Hard Drive Failure after Sleep

Hey guys,

I have a hardware issue which I'm unsure how to proceed. I would
appreciate any opinions on the matter. Thanks.

Comp Info:
Vista Home x64, auto-update for critical, OEM
ATI Video Card (regarding Sleep)

Event Flow:
1. Put computer to sleep. (iffy - sometimes resets resolution, 1-2
times caused harmless BSOD)
2. On wake up, computer shows distorted image and then BSODs.
3. resets to bios, but doesn't complete the bios progressbar (not sure
if this is for POST)
4. Hard Drive(s) start to click.

I may be wrong, but seems like a simple case of hard drive failure, but
it was directly caused by Vista, which has been known to have problems
with Sleep. I don't remember checking/signing any Vista-hardware
liability waiver, so is Microsoft liable for the hard drive failure
since the risk was not eliminated by a critical update?


--
arrgh

How do you know your hard drive has failed? What diagnostics have you run
to check hard drive, memory, video card, etc?

"arrgh" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> Hey guys,
>
> I have a hardware issue which I'm unsure how to proceed. I would
> appreciate any opinions on the matter. Thanks.
>
> Comp Info:
> Vista Home x64, auto-update for critical, OEM
> ATI Video Card (regarding Sleep)
>
> Event Flow:
> 1. Put computer to sleep. (iffy - sometimes resets resolution, 1-2
> times caused harmless BSOD)
> 2. On wake up, computer shows distorted image and then BSODs.
> 3. resets to bios, but doesn't complete the bios progressbar (not sure
> if this is for POST)
> 4. Hard Drive(s) start to click.
>
> I may be wrong, but seems like a simple case of hard drive failure, but
> it was directly caused by Vista, which has been known to have problems
> with Sleep. I don't remember checking/signing any Vista-hardware
> liability waiver, so is Microsoft liable for the hard drive failure
> since the risk was not eliminated by a critical update?
>
>
> --
> arrgh

Eh?
Software doesnt cause any hd mechanical failure, excepting sometimes
firmware supplied by a hd mftr can cause a drive to stop working (was it
WD?)
Drivers updated from the wrong places can cause hw not to work, but not
directly fail
Critical updates have nothing to do with hw

Sounds more like something is wrong with your Vista installation & or
drivers, though a clicking hd may just be a secondry problem
Your hd mnftr supplies a bootable floppy/cd from their site with which to
test a hd

"arrgh" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> Hey guys,
>
> I have a hardware issue which I'm unsure how to proceed. I would
> appreciate any opinions on the matter. Thanks.
>
> Comp Info:
> Vista Home x64, auto-update for critical, OEM
> ATI Video Card (regarding Sleep)
>
> Event Flow:
> 1. Put computer to sleep. (iffy - sometimes resets resolution, 1-2
> times caused harmless BSOD)
> 2. On wake up, computer shows distorted image and then BSODs.
> 3. resets to bios, but doesn't complete the bios progressbar (not sure
> if this is for POST)
> 4. Hard Drive(s) start to click.
>
> I may be wrong, but seems like a simple case of hard drive failure, but
> it was directly caused by Vista, which has been known to have problems
> with Sleep. I don't remember checking/signing any Vista-hardware
> liability waiver, so is Microsoft liable for the hard drive failure
> since the risk was not eliminated by a critical update?
>
>
> --
> arrgh

Thanks guys for your input

I'm not sure if this is entirely correct, but from my understanding, Sleep/Hibernation has a unique interaction with the hardware. Upon activation of the sleep state, the software turns off all processes, but still needs to draw a small amount of power to maintain the memory state. The system shuts down all other devices, such as the video card, hard drives, etc. so that it can run on the lowest possible amount of power. Restoring the power turns back on all devices simultaneously, but in Vista, it is not always in order of dependencies. By not having certain dependencies for devices/system processes, this commonly results in a BSOD

Regardless of the accuracy of the above rationale, my hard drive is clicking, which means the head is not in the correct place, and is going beyond the platter, and hitting the inside of the hard drive enclosure. I believe this is a hardware issue since BIOS doesn't even finish POSTing, and disconnecting the offending drive allows for the system to at least POST

I'm going to try the freezer trick (which probably won't reset the head -but why not?), but maybe I'll be irrationally lucky. In the case that this works, I was wondering if there was a particular boot utility I would have to use to get transfer the files onto a USB drive. (I have the Ultimate Boot CD but not sure which program to use in this case) Thanks for any suggestions/help.


Post Originated from Vista Support Forums

Technically no, the clicking doesn't have to mean that. I've heard the same
from drives with bad platen motors as well as drives that have a corrupt
spot but are otherwise okay ... and from drives that are completely okay,
just noisy. :-) I repeat, what diagnostics have you done? Before you
start getting radical and tearing things apart, why not do some meaningful
testing first?

