[savedbygrace]

Thank you for all your suggestions and warnings. (I hope I’m pinging everyone who’s posted to this thread.)

I’m assuming D: drive is failing, and I’ve ordered a replacement drive from newegg.com, next day air.

The key bit of information I didn’t post earlier is that the failing drive is on an Ultra ATA133 controller card. The drive that I backed up the data from D: is on the same controller card, same channel. So, I’m extremely concerned about that.

I’ve shut the system down, and am posting from my Mac (MacPro octo 3.0GHz, 8GB RAM, ATI Radeon X1900XT video card, 4 X 500GB HDD, 16X DL SuperDrive), so I’m not hurting for computer power.

I have to work out a scheme for getting those drives off that ATA controller before I do anything else. Because of the way I configured the hardware in this Antec case, that will require a lot of noodling.

I’ll post back again tomorrow after I’ve installed the replacement drive, and have some new answers.

Thanks again.

Here’s the thread ping list, to make tomorrow’s ping a lot easier than this one:

OneRatToGo;ArrogantBustard;petro45acp;80 Square Miles;Bosco;TomGuy;CA Conservative;Freemeorkillme;reagan_fanatic;Hillarys Gate Cult;Psycho_Bunny;TChris ;jdm;bt_dooftlook;Ranxerox;relictele;stylin19a;spanalot;Fishtalk;IrishMike ;Codeflier;mountainlyons;dangerdoc;A. Morgan;Snoopers-868th;ShadowAce;antiRepublicrat;citabria;Paleo Conservative;Cold Heat;bobwoodard;Son Of The Godfather;conservatism_IS_compassion;papasmurf;dubie

[papasmurf]

Are you concerned about your data? Cause a LiveCD of just about any flavor of Linux will get you in and allow you to pull your data off.

No installing of anything, just pop the CD in and it will load into memory, and connect to your attached hard drives and even your network.

It’s a beautiful thang...:O)

BTW, are you saying you have an add on ATA133 card?

[antiRepublicrat]

and am posting from my Mac (MacPro octo 3.0GHz, 8GB RAM, ATI Radeon X1900XT video card, 4 X 500GB HDD, 16X DL SuperDrive)

We hate you.

[Paleo Conservative]

I have to work out a scheme for getting those drives off that ATA controller before I do anything else. Because of the way I configured the hardware in this Antec case, that will require a lot of noodling.

You're making this more difficult than it needs to be. Get an external USB/Firewire drive and use that to a data backup. do a file by file backup of your data. Download and run Spinrite 6 on your existing drive. Install your new ATA system hard drive as the slave drive on the same controller. Get Norton Ghost and make an image copy of your original drive to your new drive. After duplicating your system drive, take out your original system drive and change the jumpers on your new system drive to make it the master drive and reboot your machine. You'll end up with a new internal system drive, and an external drive with a backup of your data.

[petro45acp]

Another option for pulling your data off the drives would be to pick up an inexpensive USB external drive enclosure. I’ve recovered a couple of laptop hard drives that way.

Good hunting.

[roamer_1]

The key bit of information I didn’t post earlier is that the failing drive is on an Ultra ATA133 controller card. The drive that I backed up the data from D: is on the same controller card, same channel. So, I’m extremely concerned about that.

Why does this concern you? are you saying you believe the controller to be failing?

I will add this bit though: It is always better to test a drive from the motherboard if possible. Temporarily move the offending drive to an onboard connector in order to run drive testing gear... If the drive tests well, put it back where it was. there is no reason to fear a controller card.