15 replies to this topic

[lor]

Hi guys, let me start by saying that this is in the lounge for a reason, it gets more views and I need anyone who can help resolve this problem. If a mod wants to move it to the hardware section, ugh k if you must.

WELL, this morning when I woke my computer from sleep mode I had a blank screen so I restarted it and I got a message saying

DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER

So I restarted, same message, restarted again, same message...
I ran some diagnostics and it said:

Testing: Boot Path
Error Code: BIOHD-2
Warning: No drives detected
Suggestion: Turn off your system and verify the drive cables are securely attached. If problem persists, contact HP support.

Is there any way which I can fix this? Or any way which I can recover my data? I know of puppy linux, I've used that before to recover files but that was more than a year ago and I've forgotten how...

Any help is AMAZING.

Thank you.

[WingedPanther]

If the BIOS doesn't see the drive, odds are no OS will see it. It could be a catastrophic drive failure, drive controller failure, or BIOS error. It's hard to know which without tearing the computer apart.

[John]

Here is what I do when I get something from a client with a similar issue -

function disk_error() {


if (the BIOS doesnt see the drive)

    check/switch hd connections

    if(bios still doesnt see the drive)

        give up


if (BIOS sees the drive)

    download a and run the live version of Ubuntu to recover data

    if(this fails)

        give up 


    return "Buy a new HD and invest in backup storage/software"

}

[lor]

I've taken apart my harddrive and all the connections were fine on the disk. I did previously back up that whole computer a few months ago which is good I suppose. Also another reason why I'm not stressing so hard about this is because I keep all my uni work on two seperate external harddrives.

Does anyone know if there are any other ways to get data off a disk that has failed, such as mine?

Also thanks WP and John!

[gokuajmes]

here is my plan of attack,

Have you checked if HDD has failed by testing it on another PC. May be the power supply cable was the fault..
Do you hear the spindle spinning in the HDD?
If nothing of above worked. Check your BIOS settings, try doing a auto scan for detected Hardware Components. Do it once , Do it thrice..
Still does not work? Wrap your HDD in a Ziplock one inside the other. Put the HDD inside, put the thing into your Freezer for 24 Hours. Remove after 24hours and Immediately plugin the power cables. It should power on smooth, back up until the HDD dies again.
Do the above again and again until your HDD fails permanently, Your freezer is out of chill's or your Cat is meeoowing... a lot

[lor]

What does putting the harddrive in the freezer do?
Also thanks, I'll check those. Although I'm going to email my tutor who has dealt with these sorts of problems for 20 odd years so she'll know what to do.

[gokuajmes]

Well it is a hack attack, the hdd actually fails when it's spindle[a pin like thingy] can't touch the platter[rings of plate]. Putting the HDD in a freezer somehow shrinks the Volume of the platter so that it can touch the spindle and you start getting the data back,[ basics physics i suppose, solids shrinks on lower temperature]

Edited by gokuajmes, 01 October 2010 - 01:57 AM.
typo error's

[lor]

Oh okay. I'll think about trying that as a last resort as if there is any possibility to get my data back I don't want to stuff things up before I can.
Thanks for ther advice gokuajmes. +rep!

[gokuajmes]

I want you to also read comment #1 here

http://en.kioskea.ne...sk-in-a-freezer

and the attack works only if your platter is not damaged, but your spindle[arm] is not touching the platter correctly

[lor]

I have a gut feeling that I won't be able to recover the data stored on that disk... and you know what? I'm actually surprisingly content with that. Like I've lost all my photos and all my applications but maybe it's the fact that I've ONLY lost those. I can redownload my apps... if I remember them (that's probably the biggest annoyance) and my photos weren't entirely special, half of them were full of memories which I'd probably rather forget.

I've purchased another internal drive, same one as last time pretty much - Seagate 500gb Barracuda SATA 7200.12 16mb.

Back up your stuff weekly kids, I'm telling you now, haha.

PS. I'm going to FINALLY install some linux distro on my new drive, maybe I'll try Arch again... or maybe I'll go with generic Ubuntu... :) (Edit: New HDD arrived today, installed it & now am running Ubuntu)

Edit: This **** just has to happen when I fry my FT232RL chip also, in the space of like 24 hours I've never broken so many expensive things. Tomorrow I'll probably crash my car or something... o God.

Edited by lor, 03 October 2010 - 08:25 PM.

[ethikz]

I didn't see it above but did you try just taking the battery off the mobo. Sometimes all it takes is to reset the BIOS by removing the CMOS battery for about 30 seconds

[lor]

The battery off the motherboard?.. The PSU?