Possible Hard Drive Failure ... Sony Laptop

[Ray1000]

This Laptop belongs to my neighbours grandchild ...

Sony VGN NS10L Model PCG 7144M
Windows Vista Home Premium OEM ACT

It’s in generally poor condition, the case is damaged on the corner and the “Y” key missing. It’s not worth spending a lot on it.

Won’t start ... message “disc error”

Removed the HD and attached to desktop via SATA/USB enclosure ... cannot access files it says the “drive is not formatted ... would you like to format it now”

Is it fair to assume it needs a new HD?

Thank you

Ray

 

[Plastic Nev]

Hi Ray, is this the hard drive you mentioned in the other thread that the disk checker said was duff?

With the drive in the enclosure hold the enclosure in your hand and then plug it in to the USB, assuming it is USB powered, does it spin up and can you feel the slight vibration? If yes, once up to speed any other slight movement felt or even heard as the read head starts to search?
If yes to those questions, it may be an OK drive but corrupted data on it, hence why it asks for a format.

Try the check disk on it rather than format first and see what it comes up with.

Nev.

 

[Ray1000]

Thanks Nev,

I'll try it again now you've pointed that out ... it certainly spins but I hadn't thought to listen for the read starting.

I'll also do the other checks.

Ray

 

[Ray1000]

It not only spins up but there is a distinct sound of something clicking in after a few seconds.

Having said that ... normally when this enclosure starts reading its indicator light starts flashing ... it's not doing it in this case.

Just going to try chkdsk.

Ray

 

[Ray1000]

chkdsk says ... this type of file is RAW ... chkdsk is not available for this type of file.

Ray

 

[Ray1000]

Another observation ... In My Computer > Right Click > Manage > Disc Management > this HD only shows as G: 32GB ... the main part of the 250GB drive is not showing.

Ray

 

[Plastic Nev]

Hum, at this stage I doubt if any data can be recovered if it has gone RAW. Also the fact it is only seeing a small percentage of the drive doesn't look good on the surface.
I know there are ways to recover data from a drive that has gone RAW, but not sure about whether it is worth while trying, only the owner may know if there is something important on it, so do check that first.

If nothing worth saving though an experimental format is worth giving a try to see if it will then recover the rest of the drive and show as the full amount of 250GB instead of the small 32GB
If that doesn't work, a new drive is possibly the only real answer.
After all, this is the drive that the Seagate tool said was a dud anyway.

Nev.

 

[Ray1000]

No, it won't format Nev ... it's not worth spending anymore time on this one ... it looks too rough cosmetically ... if I drop on a small, cheap suitable HD I'll give it a try later.

Ray

 

[Plastic Nev]

OK Ray, let us know how you get on with this one.
As an idea, when you get a drive for the other laptop, try it in this one, that way you can check out the rest of the machine.

Nev.

 

[Ray1000]

With all I've leaned from the my other post I ought to be able to solve this ... but I'm slightly stuck.

As an idea, when you get a drive for the other laptop, try it in this one, that way you can check out the rest of the machine.

I took up this advice in a roundabout way ... Before solving the Acer, I got hold of a secondhand 160GB HDD

Put the 160GB HDD in this Sony (which had a duff HD)

It started and worked just as it had done in the machine it came out of ... on Vista ... along with an unknown Admin password.

Formatted the 160GB HDD in SATA/USB enclosure on desktop

Put it in the Acer, booted with downloaded Windows 7 disc, loaded OS - worked perfect - purchased a 320GB HDD - Acer done.

Put the 160GB HDD back in SATA/USB enclosure on desktop and formatted again ... removing partitions this time.

Replaced 160GB in this Sony ... it says ... no operating system ... no surprise there ... but ... it won't boot up with anything.

Boot order set to CD.

The only thing it will respond to is the Sea Tools for Dos disc which starts and carries out a scan.

Discs tried ... XP Pro, XP Home, Windows 7, Windows 7 repair, Ubuntu.

