Hard drives keep failing?

fatchowmein

appadv wrote: »

So - I went to Staples (to pick up the Dell, they now carry Dell PCs) and Best Buy but I couldn't find a PCI hard drive controller.

In the meantime, I plugged up an old 20GB hard drive up to the PC just for testing purposes, and it fried that hard drive too!

Hey,
I forgot to ask. Did you test those "failed" drives on another system? If you're lucky, the onboard disk controller is bad and it's making the drives sound like they failed when in fact they haven't failed and the sound you hear is just the controller abusing your drives. Grab an external drive enclosure and test all your failed drives on another pc. Run chkdsk /r

Good luck

avelanchefan

appadv wrote: »

The PSU seems to be good, as I'm not frying any other drives in the PC, even when swapping power connectors.

I'm REALLY thinking it's the hard drive controller.

Going to get the Dell E530 right now (they now sell in stores). Will be back soon.

Look no offense, and to each his own, but if that computer has smoked more than 4 hard drives and you are still trying to figure it out to possibly smoke another hard drive or two?

Can I ask why? I know you said you want to get it working, but after the third HDD wouldn't you just be better off spending your money on audio gear? I am assuming you have ruined 5 hard drives. At a minimum of 60 dollars that puts you bill at 300, plus all the hassle of reinstalling everything. After your man hours you are looking at 600 dollars easily.

Just let it go man!!:):confused:

Serendipity

avelanchefan wrote: »

Look no offense, and to each his own, but if that computer has smoked more than 4 hard drives and you are still trying to figure it out to possibly smoke another hard drive or two?

Can I ask why? I know you said you want to get it working, but after the third HDD wouldn't you just be better off spending your money on audio gear? I am assuming you have ruined 5 hard drives. At a minimum of 60 dollars that puts you bill at 300, plus all the hassle of reinstalling everything. After your man hours you are looking at 600 dollars easily.

Just let it go man!!:):confused:

Yeah, I feel like throwing this computer in the garbage already.

You make a good point though - if I replace the hard drive controller and it turns out not to be, I'll probably smoke another hard drive or two.

Serendipity

Lasareath wrote: »

Have you tried Enterprise Western Digital's?, Those are the ones I use exclusively and I have never had a problem. Plus they come with a 5 year warranty.

http://www.wdc.com/en/products/index.asp?cat=2

Sal

Nope, but I've tried a Western Digital drive that works fine in my Pentium II computer and after a few months of putting it in the HP it destroys the drive.

dudeinaroom

I've got the cure for you. Pull anything of value out of the computer, then swiftly swing a sledge hammer at the remaining parts. Problem solved, no more fried hard drives.

disneyjoe7

No offense...

But I don't know why someone would again and again and again replace a part without replacing something else also.

Serendipity

disneyjoe7 wrote: »

No offense...

But I don't know why someone would again and again and again replace a part without replacing something else also.

I did replace other parts!!!!!

At first I thought it was just the drive, so I put in the second drive and it lasted a few years. Same thing with the first drive. Lasted 3 years or so.

It's only been recently when the computer started frying the THIRD drive that I started becoming suspicious. So I replaced the CABLE with another cable, thinking that this would solve the problem.

So yes - I did replace the cable, thinking that the cable was the problem. Three months later, the THIRD drive fails, so I know now that the cable is not the problem. I add two case fans to the computer thinking that heat is the problem, then install the FOURTH drive.

So now I've replaced one cable, two fans, and put in another hard drive. This drive, like the others, lasts 3 months before it fails.

MKZ

Lastly try SCSI controller and drive if you had tried above posts if the cost is not an object. SCSI is the most reliable in my knowledge. It may be costly though.

Serendipity

MKZ wrote: »

Lastly try SCSI controller and drive if you had tried above posts if the cost is not an object. SCSI is the most reliable in my knowledge. It may be costly though.

I'm about to try the hard drve controller and one more hard drive before I throw in the towel. I just don't want to kill another drive replacing the controller and then it turns out not to be.

And yes, I know, I might smoke another hard drive or so, but there are personal/family reasons involved in this too.

Serendipity

Just when I thought I had one working computer...

My laptop does this again.

ARGH!!!

disneyjoe7

So do you do a shutdown, then power up?

Serendipity

disneyjoe7 wrote: »

So do you do a shutdown, then power up?

Well, the computer that displays the annoying error messages is my laptop. Aside from that it's fine, so I just shut down and then restart.

The other computer that keeps frying hard drives is just killing me!

Bamadude

I'd start by backing up all my data. Next I'd place laptop and PC in a box and label it "A". Then I'd go to the hardware store and rent one of those log splitting machines. Once home I'd place box "A" in the device and crush until those trolls are all dead cause that's what's wrong... trolls. Log splitters do a great job when you've got em that bad

Pablo

It may be time for a Mac.

Serendipity

Bamadude wrote: »

I'd start by backing up all my data. Next I'd place laptop and PC in a box and label it "A". Then I'd go to the hardware store and rent one of those log splitting machines. Once home I'd place box "A" in the device and crush until those trolls are all dead cause that's what's wrong... trolls. Log splitters do a great job when you've got em that bad

Haha, too funny...

polkatese

Is your laptop has a Broadcom wireless network card, appadv? If so, the problem lies with the driver, it happens on mine.

Serendipity

polkatese wrote: »

Is your laptop has a Broadcom wireless network card, appadv? If so, the problem lies with the driver, it happens on mine.

Yes, it has the internal Broadcom wireless network card.

polkatese

I knew it. The way I solved mine is by re-installing the driver, and changing the sequence of the loading of these drivers. It has nothing to do with the memory (RAM) which I was initially suspected to be the culprit. If you can find an updated driver, it might solve the problem. I also did clean up the registry using Ccleaner program.

good luck.

Serendipity

This is starting to get crazy.

The BRAND NEW Dell had the same problem so I had to return it. Now I got the SECOND Dell E530 from Staples and within 2 hours of using it, it cannot even start up now.

WTH?

PolkThug

Are you plugging these into a wall outlet, surge protector, etc.? Is this in your house or at work?

Serendipity

PolkThug wrote: »

Are you plugging these into a wall outlet, surge protector, etc.? Is this in your house or at work?

Surge protector, UPS, power conditioner - didn't make a difference.

I think the machine that was frying hard drives was just plugged into a surge protector. Then later on a UPS. The UPS reports line voltage as 123-124V, Load = 9%, everything else is normal.

This new Dell - I've been through two of them already!

Serendipity

Getting really ridiculous now. Simply because I don't know what it is. I mean, the power coming out of the wall outlet is good, according to my APC Smart-UPS 1500, and if the power was really that bad, I'd be having problems with other things plugged into the same outlet. Also the UPS would have a "site wiring fault" or undervoltage/overvoltage indicator if there was an issue.

BTW, this is for home (personal) use.

Polk65

I had a similar problem over the course of a year. Went through a half dozen different brand HD's on several offboard Promise IDE controllers before nailing the PS as the culprit. Bought an Antec 500 or 600 watt PS and the problem has never returned. I'm not sure if you can get a beefier PS with your Dell but check their web store. Dell and other brands of boxed PC's have a history of some bad runs with PS's. Good circulation and cooling around HD's is important and would be my second suggestion.