Problems after Defragmentation

[Meanshyguy]

I have a Dell Inspiron 1525 that I bought on E-bay about a year ago or so. It was working fine until I ran the defrag for the first time last night, now Windows won't start and says that the HDD is not being recognized, it ran some tests on a blue screen but still the same problem. My brother took the HDD out this morning and put it back in hoping that it would re-set it but no luck. I don't know much about computers so I'm stuck, I'd like to know if in fact I'm gonna need a new HDD.

 

[MindoverMaster]

does it see the drive in BIOS?

 

[Meanshyguy]

No it doesn't. Is this a common problem? It's running on Windows Vista.

 

[carnageX]

If it's not being recognized under the BIOS, or any kind of boot disk (try running the manufacturer's boot disk, e.g. SeaGate's SeaTools), then the drive is bad.

 

[Slaymate]

It sounds like it overheated and seized up. When you start the system can you hear the drive (clicking or humming). I would take the drive out of the PC and stick it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes, long enough to get really cold but not frozen. Then I would hook it back up to the PC and try it. If it works you might be able to get some of your files copied to a CD or flash drive.

 

[Meanshyguy]

I don't have any factory discs since I bought it used on e-bay.
Let me try that freezer trick I'll be back with updates.

 

[carnageX]

I don't have any factory discs since I bought it used on e-bay.
Let me try that freezer trick I'll be back with updates.

Sorry, I meant the hard drive manufacturer.

There should be a brand on the actual drive. SeaGate, WEstern Digital, Hitachi, Samsung, etc. Find out the brand, go to their website, and find their diagnostic disk.

 

[Meanshyguy]

By the way it makes a clicking noise once I turn it on.

 

[carnageX]

Then try the freezer trick.

If that doesn't work... it's toast.

 

[Slaymate]

The freezer trick "won't actually fix it". But it may let you get some of your files. If the freezer trick does work you may have to freeze it several times to get all of your files.