Instead of writing this I would normally have taken the HD out and had another look at it on the desktop, but unlike the Acer the Sony needs to be fully stripped to get to the HD.

Ray

 

[KenB]

Hi Ray

Take a look in the BIOS and see if the hard drive is recognised there.

Check Boot Order again.
CDROM first
Hard Drive second.

Check that Auto Detect is enabled re: drives

 

[Ray1000]

Hi Ken,
In Main ...
System Memory = 3072MB
HDD = 160GB

Date and time are correct

Boot Order double checked ... CD then HD

There are only 4 headings on this machine ... Main, Security, Boot and Exit and no mention of "Auto Detect"

 

[Ray1000]

Taken the HD out to test it on the desktop ... so far it's not responding in the enclosure ... may have had an intermittent fault before I got it and permanently failed sometime today ... I'll carry on and let you know.

Ray

 

[Plastic Nev]

The worry here now is that there just may be some fault elsewhere on the laptop that is killing the drive. Could just be the reason why the original drive died.

Just a thought to be wary of Ray.

Nev.

 

[Ray1000]

I thought the HD was not responding because the enclosure light wasn't flashing but maybe that's because there is nothing to read?

The drive silently spins and you can feel the reading mechanism coming in.

In right click My Computer > Manage > Storage > Disc Management it shows as unallocated ... when I applied a 102MB primary partition G: the chkdsk worked and reported no faults. But chkdsk won't work on the remaining unallaocated section ... is it practical to make another partition of the remaining 148.95Gb in the hope chkdsk can scan it?

What about the Master Boot Record ... have I inadvertently erased this earlier ... and how do I get it back ... is it on all OS discs?

Ray

 

[Plastic Nev]

Hi Ray,
Not sure what you mean about the MBR, as that is installed with the operating system.

The disk activity light will not flash if there is nothing there to read so yes you are correct in that assumption.

If you reformatted the drive entirely it will show all as unallocated, you can allocate all or individual partitions if you create partitions that is.

Chkdsk can't work on unallocated partitions as there is nothing there to check, so yes to creating a partition out of the remaining bit of the drive. That should prove all the drive is still OK.

At least we know now the drive isn't dead as you first thought.

As for installing an OS when it is back in the Sony, instead why not try doing so in the Acer first? You know that machine is fully working OK, so if the 160GB drive is really OK it should load it on.
Then try putting the drive into the Sony after that.

There just might be a fault on the DVD side of the drive as the DVD is one set of heads, the CD is another set of read/write heads, hence why perhaps it will work off the Seagate CD disk but not off the operating system DVD disks.

Nev.

 

[Ray1000]

Thank you Nev,

I'll add the partition and do the chkdsk.

Too late to try it in the Acer- the young lady has it back, but I have the one the 160GB came out of ... it's only half a laptop - no screen - but I'll be able to rig it up to test your suggestion.

Now you mention it I'll do some more checks on the CD/DVD ... it sounds slightly odd when it starts ... I'll check if the sound is any different between CD and DVD

Ray

 

[KenB]

As for installing an OS when it is back in the Sony, instead why not try doing so in the Acer first? ........Then try putting the drive into the Sony after that.
Nev.

Nev's suggestion will confirm if the drive is OK and if an OS can be installed on it.
If it can than there are other problems with the Sony.

You will probably find that installing an OS on a different system then putting it in the Sony ......the machine will not boot.
Or if it does - it will not run properly.
This is down to different hardware ( motherbard etc ) on the Sony to what was there when the OS was installed.

 

[Ray1000]

After a few more checks I decided to leave this one telling my neighbour if they get a HDD I'll put it in ... if it turns out to have more problems at least he'll be able to buy an enclosure and end up with a storage device.

As I mentioned ... during the process I as given the bottom half of a Toshiba laptop which I'm trying to restore back to life ... I'll start another thread with my questions.

Thank you for the help,

Ray

 

[KenB]

Hi Ray

at least he'll be able to buy an enclosure and end up with a storage device.

You are getting to sound like a Moderator / Admin on FpcH