BSOD, now laptop won't boot - detects HDD sometimes, not others

rssorated · 06-11-2008, 06:23 PM

I have a Dell Inspiron 8500, which is now about 4 years old. I've noticed no problems on it whatsoever (well, aside from dissatisfaction with hardware speed). The hard drive appears to be an 80GB CMS.

http://computers.pricegrabber.com/ha...ves/m/1179797/

I was browsing the web when I got a BSoD. It was a Kernel Stack Error, I believe. I restarted the computer and it wouldn't get past BIOS. XP wouldn't start. I went into Setup, and everything appeared to be okay, including the boot order (Floppy Disk (I have none hooked up), Internal HDD, and then CD/DVDrom drive). So I exited Setup and it still wouldn't boot. It'd hang on a black screen with a blinking text cursor. Then I restarted again and went into setup again on accident, and the Hard Drive was not detected ("None" under HDD, but before it detected it correctly as 80GB).

I restarted again, and went into Boot Mode and put in the XP disk. I watched the messages fly by as it loaded things, then when it got to "Starting Windows" it froze. I restarted AGAIN and tried the XP disk again, but this time Recovery Mode loaded. I selected something to do with HDD repair, but I got the infamous "No HDD has been detected" screen.

I restarted again and tried a custom boot disk with a disk utility checker, and it also told me it detected no HDD.

I decided it might be a heat problem and let it cool down and turned it off. I turned it on and a ton of different colors displayed on the screen, and I panicked and turned it off.

I turned it on again a final time to once again see if it could be detected by a disk checker and got the clicking sound of death. As soon as I got it, I turned it off.

I've been doing a lot of reading online, and I've decided it's likely one of the following.

1.) Corrupt boot disk sector
1a.) Corrupt boot disk sector caused by a worm/virus (Antivirus: avast! home edition
Firewall: Sygate Personal)
2.) Fried hard drive board circuit (this thing is 4 years old and usually runs around 80 degrees Celsius WITH a program to hack the fans to make them go maximum speed, IK8fangui. It at times got up to 88C)
3.) Hard drive is dead/dying (worst case scenario, which I really hope is not the case - that it detected it at times and not others gives me hope, it did seem to be detected after the system was shut down for a while and there wasn't accumulated heat)
4.) Motherboard problem (all those colors were very strange and behavior seems erratic)

Because of the clicking sound, I'm assuming worst case scenario and that it's dying, so I don't want to turn it on again unless attempting data recovery or I find information that assures me it's not dying.

Which of these scenarios is most likely, and what is the best way to attempt data recovery from a notebook HDD? I've seen some guides but I'm not sure which are the best. Thank you!

**TriggerFinger** · 06-12-2008, 05:31 AM

boot using your XP install CD and enter recovery console. in the reocvery console run CHKDSK /R

rssorated · 06-12-2008, 08:51 AM

I did enter the Recovery Console, I clicked "repair an existing XP install" and it told me it couldn't find a hard disk and to hit f3 to quit. It gave me no other options.

**TriggerFinger** · 06-12-2008, 03:14 PM

if it cannot find the hard disk, your HDD may be dying or worse, DEAD.

i hope you have backed up your system recently. at this point, i really doubt if there is anything else that you can do but replace it.

rssorated · 06-12-2008, 08:30 PM

That's what I thought, too, but Setup could detect it at times, and not others, so I believe it's not completely dead. Do you think there'll be enough time to start up the HDD and copy over important files to a new one?

**TriggerFinger** · 06-12-2008, 09:13 PM

try reseating it or test it on another computer via an external enclosure (USB). once you got it running, save your files immediately. yes, it may not be completely dead but it surely is going there anytime soon.

best if you get a new one.

rssorated · 06-20-2008, 10:33 AM

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but what would be the best way to go about removing my HDD and putting it in an external closure? What's a good guide to use? How much will it cost? Thanks!

auntiej · 06-21-2008, 05:21 AM

the best guide to use would be on the Dell website, they have links to manuals. You have to type in your tag number (should be on the underside of the notebook). re costs, external enclosures vary in cost but are not too dear, my advice would be buy one with its own power cord rather than rely on usb only to supply power. The inspiron uses 2.5" drives so get that size external caddy, and check whether your hard drive is ide or sata and buy accordingly. Also be careful what screwdrivers you use (I use insulated). As an aside, with my inspiron I have to take out the cd before removing the hard drive so do check the manual for yours.

