Suspected dead HD

I suspect I have a dead hard drive in my Preserio 2100. It won't boot to
Windows, and when I boot to the XP Recovery Console and run CHKDSK, it hangs
at 20%.

Are there any other techniques I can use to confirm it's dead? I don't care
about the data, just want to make sure the drive isn't salvageable before I
go get a new one.

Thanks

 

find out the make of your hard drive, go to the company's website and
download their diagnostic tools.
mine died yesterday 160gig of data all gone ( good new is that the
company i got it from will replace it even though i have had it for 7 months

 

It's a Compaq. According to their tech support, their diagnostic tools for
DOS only run on Desktop computers, not Laptops. Their diagnostic tools for
Laptops are only for Windows. :-/

The funny part was when they had me download Hitatchi's diagnostic tool...
....which doesn't work with Compaq drives. *sigh*

 

Compaq don't produce HD's AFAIK.
Anyway my Compaq Laptop HD is by IBM and yup a DOS based diag tool is
available.
It's been a while but Compaq had a site which detailed *ALL* the hardware of
a particular Laptop Model where you could find details on the Model/Brand of
HD and ofourse order spare parts if required.

 

Try SpinRite, not cheap but very good: http://www.grc.com

 

Looks like you're right. It's a Toshiba drive.

Unfortunately...

"Toshiba doesn't have a license to bundle any Disk Manager or diagnostic
software with the HDD at the time of supply.
We also do not distribute this software as a separate item."

SpinRite it is!

 

I find it hard to believe a manufacturer of OEM drives only supply these to
OEM's therefore by default would offer some sort of Disk Manager/Diagnostics
.... it's ridiculous that they need a license to assure the functionality [or
test the same] of their devices! Anyway goodluck but I'll look a little
deeper as you may find a free-ware diagnostic tool out there.

SpinRite was free at one point specifically for ZIP drives if memeory serves
me!?

 

I was walking down the street, minding my own business, when on Tue,

They don't actually make anything they slap together. It's all
outsourced and they rebrand. That's why everything they put together
is junk.

You must have an ancient laptop, IBM sold off their hard drive
division to Hitachi after the Deskstar debacle. You can get all their
diag tools from Hitachi now.

They still do, but their systems are still overpriced junk.

Dr Harvie Wahl-Banghor

 

Mmm I beg to differ on that. I have a Presario 1830 which I've had for
around 4 years and it's rock solid after taking around the world as a
commissioning tool.
The only thying that broke was the floppy when I threw the bag in the back
of a truck but easily got a replcement for 25 quid.

Yeah she's old but works fine even plays DivX/XviD/DVD's with no issue.

Yeah over priced it was at $3000 in NY but to buy the same model in the UK
at that time was over 3k GBP

 

I remember my old 486 from digital called long distance one time a long
long time ago way back when whoo 486 were cool. got I am sorry sir were
multi-vender forgot what I paid back then for that call. Great I wasted
x number of dollars to find out they could figure that out eighter well
hell he he, I already knew that I didn't back then eighter great. thanks
for the extra on the phone bill for nothing back then in what 1985. he he

mult vender: were not to sure who created that silly thing, but if you
figure out how to get it to run please call back and expalain it to us
at the company Please Please dear lord he he!!!