Possible HDD problem?

Got a call from someone who wanted some advice on an issue they were having with one of their work computers.

The system will not boot all the time, and it comes up with an error saying that it cannot find or load identities (?)

Then if it does load, they have to re-map the shared drive that houses their sales software everytime.

The drive was last reformatted about 2 years ago. From what limited issues I was told, I suggested that the operating system was corrupted, or the HDD was on it's way out.

Any thoughts?

Is it a Seagate HDD?

Is it running a thin client OS or is it tied to a network server for the profiles etc to load?

Just wondering as there may be some other script running when the computer starts up. To me the word identities (if thats what the actual error message was) would indicate something to do with group policy on an Active Directoy network. Doesnt really sound like something hardware based at a gut feel.

When does the error message come up? Is it in the POST screen or after POST (being the bios boot screen).

Normally if its the hard drive it would have a message like "system volume not found" or the hard drive just wouldnt show up in bios/POST screen at all.

Yes the hard drive serial number/model would help along with word for word the message that came up.

If its a network of computers just get them to call an IT fixer person to do the lookings into the issue. Alot easier being at the computer itself

If yes.. then get another....

c0d3r wrote:

Is it a Seagate HDD?

+1 to lols.
Seagate=Fail

omfg my seagate 1TB drive is a massive fail atm, but this one would be older than 4yrs I reckon, so probly ok.

My own drive I expect to brick again at any moment. already has once, i sent it back, and the best they could do was send me the newer version of it, which still has the same problems. they wouldn't let me exchange it for a WD drive

@ woffle ... hmm, identities was definatley a word that came up in the error message, as it was something I had never come across, I am more familiar with your volume not found too.

Never heard of an active directories network, but it does feel like something they would use. this means you are suggesting it might be network based?

They used to have a IT guy they would call, but he recently left. They had someone else doing it, but he wasn't so easy to get hold of. I was called because they used to be able to chat to the person to get a feel for what was going on, a bit of advice before IT was called in.

I just thought I might bring it out for my personal IT army and see what the feeling was.

I might suggest it could simply be a networking issue, and see if I could get more details.

Thanks folks

If it dies and you need to get shit off it, try putting it in the fridge. Cooling it down can give you enough time to get stuff off it. Or so I hear

wouldnt the moisture content and condensation inside the fridge make things worse?

if the drive is corrupte getbackdata is a good program to use..

Ive heard of that too edgers. You pop it in a plastic baggy so the moisutre doesn't get in. I don't know why it is supposed to help, but have read it a few times.

I might look at that program to keep on hand in case my one dies again.

either that or get an exact same model hard drive open it up and replace the disc itself with the one that wasnt working then you have everything working fine again.

As for the netwokring issue i would really recommend that they just get an it peson in, AD is a real bitch at times to work out (and i have only really limited knowledge of it so couldnt help at all). Doesnt sound like a hard drive thing though.

there are about 20 HDD's in my house... and no Seagay's Only WD for us.
In fact I still have 2 WD 200Gb IDE drives running in my main puta. they're made by energizer I think. lol

same here broken, have 3 wd drives, one is a 200gb one a 320 and one a 500 all going strong

to fix all problems get a solid state :-)
though they arnt good for puting on and taking stuff off all the time as they wear out and slow up

Have you tried duct tape yet?

Plague wrote:

Have you tried duct tape yet?

Thanks MacGyver!! don't forget the paddle pop sticks... then you can have a helicopter hard drive with guns and shit on it. Macgyver + Duct Tape + paddle pop sticks = Macgyver pwns the world!!!!