Re: Follow-up
"Lil' Dave" <spamyourself@virus.net> wrote in message
news:OO5LL%23ylIHA.748@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
| Basically, when both WD 80GB drives were working correctly, I booted from
| the IDE0 (first 80GB) into the system commander menu. In that menu, there
| is a facility for partitioning (partition commander). I simply deleted
| partitions on the IDE1 drive and copy each changed data partition from
IDE0
| to IDE1. This is the only time that the IDE1 drive was inserted. All
| worked fine using this method for well over 2 years. I bought a
replacement
| WD 80GB a couple of days ago online at mwave.com, its on its way via UPS
| snail delivery.
Okay, thanks for this info. sounds like you have a well thought out system
for backing up, and running the various OSs you have.
The only things I would be cautious of regarding your method of
drive/partition backup, would be the potential corruption of MBR and boot
sectors after a course of time.
I think I would occasionally re-format and re-partition the backup disk to
ensure it remains viable. That because, for one, even though the disk is not
used that often, it will eventually have bad sectors. I would do this using
the manufacturer's tool(s) to *clarify* the drive.
Another being the potential degradation of the connectors from this insert
and disconnect procedure. If the pins get intermittent loss, the drive would
become inaccessible or the physical chip code may become corrupted. Hot swap
/ removable trays were designed more for the OCCASSIONAL *replacement* of
devices [generally in RAID and or networked configs]. This can be confirmed
by looking at the entire market, including blade servers and other. It was
never suggested to change out / remove the devices unless absolutely
necessary [at least that's what was previously recommended]. The ONE
modification being IT or other which might plug in the pre-prepared master
setup disk when necessary to perform updates and system re-configs. One can
find these same difficulties when dealing with *docking station* setups.
Additionally, though many feel otherwise, 2000 up OSs seem to NOT do that
well when constantly overwriting their partitions. That's even AFTER
deleting then reforming them. Of course, this will remain debatable, with
those on either side.
|
| The IDE0/1 drives contain ME with Quicken where I do all my financials
| locally (no internet) and still do so, 98SE with NERO 5.5 that copies
| commercial DVDs (no internet), and older installation of XP w/Office 2K.
| IDE0 drive is still intact and completely functional. My onboard SATA
| drives have ME only for system commander functionality, 2 installs of XP.
| One with Office 2003 that I currently use. The second SATA is a copy of
the
| first. I keep images of all those partitions on 2 firewire drives, and
| locally on the SATA logical partitions.
|
| --
| Dave
Again, sounds like a good setup but ... The modifications I would likely
make include the above, and, I would move the running NT based OSs to the
SATAs, and keep the IDE devices as 9X and ME ONLY.
But this is just me, and my thoughts on the matter.
|
| "MEB" <meb@not
here@hotmail.com> wrote in message
| news:%23tlbFyNlIHA.536@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
| >
| > "Lil' Dave" <spamyourself@virus.net> wrote in message
| > news:eyxSgoMlIHA.464@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
| > | No luck with either one of bootable system commander diskettes pair
| > (both
| > | bootable). Same symptoms, floppy accessed at boot time for a moment.
| > | Floppy activity light goes out, and immediately the led indicator
where
| > the
| > | IDE2 problem drive lights up. Stays lit forever.
| > |
| > | Also tried a Suse 8.xxx version of linux boot diskette, getting a
kernel
| > | panic indication.
| > |
| > | Will investigate the windows 2000 partition possibility in an XP
| > newsgroup.
| > | Thanks for trying.
| > | --
| > | Dave
| >
| > Okay. If no luck, try the last suggestion [the no HD power at boot, then
| > connect - NOT using the main computer] to see if you can access the
disk.
| > The boot manager issue [System Commander} brought a bit to the disco
that
| > was missed, though you have already tested that now.
| >
| > More questions or points to ponder.
| >
| > Was this disk set to autobackup the first disk, and was there a
| > brownout/loss of power perhaps?
| > OR, as the disk is apparently in hot-swap trays, did you ensure the disk
| > was not removed during a write process?
| > OR, that it may have been accessed while NOT fully seated in the
| > connector?
| >
| > Did you attempt to determine IF the drive is actually spinning? [Drive
| > light does NOT mean the drive is actually spinning, just means it was
| > attempted at access.]
| >
| > Is the data on this disk irreplacable?
| >
| > Have you ever diagnosed resistor issues on hard drives, and do you have
| > the
| > equipment to do so?
| >
| > ANYWAY, let us know what the results are.
| >
| >
| > | "MEB" <meb@not
here@hotmail.com> wrote in message
| > | news:OHdnk5JlIHA.748@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
| > | > Wow, okay, must have missed the System Commander AND ME statement
| > | > somewhere...
| > | >
| > | > From what I thought I saw, it appeared that nothing booted with the
| > drive
| > | > in... my mistake
| > | >
| > | > --
| > | > MEB
| > | > --
| > | > _________
| > | >
| > | > "Lil' Dave" <spamyourself@virus.net> wrote in message
| > | > news:uvmcZGHlIHA.4536@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
| > | > | Just a small clarification. Both identical hard drives have
system
| > | > | commander (circa 2002) on them. I normally use the Ultra133 TX2
| > card
| > to
| > | > | boot from either of them. With the good one (IDE1) out of the PC,
I
| > can
| > | > | boot to the system commander menu normal icons on the IDE2 drive.
