The boat ate my hard-drive

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  • redbopeep
    Schooner Fixer-Upper
    • Dec 2005
    • 1204

    The boat ate my hard-drive

    OK, it was all the dust in the boatyard I'm sure. Everyday, I've been taking my notebook computer to the yard, setting it up in the shed and keeping it running all day so I can handle email/business related things while I'm there at the yard working on the boat. This allows my husband and I to work on the boat all day but still be employed.

    Its an old computer (2003-ish), this whole thing should come as no surprise...

    Well, today, XP's blue screen came up and said something about a fatal error. Tried to restart. The thing says it has no OS. So, now I'm trying to figure out how to drag my Shuttle (SFF) back and forth while leaving a monitor at the yard. Of course, the Shuttle also happens to have a couple grand in high end labview card/software in it. I'd hate to have it go walking (whereas the notebook was pretty much junk...)

    I can buy a new hard drive and do have most the data elsewhere--but many of the program files I need are on CDs in storage in the DC area and of course, I'm in CA...one of the more important things I need is the "Image" of the OS that the computer came with--and of course, that's back in storage, too...argh.

    Always something...
    "The only noble thing a man can do with money is to build a schooner." -– Robert Louis Stevenson.
    What we're doing now--with the boat and the Schooner Chandlery
  • Henning 4148
    Senior Member
    • Nov 2001
    • 2939

    #2
    Re: The boat ate my hard-drive

    Actually, I would doubt that dust killed the harddrive as harddrives tend to be very well sealed. I would guess it might have been age or vibration or temperature. Or it is not completely gone but only partly.

    You might start the machine under Knopix from CD and see if you can access the drive then. If yes - back up everything that is important.

    There is one thing you might try (amoung many others) - if you have an installation or repair disk for your operation system available or at least an MS-DOS. It is "fdisk /MBR". It will repair your master boot record (a defect master boot record would also cause problems similar to what you describe).

    If nothing works - get a new or used junk notebook. Sounds right for the environment.

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    • redbopeep
      Schooner Fixer-Upper
      • Dec 2005
      • 1204

      #3
      Re: The boat ate my hard-drive

      Yea...age is more likely the culprit . Circa 2002 hard drive. It was on borrowed time.

      I do have a CD boot linux boot disk, but no go with this HD, its gone. Took the HD out of the notebook, (and yes, boatyard sawdust and regular dust had made their way into the notebook case but not near the HD, hooked it up to a niftly little USB device my hubby has that can take sata/3.5ide/2.5ide and some other kinda hd...nope, no go. This little drive has given up the ghost.

      The notebook computer is still in pretty good shape, so I'll just get another HD and load up the software again.
      "The only noble thing a man can do with money is to build a schooner." -– Robert Louis Stevenson.
      What we're doing now--with the boat and the Schooner Chandlery

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