[dba-Tech] Format hard drive and start over

Tina Norris Fields tinanfields at torchlake.com
Sun Nov 1 09:50:59 CST 2009


Hi John,

Well SpinRite says to get everything I really want off this drive and 
replace it.  The message in the bright red box is pretty clear!  So, my 
friend, I'm looking for one of those good cast-off drives you have - 
60GB or better, if possible. 

We just got home from church and it seems our furnace is not working.  
Got to go do something about that.

T

John Bartow wrote:
> Hi Tina,
> If SpinRite doesn't solve the issue then it is time to junk it! The WD
> drives with "BB" in the model number are the low end drives.
>  
> I remove the good parts from PCs I'm recycling. Often times the PC is not
> wanted because the processor is too slow. The RAM and HD are usually OK.
> Sometimes I get some other parts like card readers, etc.
>
> I'm willing to part with them because I have so many. I'll check and see
> what I have and let you know. Shipping cost reimbursement is all I'd ask
> for.
>
> John B.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Tina Norris
> Fields
> Sent: Saturday, October 31, 2009 1:34 PM
> To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues
> Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] Format hard drive and start over
>
> Hi John,
>
> SpinRite is running on level 4 - smooth as silk until it reached 
> cylinder 4,141, head 252.  Here it is laboriously climbing through 
> sectors - up to sector 41 as I am typing this message. 
>
> Perhaps the thing to do is just replace the hard drive.  It is a Western 
> Digital 60GB drive, identified in Setup as: WD600BB-75CAA0.
>
> I can boot to Windows (it's XP, not XP Pro) and do lots of stuff, but 
> there's a good chance if I let it sit for a few hours, it will suddenly 
> not find the hard drive.  Frequently, there is a boot message that the 
> hard drive is operating outside of normal specs, strike F1 to continue 
> or F2 for Setup.  Sometimes in that situation, Setup does not see the 
> hard drive, sometimes it does.  Usually F1 continues the boot sequence, 
> although occasionally it stops again, this time with a "no keyboard" 
> message. 
>
> What kinds of hard drives do you have lying around, and why are you 
> willing to part with one?  For how much?
>
> Thanks so much for your response and help.
>
> T
>
> John Bartow wrote:
>   
>> Hi Tina,
>> Run SpinRite and have do a check of the entire hard drive. Doesn't pay to
>>     
> go
>   
>> through installing the OS from scratch if the hard drive is bad. I have a
>> ton of hard drives laying around here if you need a different one let me
>> know.
>>
>> If you have a Product Key number (on the MS sticker) on the case of the
>> computer you can use a disk with the same product to install Windows from
>> scratch. Then you won't need to worry about formatting or anything as it
>> will be an option in the installation procedure. If installing XP and it
>>     
> has
>   
>> less than SP2 then download SP2 and SP3 on you main PC. Install those SPs
>> from a USB stick as soon as Windows install is done. If you need drivers
>>     
> for
>   
>> the PC you can download them from the manufacturer's web support site and
>> install them from a USB stick too. XP, SP2 and SP3 will take some time to
>> install so don't bother watching them once started :o)
>>
>> Also don't bother installing any additional apps (including security)
>>     
> until
>   
>> done with all of this.
>>
>> Good Luck Tina!
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
>> [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Tina Norris
>> Fields
>> Sent: Friday, October 30, 2009 7:06 PM
>> To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues
>> Subject: [dba-Tech] Format hard drive and start over
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Please hold my hand while I do this for the first time.  I've been given 
>> a used Win XP machine, with a 60GB hard drive that is failing.  I would 
>> like to reformat this hard drive and reinstall the operating system and 
>> see if I can get some good out of the machine - for teaching kids and 
>> others, and for playing around; this is not a production machine for 
>> me.  Before I dive into this for the first time, I would like a little 
>> guidance.  Okay?  I'm listening.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> T
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>>   
>>     
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