06-11-2008, 06:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
rssorated Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 5 OS: Windows XP	BSOD, now laptop won't boot - detects HDD sometimes, not others I have a Dell Inspiron 8500, which is now about 4 years old. I've noticed no problems on it whatsoever (well, aside from dissatisfaction with hardware speed). The hard drive appears to be an 80GB CMS. http://computers.pricegrabber.com/ha...ves/m/1179797/ I was browsing the web when I got a BSoD. It was a Kernel Stack Error, I believe. I restarted the computer and it wouldn't get past BIOS. XP wouldn't start. I went into Setup, and everything appeared to be okay, including the boot order (Floppy Disk (I have none hooked up), Internal HDD, and then CD/DVDrom drive). So I exited Setup and it still wouldn't boot. It'd hang on a black screen with a blinking text cursor. Then I restarted again and went into setup again on accident, and the Hard Drive was not detected ("None" under HDD, but before it detected it correctly as 80GB). I restarted again, and went into Boot Mode and put in the XP disk. I watched the messages fly by as it loaded things, then when it got to "Starting Windows" it froze. I restarted AGAIN and tried the XP disk again, but this time Recovery Mode loaded. I selected something to do with HDD repair, but I got the infamous "No HDD has been detected" screen. I restarted again and tried a custom boot disk with a disk utility checker, and it also told me it detected no HDD. I decided it might be a heat problem and let it cool down and turned it off. I turned it on and a ton of different colors displayed on the screen, and I panicked and turned it off. I turned it on again a final time to once again see if it could be detected by a disk checker and got the clicking sound of death. As soon as I got it, I turned it off. I've been doing a lot of reading online, and I've decided it's likely one of the following. 1.) Corrupt boot disk sector 1a.) Corrupt boot disk sector caused by a worm/virus (Antivirus: avast! home edition Firewall: Sygate Personal) 2.) Fried hard drive board circuit (this thing is 4 years old and usually runs around 80 degrees Celsius WITH a program to hack the fans to make them go maximum speed, IK8fangui. It at times got up to 88C) 3.) Hard drive is dead/dying (worst case scenario, which I really hope is not the case - that it detected it at times and not others gives me hope, it did seem to be detected after the system was shut down for a while and there wasn't accumulated heat) 4.) Motherboard problem (all those colors were very strange and behavior seems erratic) Because of the clicking sound, I'm assuming worst case scenario and that it's dying, so I don't want to turn it on again unless attempting data recovery or I find information that assures me it's not dying. Which of these scenarios is most likely, and what is the best way to attempt data recovery from a notebook HDD? I've seen some guides but I'm not sure which are the best. Thank you! Last edited by rssorated : 06-11-2008 at 06:26 PM.

06-12-2008, 05:31 AM	#2 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: LV, NV, USA Posts: 4,777 OS: DOS 6.0	Re: BSOD, now laptop won't boot - detects HDD sometimes, not others boot using your XP install CD and enter recovery console. in the reocvery console run *CHKDSK /R* __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD list - ImgBurn - HDD Diagnostic Tools - Everest Mark the THREAD as SOLVED

06-12-2008, 08:51 AM	#3 (permalink)
rssorated Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 5 OS: Windows XP	Re: BSOD, now laptop won't boot - detects HDD sometimes, not others I did enter the Recovery Console, I clicked "repair an existing XP install" and it told me it couldn't find a hard disk and to hit f3 to quit. It gave me no other options.

06-12-2008, 03:14 PM	#4 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: LV, NV, USA Posts: 4,777 OS: DOS 6.0	Re: BSOD, now laptop won't boot - detects HDD sometimes, not others if it cannot find the hard disk, your HDD may be dying or worse, DEAD. i hope you have backed up your system recently. at this point, i really doubt if there is anything else that you can do but replace it. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD list - ImgBurn - HDD Diagnostic Tools - Everest Mark the THREAD as SOLVED

06-12-2008, 08:30 PM	#5 (permalink)
rssorated Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 5 OS: Windows XP	Re: BSOD, now laptop won't boot - detects HDD sometimes, not others That's what I thought, too, but Setup could detect it at times, and not others, so I believe it's not completely dead. Do you think there'll be enough time to start up the HDD and copy over important files to a new one?

06-12-2008, 09:13 PM	#6 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: LV, NV, USA Posts: 4,777 OS: DOS 6.0	Re: BSOD, now laptop won't boot - detects HDD sometimes, not others try reseating it or test it on another computer via an external enclosure (USB). once you got it running, save your files immediately. yes, it may not be completely dead but it surely is going there anytime soon. best if you get a new one. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD list - ImgBurn - HDD Diagnostic Tools - Everest Mark the THREAD as SOLVED

06-20-2008, 10:33 AM	#7 (permalink)
rssorated Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 5 OS: Windows XP	Re: BSOD, now laptop won't boot - detects HDD sometimes, not others Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but what would be the best way to go about removing my HDD and putting it in an external closure? What's a good guide to use? How much will it cost? Thanks!

06-21-2008, 05:21 AM	#8 (permalink)
auntiej Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 181 OS: xp	Re: BSOD, now laptop won't boot - detects HDD sometimes, not others the best guide to use would be on the Dell website, they have links to manuals. You have to type in your tag number (should be on the underside of the notebook). re costs, external enclosures vary in cost but are not too dear, my advice would be buy one with its own power cord rather than rely on usb only to supply power. The inspiron uses 2.5" drives so get that size external caddy, and check whether your hard drive is ide or sata and buy accordingly. Also be careful what screwdrivers you use (I use insulated). As an aside, with my inspiron I have to take out the cd before removing the hard drive so do check the manual for yours.