[Ham-Computers] RE: BIG Question

[Hsu, Aaron (NBC Universal)]

Gene,

>From what you describe, it sounds like the PS regulation failed and probably
took out the MB, CPU, and hard drive.  Or an equivalent power surge came
through and took out all three.  Highly doubtful that a virus caused this as
virii rarely (if ever) cause hardware failures.

If you need to get the data off the original drive, try installing it as a
slave in a completely different computer (thus eliminating anything in the
original computer as a failure point).  A virus might cause the constant
re-boots, but more details as to when it reboots would be needed.  Also, if
the new OS installation boots fine and is virus-free without the original
drive installed, then virii on the original drive should not affect the boot
sequence as the slave is not accessed during OS boot-up (except for
detection).

You might also want to replace the drive cables.  Also, how did you install
the original drive - as a slave on the primary controller, or as a master or
slave on the secondary controller?  Try installing it as the only drive on
the secondary controller to eliminate any possible interaction with another
drive in the chain.  Also make sure that the jumper settings are correct on
the original drive.  All IDE drives need to be set as either a Master or
Slave (or Cable Select if you have a compatible cable).  Some drives (such
as Western Digital) have a specific jumper setting if it's the *only* drive
in the chain (so there are 3 jumper settings - actually, 4 if you include
the cable select setting).

Another option would be to get an external USB chassis for the original
drive.  They're handy to have anyway for troubleshooting - saves you the
time of needing to pop the cover open to test a drive.

73,

  - Aaron, NN6O


-----Original Message-----
From: ham-computers-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:ham-computers-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Gene WØQFC 
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 2:23 PM
To: ham-computers at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Ham-Computers] BIG Question


I just run into something that has me puzzled.
I have a computer that was dead - would not boot - and found that the PS was
shot. Replace the PS and still no boot. Replaced the CPU and still no boot.
Replace the MOBO (with new CPU) and still no boot. Replace the HDD and it
now boots. (I worked backwards and used the original MOBO & CPU, but they
were BOTH shot). DUH!!!!!! Anyway, after I installed WIN XP on a replacement
HDD and got the machine going again, I hooked up the original HDD as a slave
and guess what? It would not boot! It would go through the POST and then
keep re-booting itself. Take out the Original HDD and viola! - it works.
Sooooooo, the big question is: could a virus cause the problem with the
machine not booting? 
(I think that the PS going west was something would have happened anyway,
but not sure if it had anything to do with sending the MOBO & CPU out West).
I would not worry about it but there is stuff on the original HDD that needs
to be recovered.... Any ideas out there????

Gene, WØQFC
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