ashleigh

Hi again, its been a while since my last post. Over the past few months my hard drive has been grating on start up. It grates once at the windows welcome page, then 3 times when the desktop appears.

As recently as last week, it also grates whenever I open Spybot S&D. Everything else is running smoothly. Spybot, AVG and Windows defender haven't detected a thing. In fact I cant remember the last time I had a virus.

Yesterday, I uninstalled spybot and rebooted. Even without spybot on my system, the hard drive still grated at start up. I then reinstalled spybot, and the hard drive grated again when I opened the program.

Like I said, this started happening a few months back. Around the same time, my computer changed in the way it booted up. It always used to go directly to the desktop, bypassing the welcome screen altogether. I only have my username with no other user accounts. Now it goes directly to the welcome screen, and I have to click on my user name.

I'm not tech minded with the specs, so have just copied the details from the brochure. The computer is 3 years old.

MSI 533MHz mainboard
Intel celeron 2.4GHz processor
40GB 7200RPM hard disc drive
512MB fast DDR RAM
Panasonic 1.44MB FDD
56K internal modem
windows xp home
omega certified system

Sorry for being long winded, any help would be greatly appreciated.

chauffeur2

G'Day ashleigh,

'Grating' type noises from your Hard Drive means that it's more than likely about to 'spit the dummy'.

I suggest that you go the HDD's manufacturer's website; download their diagnostic tool; run it, and see if it gives 'errors'.

If it does; get all the important personal data off the drive, that you need, as soon as possible; then, replace the drive with a new one.

Sorry that it's not better news.

Kind Regards,

ashleigh

G'day chauffeur, thanks for your quick reply. Sorry to be a noob, but when you say "manufacturers website", would that be LG or Omega, as I have both on the front of the case?

Can you please advise me if there is a way to change the start up proceedure (re; booting up direct to the desktop)? I would be curious to find out if the grating could be eliminated along with the welcome screen.

I had a feeling after doing some googling this week that it may have been in its death throes. It does seem such a shame, while everything else is running perfectly - oh well.

Thanks again for your prompt reply. btw, love Adelaide, beautiful city, I live 450kms south east of you.

chauffeur2

Haaa...A Mount Man

If you are booting to the 'Welcome' screen then the Desktop, that's the way Xp does it; however, go into User Accounts from the Control Panel > change the way that users log on and off > uncheck the box Use the Welcome Screen > reboot the computer.

Now if you have 2 HDD's then I'd recommend getting the diagnostic tools from both manufacturers. (Open the case up, without the power on of course, and read who the manufacturer is of the HDD.)

Kind Regards,

ashleigh

Thanks again for your quick reply chauffeur. Thanks also for your very helpful advice. I will post back in a day or two to let you know how I got on. Much appreciated.

chauffeur2

No Problems, I'll look forward to your reply with the outcome.

Good Luck with it.

Kind Regards,

ashleigh

Well, I've tried searching both the Omega and LG sites for a diagnostic tool with no luck. It seems that LG dont even produce computers anymore, as there is no mention of them in their product listing. I didn't open up the case re your suggestion, was a bit nervous about doing some damage.

I searched some other well known software sites for a generic download, but couldn't find one that was available free.

I've since searched through the users manuals that came with the computer, and found a book titled "V-class VIA P4M266A + 8235 Chipset Based P4MAM-V". So I googled the title and came up with heaps on non-english sites. Including this one;
http://www.bgslevi.cz/produkt_detail.php?kod=CAM5134

Suffice to say its all foreign to me, even if it was in english. Sorry I haven't progressed any further.

chauffeur2

Hi ashleigh,

I have been able to find the information about your Motherboard from the MSI™ website here.

Unfortunately, it does not give any information regarding the Hard Disc Drives; suffice to say, that they are IDE HDD's.

Having said that, the only way that we will be able to find you a diagnostic tool for your HDD is if you physically look at the Drive inside the case and post back the information relating to the Make and Model.

