Boot Failure: System Halted

Hi,
I am fearful that my computer's harddrive may have bit the dust. The
message that comes up after the blue Intel Inside screen is:

Boot Failure: System Halted

Does this usually mean the harddrive has died? Or are there any other
possible reasons? Also, if it is the harddrive, is it possible to extract
precious data from it?
This is a ~3 yr old Western Digital 40GB drive.

Thanks in advance,
DL

DL

On Thu, 19 Feb 2004 23:25:38 GMT, DL wrote:

>Hi,
>I am fearful that my computer's harddrive may have bit the dust. The
>message that comes up after the blue Intel Inside screen is:
>
> Boot Failure: System Halted
>
>Does this usually mean the harddrive has died? Or are there any other
>possible reasons? Also, if it is the harddrive, is it possible to extract
>precious data from it?
>This is a ~3 yr old Western Digital 40GB drive.

First thing to try - unplug the computer, open the case and make sure all
connections to the drive are tight. Then see if it will boot.

>
>Thanks in advance,
>DL
>

--
What we need are a couple of good hangings.
-- FTC Chairman Orson Swindle, on email spam

Mara

> Does this usually mean the harddrive has died?
NO

Or are there any other possible reasons?
Loose IDE cable, no power to HD, virus, or a screwed MBR

>Also, if it is the harddrive, is it possible to extract precious data from
it?
Yes, sometimes it can be copied relatively easily... are different software
packs available to grab data off a buggerd HD, however, if it is crucial
data you are much better to have a pro reclaim it but it costs mucho danaro.

--
br1ght
_____________________________
"DL" <> wrote in message
news:SBbZb.222520$U%5.1348175@attbi_s03...
> Hi,
> I am fearful that my computer's harddrive may have bit the dust. The
> message that comes up after the blue Intel Inside screen is:
>
> Boot Failure: System Halted
>
> Does this usually mean the harddrive has died? Or are there any other
> possible reasons? Also, if it is the harddrive, is it possible to extract
> precious data from it?
> This is a ~3 yr old Western Digital 40GB drive.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> DL
>
>

br1ght

If you've got a FAT32 file system, boot from a boot disk & see if
anything is there.

"Mara" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Thu, 19 Feb 2004 23:25:38 GMT, DL wrote:
>
> >Hi,
> >I am fearful that my computer's harddrive may have bit the dust.
The
> >message that comes up after the blue Intel Inside screen is:
> >
> > Boot Failure: System Halted
> >
> >Does this usually mean the harddrive has died? Or are there any
other
> >possible reasons? Also, if it is the harddrive, is it possible to
extract
> >precious data from it?
> >This is a ~3 yr old Western Digital 40GB drive.
>
> First thing to try - unplug the computer, open the case and make
sure all
> connections to the drive are tight. Then see if it will boot.
>
> >
> >Thanks in advance,
> >DL
> >
>
> --
> What we need are a couple of good hangings.
> -- FTC Chairman Orson Swindle, on email spam

Paper Weight

Intended for op.

"Paper Weight" <> wrote in message
news:ZGcZb.67273$...
> If you've got a FAT32 file system, boot from a boot disk & see if
> anything is there.
>
> "Mara" <> wrote in message
> news:...
> > On Thu, 19 Feb 2004 23:25:38 GMT, DL wrote:
> >
> > >Hi,
> > >I am fearful that my computer's harddrive may have bit the dust.
> The
> > >message that comes up after the blue Intel Inside screen is:
> > >
> > > Boot Failure: System Halted
> > >
> > >Does this usually mean the harddrive has died? Or are there any
> other
> > >possible reasons? Also, if it is the harddrive, is it possible to
> extract
> > >precious data from it?
> > >This is a ~3 yr old Western Digital 40GB drive.
> >
> > First thing to try - unplug the computer, open the case and make
> sure all
> > connections to the drive are tight. Then see if it will boot.
> >
> > >
> > >Thanks in advance,
> > >DL
> > >
> >
> > --
> > What we need are a couple of good hangings.
> > -- FTC Chairman Orson Swindle, on email spam
>
>

Linda

On Thu, 19 Feb 2004 23:25:38 GMT, "DL" <> wrote:

>Hi,
>I am fearful that my computer's harddrive may have bit the dust. The
>message that comes up after the blue Intel Inside screen is:
>
> Boot Failure: System Halted
>
>Does this usually mean the harddrive has died?
Not exclusively. The MBR (Master Boot Record) could be corrupted or damaged however.
If you'd bothered to post your OS, I could have bothered telling you how to easily repair the MBR.

>Or are there any other possible reasons?
Loose cables, viral infection, etc.

>Also, if it is the harddrive, is it possible to extract precious data from it?
In today's world, anything is possible. If the drive still works mechanically, then it is not only possible, but it is
quite probable and fairly economical. If the drive doesn't spin, then the costs go up.

>This is a ~3 yr old Western Digital 40GB drive.
Not typically in the failure range, but mileage has more to do with it than does age.

>
>Thanks in advance,
>DL

Does the BIOS recognize the drive?
Repair the MBR.
Check the cabling.
Check it from a boot disk or bootable CD OS like Knoppix or Super WinPE (that one's a bit obscure, but she's a beauty).
Switch it to another controller.
Switch it to another computer.
Run Western Digital diagnostics tools on it.
http://support.wdc.com/download/index.asp#diagutils


Choose life.
Choose a job.
Choose a career.
Choose a family,
And so on...

Harrison

Update on what was found. I took your suggestions and reseated cables.
Also made a bootable floppy and tried to boot from that. No success. It
says C: is an invalid drive. I do notice a sound coming from the harddrive
that suggests that it is *trying* to spin for about 5 seconds and then it
stops. Does this likely mean that the harddrive is un-recoverable?

Thanks for any advice you might have,
Dave

"br1ght" <nitrox_frogy[spamscrew]@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:WBcZb.4782$...
> > Does this usually mean the harddrive has died?
> NO
>
> Or are there any other possible reasons?
> Loose IDE cable, no power to HD, virus, or a screwed MBR
>
> >Also, if it is the harddrive, is it possible to extract precious data
from
> it?
> Yes, sometimes it can be copied relatively easily... are different
software
> packs available to grab data off a buggerd HD, however, if it is crucial
> data you are much better to have a pro reclaim it but it costs mucho
danaro.
>
> --
> br1ght
> _____________________________
> "DL" <> wrote in message
> news:SBbZb.222520$U%5.1348175@attbi_s03...
> > Hi,
> > I am fearful that my computer's harddrive may have bit the dust. The
> > message that comes up after the blue Intel Inside screen is:
> >
> > Boot Failure: System Halted
> >
> > Does this usually mean the harddrive has died? Or are there any other
> > possible reasons? Also, if it is the harddrive, is it possible to
extract
> > precious data from it?
> > This is a ~3 yr old Western Digital 40GB drive.
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> > DL
> >
> >
>
>

DL