| > What
| > | > that
| > | > | means is the mbr area is normal for the drive, and, the Windows ME
| > | > partition
| > | > | where system commander is installed is accessible to some extent.
| > | > |
| > | > | The only alternative PC available to me is a P166 circa 1998. The
| > bios
| > | > | can't ID the drive. The PC I'm using now can connected to its
| > onboard
| > | > ide.
| > | > |
| > | > | The only thing I've not tried is the system commander boot
| > diskettes.
| > | > I'll
| > | > | give it whirl.
| > | > |
| > | > | --
| > | > | Dave
| > | > | "MEB" <meb@not
here@hotmail.com> wrote in message
| > | > | news:%23Snb8XClIHA.4480@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
| > | > | > Okay, have looked through both discussions. Seems you may have a
| > | > problem
| > | > | > with the on disk controller chip, indicated by the inability to
| > boot
| > | > with
| > | > | > the drive in the system.
| > | > | > Can you actually hear the hard drive spinning?
| > | > | >
| > | > | > Not saying these will work but as it is just a piece of junk
right
| > | > now:
| > | > | >
| > | > | > Download HDAT2 and MHDD [both free/donationware], attempt to get
| > | > either
| > | > of
| > | > | > these to work with the drive. These use direct controller/BIOS
| > access.
| > | > | >
| > | > | > If unable to get either of these to work, try placing into a
Linux
| > | > box.
| > | > | >
| > | > | > Note: Likely none of this will work.
| > | > | >
| > | > | > Sooooo, if no luck, and its still junk: turn the disk on edge
and
| > slap
| > | > | > against your hand [or really lightly on the desk top]. once or
| > twice,
| > | > both
| > | > | > sides. Retry with the two tools.
| > | > | >
| > | > | > And finally, using an old test computer [one that IS NOT going
to
| > be
| > | > used
| > | > | > for much]:
| > | > | >
| > | > | > Hook up the hard drive cable but DO NOT connect the power cable
to
| > the
| > | > | > hard
| > | > | > drive. Hard set the BIOS to the recommended settings for the
drive
| > | > [can
| > | > | > NOT
| > | > | > be AUTO as the BIOS will not be finding the drive so translation
| > MUST
| > | > be
| > | > | > set]. Start the computer with one of the free tools or a boot
| > floppy.
| > | > | > After
| > | > | > computer boot, connect the power cable to the drive. See if you
| > can
| > | > access
| > | > | > the disk
| > | > | >
| > | > | > --
| > | > | > MEB
| > | > | > --
| > | > | > _________
| > | > | >
| > | > | > "Lil' Dave" <spamyourself@virus.net> wrote in message
| > | > | > news:uGxTXf5kIHA.5396@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
| > | > | > | Here's prior post:
| > | > | > | Background:
| > | > | > | Promise 133 controller card, 2 WDC 80GB hard drives on
removable
| > | > trays.
| > | > | > | Promise bios shows identical drives. First master (alone),
| > second
| > | > | > master
| > | > | > | w/slave (DVD burner).
| > | > | > |
| > | > | > | Unable to access 2nd hard drive.
| > | > | > | Have tried:
| > | > | > | Simple boot floppy with ME dos on it, and same with 98SE dos
on
| > it
| > | > at
| > | > | > boot
| > | > | > | time.
| > | > | > | DriveImage 2002 with 98SE dos on it.
| > | > | > | XP w/SP2.
| > | > | > | WinME window environment.
| > | > | > | 98SE environment.
| > | > | > | Swapping drives in trays and using the unaccessible drive by
| > itself.
| > | > | > | Swapping tray insertable locations. Jumpers adjusted
| > accordingly.
| > | > | > |
| > | > | > | During floppy boot (both 98SE and ME), have observed the
access
| > LED
| > | > on
| > | > | > the
| > | > | > | tray indicating access to that hard drive. PC locks up
| > everytime.
| > | > | > Similar
| > | > | > | in XP boot, ME and 98SE when I open windows explorer to
| > investigate
| > | > My
| > | > | > | Computer. WDC diagnostic tool on bootable floppy similar
| > results.
| > | > | > | ------------------------------------------------------
| > | > | > |
| > | > | > | For those who want more precise info the one I'm having
trouble
| > with
| > | > is
| > | > | > IDE2
| > | > | > | drive.
| > | > | > |
| > | > | > | I tried onboard ide with same result both attempting to boot
| > with
| > | > it,
| > | > | > and
| > | > | > | booting from floppy and CD with WD diagnostics on it.
| > | > | > |
| > | > | > | Using a firewire enclosure with the problem drive, XP SP2 disk
| > | > manager
| > | > | > | remains attempting to make contact with logical disk manager
for
| > 10
| > | > | > minutes.
| > | > | > | I stopped it at that point. Attempting to populate, error
| > message
| > | > said
| > | > | > that
| > | > | > | the partition(s) may be of Windows 2000 nature. I don't own
| > Windows
| > | > | > 2000
| > | > | > | and the drive has never seen such.
| > | > | > |
| > | > | > | --
| > | > | > | Dave
| >
| > --
| > MEB
--
MEB
http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com
--
_________