I diagnose that? And if so, would I be taking a risk by plugging the new hardware in?
I have done some basic soldering before (my dad offered me a kit stereo amplifier for my 14th birthday lol), if I can get my hands on a soldering iron and some tin I might be prepared to have a go.

I worked a career in power supply engineering, I wouldn't bother. Those are disposable bricks, no design features in them so they are safe after anyone opens them. Consumer cost for a universal replacement is low enough here in the US. Also, try local computer geeks... Dell power bricks are nearly ubiquitous.