Help! IT Geeks needed!

**Burtha** · 10th March 2009, 13:27

Originally Posted by Gubb

Dang. Guess I gotta fork out for a new OS as well then. Or can I just download it, and use the same License key from the sticker on the Case?

Blackshear is right - just download the software as when you get software anyways you is purchasing the license key, the software is the bonus! Or you can always go Linux + OpenOffice + Gimp etc.

Originally Posted by Gubb

And yeah, the borked one is a Seagate Barracuda 7200 160Gb. After
Googling it, many people have had similar issues. The new one is a Western Digital 500Gb.

Figured - as error stated ST***** = indicitive of seagate, can't say I've had the best dealings with barracuda, same good, some not so good.

**Headbanger** · 10th March 2009, 13:29

Originally Posted by Gubb

Dang. Guess I gotta fork out for a new OS as well then. Or can I just download it, and use the same License key from the sticker on the Case?

I'll try Headbangers suggestion, and set it as a Slave to get the pics and personal files off first, if it dies after that, i'm not too concerned.

And yeah, the borked one is a Seagate Barracuda 7200 160Gb. After
Googling it, many people have had similar issues. The new one is a Western Digital 500Gb.

You can try borrowing a cd from someone, But not all OEM keys work with retail CD's.Its gets less likely depending on when the purchase was made.Don't count on it working.

As for many other people having the same issue, Hard drives by their nature tend to fail, Being a mechanical device (picture a stack of record players inside it) its only a matter of time,hence the need for backups, and Seagate are the biggest selling hard drive manufacturer so they would have sold untold millions of those harddrives, so a few google results doesn't indicate much.

Seagate have the lowest failrate (last time I looked) and the best warranty in the business,they also own and manufacture Western Digital drives.

**Burtha** · 10th March 2009, 13:50

Originally Posted by Headbanger

You can try borrowing a cd from someone, But not all OEM keys work with retail CD's.Its gets less likely depending on when the purchase was made.Don't count on it working.

If you've still got the case though you should be able to get the correct version, but it does have to be the exact same version.
I do mix and match mine so it can be done ...

**Headbanger** · 10th March 2009, 13:57

Originally Posted by Burtha

If you've still got the case though you should be able to get the correct version, but it does have to be the exact same version.
I do mix and match mine so it can be done ...

Yes, It can be done, But MS tightened OEM restrictions a few years ago, and most (if not all) OEM key's after that point won't work on a retail CD , It was at the same time MS decreed that replacing a motherboard constituted a new PC and tried to force everyone to get new licenses.

**Blackshear** · 10th March 2009, 13:59

Giz a PM next time you're gonna fork out for a new drive, I may get it cheaper than elsewhere. My 640 cost me $135

Glad I could help ya though, good luck

**Burtha** · 10th March 2009, 14:04

Originally Posted by Headbanger

Yes, It can be done, But MS tightened OEM restrictions a few years ago, and most (if not all) OEM key's after that point won't work on a retail CD , It was at the same time MS decreed that replacing a motherboard constituted a new PC and tried to force everyone to get new licenses.

Yet another good reason why I hate MS !

I have found I have enough parts to put together another old PC which I intend to use for linux only. Back to me roots ...
MS just paid better when working in industry.

Gotta go - good luck!

**Slyer** · 10th March 2009, 14:04

MSN me if you need any help with anything as well.
I've recovered data many a time, including photos on an external drive from a german couple that I don't think I want to see again..

**Blackshear** · 10th March 2009, 14:09

Originally Posted by Slyer

MSN me if you need any help with anything as well.
I've recovered data many a time, including photos on an external drive from a german couple that I don't think I want to see again..

You scared they might not allow you to join in on something?

**Gubb** · 10th March 2009, 21:47

What a day.

Bought a new HDD (500Gb Western Digital for $190), borrowed an XP boot disc from a mate. Ended up trying to read the busted one as a Slave, but it wasn't happening, so I ended up putting it back in as the Master, booting the XP disc, and running "chkdsk /r".

After that I was able to read the HDD again, and took off all the important data (Personal files, photos, old Uni work etc.), Put it on the new HDD. Went backwards and forwards a couple of times as all I was transferring with was a 4Gb flash drive.

On the last run of moving some Program Files, the old HDD squealed, and made a hissing noise. Didn't work after that. Glad I got everything I needed from it in the knick of time.

Tomorrow night will be spent re-configuring everything, and re-downloading most of my Programs and Applications.

Thanks heaps to everyone that helped out on here. 9Particularly Headbanger, Burtha, Blackshear, Tide, Lias & Gremlin)

It's been a long and frustrating day, and probably will be tomorrow as well, but if it hadn't been for you guys, I suspect I would't have all my photos.

**Gremlin** · 10th March 2009, 21:48

you got it sorted?

I have access to sata and ide caddies... (with the talk of slaves, I presume its an ide), data recovery software, but its not a core skill as such... depends how much value you put on the data.

The hard part is getting it to spin up and get detected... Just about anyone can work after that. I've heard of some taking the drive apart, replacing the heads etc, and had success.... but I wouldn't be trying that.

**Headbanger** · 10th March 2009, 21:55

Originally Posted by Gubb

Thanks heaps to everyone that helped out on here. (Particularly Headbanger, Burtha, Blackshear, Tide, Lias & Gremlin)

It's been a long and frustrating day, and probably will be tomorrow as well, but if it hadn't been for you guys, I suspect I would't have all my photos.

And to think DB called me an asshole and red repped me for my contribution to this thread, Lmfao.

Glad you got it sorted, You might want to consider backups now.

**Gubb** · 10th March 2009, 21:59

Actually, I have an essentially spare HDD now.

The one that died was a 160, and I had a 200 in there as well. By putting the 500 one in, and taking the others out, i'm left with more storage than I can see me really using for a while. I figure I can partition the 500 one up, and use the spare 200 Drive as a backup once a month or so, and store it somewhere else in the house, with only important backed up stuff on it.

Originally Posted by Headbanger

And to think DB called me an asshole and red repped me for my contribution to this thread, Lmfao.

I can usually smell bullshit a fair way off. I thought scratcha was having a laugh with his "Put it in the Freezer idea", but I read that in a few other places too. Glad I didn't keep trying to boot it though, it only lasted a few times before it died spectacularly. I suspect there's no fixing it now.

**phaedrus** · 10th March 2009, 22:32

good to see you've almost got yourself up and running again.
find out if your bios (assuming you are using the onboard controller) supports RAID and get it running. Even if it's just the software type. (requiring drivers in windows) You'll be needing another identically sized disk for this but if one fails, the other keeps on going.

Also, get your backups automated if you can.

**Lias** · 11th March 2009, 11:01

Originally Posted by Gubb

What a day.

Bought a new HDD (500Gb Western Digital for $190),
...
Thanks heaps to everyone that helped out on here. 9Particularly Headbanger, Burtha, Blackshear, Tide, Lias & Gremlin)

$190 for a 500gb? Someone saw you coming mate!
http://www.pricespy.co.nz/pno_8038.html

And your welcome

Originally Posted by Gubb

I thought scratcha was having a laugh with his "Put it in the Freezer idea", but I read that in a few other places too.

It's not the cureall some people think, but in certain lmiited circumstances it can actually work.