"Hard Drive Failure Is Imminent"

[Cartman316]

Hey.

Well i was just cruising the web, watching a TV show online, normal like always, then there was a power outage. 20 minutes later when the power came back up i turned on the computer. Wasnt responding so restarted, eventually, after waiting 20 minutes at the start screen a message came on the screen. Reading at the bottem "Please back up your hard drive, failure is imminent", well, along those lines. Bottem line is its saying my hard drive failing is imminent. Is that true?

Should i do what it says and take my computer to the shop (im really short on cash). Iv got some inportant files on my computer though, that i cant lose. What should i do? Has this ever happend to you?

Also, iv got a spare 500GB HD thats not installed because the case is too small. Is there any way i can back up all my info on that if i have to?

Thanks

 

[kmote]

That sounds like a SMART message. You should back up your data regularly, not when something goes wrong. The HDD does not necessarily have to be screwed into the case just to use it for a bit or you could get an external enclosure.

 

[C0RR0SIVE]

Seriously, when SMART actualy reports something like that, it is either dead, or near death... Back your files up asap, and try to keep activity to a bare minimum.

 

[Trotter]

Either grab Ghost and copy your hard drive over, or pull the current drive and install the other one, install windows and all that jazz, and then put the failing drive in either an external enclosure or just hook it up long enough to transfer your data.

 

[Harper]

Back it up ASAP. Personally I would be starting off with your most important files first.

 

[Cartman316]

Thanks guys

Either grab Ghost and copy your hard drive over, or pull the current drive and install the other one, install windows and all that jazz, and then put the failing drive in either an external enclosure or just hook it up long enough to transfer your data.

That sounds good, il give that a shot and hope it works.

I dont have a vista disc or anything, so would it work if i back up everything from my failing HD to the entirely blank one? Would the entirely blanc one have vista on it then?

 

[C0RR0SIVE]

Ghost IMO would be a last option if the system is reporting smart errors.... Honestly, start backing up the critical files you need, and keep activity to a minimum, then put a new drive in and reinstall the os, and teh rest of your files

 

[GoodNews101]

Not sure if this will have what you are looing for/have in mind, but I used this to fully clone a dying Hitachi laptop harddrive to a brand new Seagate harddrive and it took all of 10 minutes to do so: Newegg.com - APRICORN ADW-USB-KIT IDE/PATA/SATA to USB HDD Adapter - Adapters & Gender Changers

I didn't lose anything in the process and it also works with PATA/SATA 3.5" drives as well as Vista.

The software is actually repackaged Acronis. Someone here back in January (can't remember who) put me onto it.