old hard drive problem
 

80 gb seagate from a tv recorder,
fitted to the pc ok, cleared all the files off ok,
tried to format, format failed.
Now I am trying to get seatools in dos to work(seatools in windows can't fix it, recommends dos) and have burnt an iso to a cd but won't boot from it and pressing f8 doesn't get me a start choice menu.
so.... a) is there an f button to start up in safe start choices?tried f8 f5 and esc
b)what am I missing to boot from the cd, I do now this but cannot remember( getting old;))
C)I could use my XP disc and use recovery consoleand try and repair the disc from there.

Re: old hard drive problem
 

F12 perhaps for boot choice ot just use F2 or Del to enter setup and set optical drive as first boot in bios

Re: old hard drive problem
 

tried the bios route, just boots from the c drive to windows
f12 didn't do anything:)

Re: old hard drive problem
 

If you are booting from a CD, your CD needs to be a bootable software. What is the ISO you created?

Re: old hard drive problem
 

SeaToolsDOS221ALL.576.ISO

Re: old hard drive problem
 

Does that include the DOS file, or is it just the Seatools DOS tool for the Hard Disc?

Re: old hard drive problem
 

that's all that is on it. link

Re: old hard drive problem
 

hmm, that should run. You sure you have checked the boot priority settings in your PC's BIOS so that the CD ROM is #1 before any hard drive?

If you want to be sure that that PC will boot from the CD, disconnect all HDs leaving only the CD live.

Re: old hard drive problem
 

I have checked the bios and even tried to do it from the "del, F2 menu"but... I didn't get the "press spacebar to boot from cd" message but I will disconnect just the the c drive and see if that works......be back soon:)

whoooa that was scary:shocked:

disconnected c drive and left the suspect drive connected and put in the iso cd.......got left with a flashing cursor... mummy.... eventually it says "non system disc" pheww.. ok put in the xp cd...no problem......aaargh.....flashing cursor again.
OK reconnect c drive.....reboot....oh eck.. flashing curser "non system disc"... panic:(
It now dawns on me that when I tried to burn a cd from media player yesterday it said fit a burner. this was a result of updating the drivers for my video card (nvidia 9800gt)
so at present I have disconnected the spare drive but windows is not keen on my dvd burner.

Re: old hard drive problem
 

sounds like your bios is not keen on it either. Check the cables make sure they are all fitted correctly

Re: old hard drive problem
 

the optical drive does actually work i.e. I have just used a prog called final burner with no problems and windows will actually read whatever is in the drive??? it just doesnt seem to want to boot from it?
I'll give it another try with the suspect drive disconnected


tried again got the "press anykey to boot from cd" (where's the anykey:D) got a wireless keyboard aven't I :dozey: so nothing happened.:mad::mad: getting a bit peeved now.
have downloaded some new firmware for the drive will try that. I mean, what's the worst that can happen??

well, nothing happened it wouldn't run, it said "remove disc from drive" there isn't any disc in the drive. Ho HUm

I think this is a combination of problems.

Re: old hard drive problem
 

North Korea launches a nucleur attack on South Korea. The USA launches a tactical nucleur strike on the north. China decides they are having none of it and launches a full strike against the United States and their allies.The US and Allied forces respond with a all out nucleur strike on China. Putin being the old commie he is launches a full strike against the west who in turn launches the remaining arsenal against the Russians leaving the world un inhabitable for while ..... lol

Re: old hard drive problem
 

yeah... but... I mean.... it could be worse:D

Re: old hard drive problem
 

still no further forward, no safe start, dvd not burning in windows media player:mad:

Re: old hard drive problem
 

try a new cable

Re: old hard drive problem
 

good point - make sure, especially, that you are using an 80 connector cable, not a 40 connector one :)

http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/if/id...Cable80-c.html

and that the correct 'ends' are plugged into the mobo & drive, respectively - and the appropriate master/slave/cable select jumpers are set on the drive :)

Re: old hard drive problem
 

erm.. it's a sata dvd drive, and works for burning and playing with other software (final burner for example)but won't burn in wmp?? It did before I updated my graphic card, I think it's something to do with ATAPI settings??never mind I can live without that.
It's the not booting from cd and the safe start that's a worry.:(
I will connect a keyboard in and try again later.

Re: old hard drive problem
 

sorry, I thought you were still trying to get the 80GB Seagate drive installed ...

Re: old hard drive problem
 

it's ok :) my fault, me not being clear, it's three problems at once and I thought they might be linked.
If I can get the pc to boot from the cd I can run the software to sort the old hard drive:)