OK a few weeks ago I started getting random lock ups. I responded by updating my drivers for everything I could think of but they didn't go away. The lockups were so infrequent, I just decided to keep going. However, soon thereafter I got a SMART message when I booted up saying that there were problems with my Primary Master and I should backup my data in preparation for a imminent HD failure. Ok... So I did and kept using it.
Not surprisingly about a month later, the machine won't boot up, holding at POST where it would be detecting the HD. No biggie I think, I guess I need to go get a new HD.... So I do, a nice little deal for a Maxtor 60 Gb for $40 without rebates. Bring it in and try installing Win XP pro on it, and get a bluescreen error as it is copying files saying I need to update my BIOS... Ok. I attempt to do so and the BIOS won't flash, stating I have the wrong version. oooook..... I'm pretty sure I have the right version so I play a hunch.
I slap my old "dead" hard drive in my wife's computer and BING boots up just fine. No SMART message, or anything. So I figure the HD controller on my MB is fried (An FIC AU13 if you are wondering.) No biggie I think, I just happen to have an extra NForce 2 MB sitting around, and plug it in. Lo and behold my system seems to work great. However, later that day, I get the random hard lock.... and then when I try to boot... It won't recognize the drive in the post... WTF?!?!? I let it sit for a while and plug the HD back in and I'm in again.
Another point that might be worth noting is that the system speaker seems to make random clicking and beeping noises. Not in any specific fashion, like in a Beep code way, but more of a hmmm random very short as if you were dragging the speaker wire over a battery kinda thing.
What do I have wrong here? What should I do next? It would seem it is indeed the Hard Drive, but that wouldn't explain why I couldn't install XP on the new one. (I tried 2 different XP Pro discs just to be sure it wasn't a damaged disc.) The Maxtor drive did say to use their little MAXTOR BLAST 3 thing but it locked up when attempting to install on my system.
Thoughts?
Not surprisingly about a month later, the machine won't boot up, holding at POST where it would be detecting the HD. No biggie I think, I guess I need to go get a new HD.... So I do, a nice little deal for a Maxtor 60 Gb for $40 without rebates. Bring it in and try installing Win XP pro on it, and get a bluescreen error as it is copying files saying I need to update my BIOS... Ok. I attempt to do so and the BIOS won't flash, stating I have the wrong version. oooook..... I'm pretty sure I have the right version so I play a hunch.
I slap my old "dead" hard drive in my wife's computer and BING boots up just fine. No SMART message, or anything. So I figure the HD controller on my MB is fried (An FIC AU13 if you are wondering.) No biggie I think, I just happen to have an extra NForce 2 MB sitting around, and plug it in. Lo and behold my system seems to work great. However, later that day, I get the random hard lock.... and then when I try to boot... It won't recognize the drive in the post... WTF?!?!? I let it sit for a while and plug the HD back in and I'm in again.
Another point that might be worth noting is that the system speaker seems to make random clicking and beeping noises. Not in any specific fashion, like in a Beep code way, but more of a hmmm random very short as if you were dragging the speaker wire over a battery kinda thing.
What do I have wrong here? What should I do next? It would seem it is indeed the Hard Drive, but that wouldn't explain why I couldn't install XP on the new one. (I tried 2 different XP Pro discs just to be sure it wasn't a damaged disc.) The Maxtor drive did say to use their little MAXTOR BLAST 3 thing but it locked up when attempting to install on my system.
Thoughts?
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