Regards,

ashleigh

I've looked in the hard drive and found the following;

Hairong ATX-400W edition for Intel P4
ATX switching power supply

I've also googled Hairong and come up with very few helpful options. A search for a Hairong diagnostic tool brings up something for early diagnosis for breast cancer.

I just dont know where to go from here. Thanks again for your help.

chauffeur2

Hi Ashleigh,

We need the information for your Hard Disc Drive not the Power Supply Unit.

EDIT: That information is for the Power Supply.

ashleigh

Sorry, my mistake. Hubby and I pulled the case apart this morning and neither of us could see any other labels/badge/product name.

One of the stickers on the back of the case mentions the following

Omega Technology N09-00319

I'm sorry I couldn't be more specific. Thanks again.

chauffeur2

Ok...to give you a guide to finding the Hard Disc Drive....

It is generally an object that measures 6"x4", and has a 2" ribbon connector and a white plastic plug with 4 coloured wires coming out of it....most times they are black, and mounted towards the front of the case.

Have another look and see what you can find, please.

You might have to unscrew the 4 side mounting screws to see the label on the Hard Drive.

ashleigh

You were right. We had to remove the hard drive completely from the rack to find the label at the front. Sorry I dont know my HDD's from my power supply. Anyway, found the following info

Seagate Ultra ATA
Barracuda 7000200.7 40GB
Model number ST340014A

Thanks for your patience.

chauffeur2

Not a problem....at least now we can proceed to the next step.

You will need to go to the Seagate™ website here (click the coloured link); download "Seatools for Windows".

Read the instructions and run the diagnostic tools on the computer with the 'grating' Hard Drive...once that's done post back with what ever 'error messages' it gives, and we will advise you about a solution.

Kind Regards,

ashleigh

Thanks again. I will leave this momentarily, as I need to go out for a while. Hope to report back tonight with the error messages. Thanks heaps.

chauffeur2

No worries when you can.

ashleigh

I'm back with more frustrating news. I downloaded the Seatools for windows, when finished I clicked on run, then recieved this message;

"This program requires .NET framework 2.0 or greater"

and this;

"Fatal error - Installation ended prematurely because of an error."

So I returned to the Seagate page and noticed at the bottom there was a link to the MS page to download the .NET framework 2.0. I clicked on the link, but the page refuses to load, even after 25 minutes and some refreshing. Only the microsoft letterhead is showing at the top. I've never had any problems with MS pages before.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

My flabber is about gasted. :)

ashleigh

I was also wondering if I have a 32-bit issue. Can you please advise where I can locate this info?

chauffeur2

Hi Ashleigh,

Sorry for the delayed reply.

I have gone in the 'backdoor' to Microsoft and here is the link to Download .NET Framework version 2.0....give this one a try.

However, if it is sayingI will bet that you do not have SP2 (Service Pack 2) installed, as the .NET Framework Version 2.0 came with SP2...is this the case?

If you do not have Service Pack 2 (SP2) you will need to install it; post back if I am correct, and I can give you correct links to download it.

Don't panic, for "Rome was not built in a day".

Kind Regards,

ashleigh

Hi Dave, my apologies too for a delayed reply. Yes, I do have SP2. I do believe it was released around Sept 04. Just 1 month after getting my first and only computer. I guess the .NET framework must have been severely corrupted along the way.

Your 'backdoor' into the MS page worked a treat (you must have friends in high places). So I downloaded the .NET framework and it installed without incident. Nice.

I then ran the seatools for windows scan (after reading though some of the .rtf file) I first did a long generic test, it reported as passed. Then did a long self-drive test which also passed. The process took about 3 hours.

The help file mentioned that a log would be saved to the RAM disc. Where do I find that log?

MS just notified me that 3 updates are ready for .NET framework so I'm downloading them currently.

Thanks again for your help and patience.