Strange IDE problem..

[redarrow]

Hi all,

I've been having an annoying problem...
My old 40GB harddisk was making really strange "clicking" sounds and then my PC would lock up for a few moments while Linux spat out errors like this:

hda: dma_timer_expiry: dma status == 0x21
hda: DMA timeout error
hda: dma timeout error: status=0x58 { DriveReady SeekComplete DataRequest }

ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hda: status error: status=0x50 { DriveReady SeekComplete }

ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hda: no DRQ after issuing MULTWRITE_EXT
hda: status timeout: status=0xd0 { Busy }

ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hda: no DRQ after issuing MULTWRITE_EXT
ide0: reset: success

I figured my harddisk had just come to the end of the road - it's about 4 years old
So I aquired a new 250GB harddisk about a week ago
Except that now it's starting to do the exact same thing

Anyone have any ideas what else might be wrong?
Thanks

 

[savage]

could be the controller failing... try it on a different board

 

[LCBXX]

Hi all,

I've been having an annoying problem...
My old 40GB harddisk was making really strange "clicking" sounds and then my PC would lock up for a few moments....

Clicking noises = faulty Hard Disk actuator = Broken HDD = Replace

 

[savage]

And a brand new 250GB doing the same thing? That's a controller frying your hard drives... heh Due to eskom and their lovely spikes, I lost my mb and about 3 drives all in a matter of 2 mnths. Thankfully everything was still under warranty, but yeah - still allota work.

The dips seemed to have broken my IDE and SATA ports, and what ever I plugged in it, was only a matter of time before it broke.

 

[scotty777]

ok ok this may not be helpfull but......................................................................you're screwed mate, heehee. no it must be you mb coz its pretty much the only thing thats cmmon there. just wondering... how old is your mb?

 

[redarrow]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the replys..

And a brand new 250GB doing the same thing? That's a controller frying your hard drives... heh Due to eskom and their lovely spikes, I lost my mb and about 3 drives all in a matter of 2 mnths. Thankfully everything was still under warranty, but yeah - still allota work.

Well I have a UPS .. so I doubt it's a power spike in my case...

no it must be you mb coz its pretty much the only thing thats cmmon there. just wondering... how old is your mb?

My good ol' Gigabyte GA7VAX is 3 years and 4 months old

Does it make sense to anyone that it might be the PSU ?
I switched the power plug on the HDD with one on my CDROM and it has not given a prob once since...

 

[|tera|]

It could most definitely be the PSU, since what you did seemed to fix it, but just check that you don't burn out your cd-rom

 

[Nokkie]

what is the make of the HD?

 

[redarrow]

It could most definitely be the PSU, since what you did seemed to fix it, but just check that you don't burn out your cd-rom

I'm not much bothered about that... my CD-ROM (actually it's a DVD-ROM) is even older... probably 5 years...

what is the make of the HD?

Both the old one and the new one are Seagate..

 

[Nokkie]

thats wierd... must be something in your pc like the psu or the power cables maybe?

 

[redarrow]

If I check in the BIOS under "PC Health Status" it shows all voltage levels as being lower than they're meant to be..
12v is on about 11.4v
5v is on about 4.3v

I don't know how accurate the BIOS voltages readings are though or how much difference a small voltage drop can make?

 

[|tera|]

Sounds like a PSU problem redarrow, I think lower than normal voltages means less power and that could lead to the harddrive requiring more power, but it's not available, that in turn damages it.

Get the PSU exchanged, load optimized/fail safe BIOS defaults and see if it becomes normal

 

[redarrow]

Will try that teraside.. thanks!