"arrgh" wrote in message news:#...
> Thanks guys for your input.
>
> I'm not sure if this is entirely correct, but from my understanding,
> Sleep/Hibernation has a unique interaction with the hardware. Upon
> activation of the sleep state, the software turns off all processes, but
> still needs to draw a small amount of power to maintain the memory state.
> The system shuts down all other devices, such as the video card, hard
> drives, etc. so that it can run on the lowest possible amount of power.
> Restoring the power turns back on all devices simultaneously, but in
> Vista, it is not always in order of dependencies. By not having certain
> dependencies for devices/system processes, this commonly results in a
> BSOD.
>
> Regardless of the accuracy of the above rationale, my hard drive is
> clicking, which means the head is not in the correct place, and is going
> beyond the platter, and hitting the inside of the hard drive enclosure. I
> believe this is a hardware issue since BIOS doesn't even finish POSTing,
> and disconnecting the offending drive allows for the system to at least
> POST.
>
> I'm going to try the freezer trick (which probably won't reset the
> head -but why not?), but maybe I'll be irrationally lucky. In the case
> that this works, I was wondering if there was a particular boot utility I
> would have to use to get transfer the files onto a USB drive. (I have the
> Ultimate Boot CD but not sure which program to use in this case) Thanks
> for any suggestions/help.
>
>
> Post Originated from Vista Support Forums

I am not sure that I understand what you wrote. May I infer that the drive
does not "Click" if you simply start from power off and do not, at any time
after, put the computer into "hibernation"?

Tom

"arrgh" wrote in message news:%...
> Thanks guys for your input.
>
> I'm not sure if this is entirely correct, but from my understanding,
> Sleep/Hibernation has a unique interaction with the hardware. Upon
> activation of the sleep state, the software turns off all processes, but
> still needs to draw a small amount of power to maintain the memory state.
> The system shuts down all other devices, such as the video card, hard
> drives, etc. so that it can run on the lowest possible amount of power.
> Restoring the power turns back on all devices simultaneously, but in
> Vista, it is not always in order of dependencies. By not having certain
> dependencies for devices/system processes, this commonly results in a
> BSOD.
>
> Regardless of the accuracy of the above rationale, my hard drive is
> clicking, which means the head is not in the correct place, and is going
> beyond the platter, and hitting the inside of the hard drive enclosure. I
> believe this is a hardware issue since BIOS doesn't even finish POSTing,
> and disconnecting the offending drive allows for the system to at least
> POST.
>
> I'm going to try the freezer trick (which probably won't reset the
> head -but why not?), but maybe I'll be irrationally lucky. In the case
> that this works, I was wondering if there was a particular boot utility I
> would have to use to get transfer the files onto a USB drive. (I have the
> Ultimate Boot CD but not sure which program to use in this case) Thanks
> for any suggestions/help.
>
>
> Post Originated from Vista Support Forums

>
> "arrgh" wrote in message news:%...
>> Thanks guys for your input.
>>
>> I'm not sure if this is entirely correct, but from my understanding,
>> Sleep/Hibernation has a unique interaction with the hardware. Upon
>> activation of the sleep state, the software turns off all processes, but
>> still needs to draw a small amount of power to maintain the memory state.
>> The system shuts down all other devices, such as the video card, hard
>> drives, etc. so that it can run on the lowest possible amount of power.
>> Restoring the power turns back on all devices simultaneously, but in
>> Vista, it is not always in order of dependencies. By not having certain
>> dependencies for devices/system processes, this commonly results in a
>> BSOD.
>>
>> Regardless of the accuracy of the above rationale, my hard drive is
>> clicking, which means the head is not in the correct place, and is going
>> beyond the platter, and hitting the inside of the hard drive enclosure. I
>> believe this is a hardware issue since BIOS doesn't even finish POSTing,
>> and disconnecting the offending drive allows for the system to at least
>> POST.
>>
>> I'm going to try the freezer trick (which probably won't reset the
>> head -but why not?), but maybe I'll be irrationally lucky. In the case
>> that this works, I was wondering if there was a particular boot utility I
>> would have to use to get transfer the files onto a USB drive. (I have the
>> Ultimate Boot CD but not sure which program to use in this case) Thanks
>> for any suggestions/help.
>>
>>
>> Post Originated from Vista Support Forums
>

When your computer is in hibernation it does not maintain the memory state.
The status of your apps (including data that has not otherwise been save)
is recorded in the HYBERFILL file in your root directory (usually c.
The only standby current available is the very low current that is required
to boot your computer, when you press the start button. Your settings
are then restored from the HYBERFILL file. That file is of the same size
as the RAM installe don your computer.

--

You may have a defective hard drive which you should backup fast in case
of a total failure.