Can motherboard cause HDD to die?

RIV@NVX · Apr 25, 2005, 02:58 PM

I'm having problems with HDD(s) on my brother's computer.
First, his 80GB Western Digital drive started making strange repeating noises. It was something wrong with it, but I found out that it was only if you read (or write to) a specific part of the drive. Well, stuff like that happens.
Second, a 10GB drive I plugged in it recently started to act very similarily! I know this drive is old, but I have never had problems with it and it's hard to believe it's just a pure coincidence.

The problem is that he is buying a new drive and I'm wondering what to do. Is there a high risk that this HDD will die in same way? Can mainboard destroy hard drives just like that? Or is it just ridiculous to think that?

(I googled for this, but I couldn't find anything on this.)

No_Style · Apr 25, 2005, 04:32 PM

Explain these noises. Is it like clicking? I've had problems with Western Digital drives dying on me.

I wouldn't put in another HDD unless I tested the two HDDs in another PC.

Sorry if I couldn't be of any help, since I've never encountered an issue like this before.

The_Neon_Cowboy · Apr 25, 2005, 05:29 PM

You power supply can kill your HDD, but you mobo really can't...
(unless you short it out with a coke or something lol)
It's verry unlikely but not otally impossable... it could damage the drive....
if it can it would be the 1st i've herd of it....

But if the ide controler "could" be going out could couse odd things

could be the motor, head hitting the platter, stf parking noise etc...

some drives are just noisey! older bearing motors are for sure ...
newer drives use a fluid bearing systems and are much quieter

whats it sound like...?

Logla · Apr 25, 2005, 06:28 PM

its more likely to be an external influence - anything like a speaker or a tv anywhere nearby?

Tipstaff · Apr 26, 2005, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Neon_Cowboy

You power supply can kill your HDD, but you mobo really can't...
(unless you short it out with a coke or something lol)
It's verry unlikely but not otally impossable... it could damage the drive....
if it can it would be the 1st i've herd of it....

But if the ide controler "could" be going out could couse odd things

could be the motor, head hitting the platter, stf parking noise etc...

some drives are just noisey! older bearing motors are for sure ...
newer drives use a fluid bearing systems and are much quieter

whats it sound like...?

I have to agree with Neon here. It's most likely that one of the read heads are either hitting the plater, or are making noise when they return to their 'parked' position. This can happen over time from improper shutdowns, power failures, and such, as well as from normal wear and tear. The normal routine when you shut your PC down is to wait 15 secs for the read heads to 'park' themselves. If you turn the system back on too soon, or consistantly hit the reset button to reboot, you can damage the read heads, or at least the mechanizim that drives them (cuz the read heads will constantly move back and forth from parked to reading to parked when this happens.. and they can hit the platter as it slows down.. and so on and so on).

I shoud mention that certain brands of drives have a tendancy to do certain things over time. Maxtor (specifically the ones made in the old Quantum plants), Quantum, and WD drives start to make this 'clicking' sound over time (as well as Samsung btw), while Seagate and Fujitsu tend to have motor or platter 'whining' problems.

Is it normal? Depends on the age of the drive, and manufacturer. But, as has been suggested, the PSU can also screw with things, so if you are worried about this then buying a new PSU before (or at the same time) you buy a new hard drive might be a good investment for you. Also, if the WD drive is still under warranty that might be a good place to start. To check if it's still under warranty try THIS site. If it doesn't show up, or comes up with an error give their RMA department a buzz.

-Tip

RIV@NVX · Apr 26, 2005, 08:09 AM

Ahh... you made me less worried now.

Good.
Anyway, I have new PSU lying around waiting to get installed in this PC. I'm also going to try these HDDs in another computer, it could bring some interesting results.
However, as Neon mentioned - it could be a problem of a IDE controller; that MoBo has Promise integrated ATA133 one - could it be that it's dying and causing the problem? I have no idea how could I find that out...
I will also flash it with stock BIOS instead of modified one it currently uses if it can be the cause of the problem, but I doubt.

Judas · Apr 26, 2005, 03:35 PM

i had a motherboard trash a hardrive and a cd-rom drive...... not completely sure but there was something wrong with the southbridge chip itself, did something to the drives made them completely stop working. a short most likely across the ide cables ended up messing up the firmware or the drivers ide interface itself somehow...

it's possible.. anything is possible.. just really rare....

RIV@NVX · Apr 28, 2005, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tipstaff

I shoud mention that certain brands of drives have a tendancy to do certain things over time. Maxtor (specifically the ones made in the old Quantum plants), Quantum, and WD drives start to make this 'clicking' sound over time (as well as Samsung btw), while Seagate and Fujitsu tend to have motor or platter 'whining' problems.

That's interesting... I hade experiences only with WDs making clicking noise: I know they are problematic when they do so.
Now I have brand new Seagate SATA drive and it's making really high pitched noise, not when it reads, only when it's idle. Is this normal?

Quote:

Is it normal? Depends on the age of the drive, and manufacturer. But, as has been suggested, the PSU can also screw with things, so if you are worried about this then buying a new PSU before (or at the same time) you buy a new hard drive might be a good investment for you. Also, if the WD drive is still under warranty that might be a good place to start. To check if it's still under warranty try THIS site. If it doesn't show up, or comes up with an error give their RMA department a buzz.

This 80GB drive is still under warranty! They refused to replace it at the store since they offer 1 year warranty, and not three years (they changed it couple of months after I bought the drive.
Anyway, do you have experience in RMAing? What should exactly I do now? Do I just send them my old drive and get new one (by mail) or?

Tipstaff · Apr 28, 2005, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIV@NVX

That's interesting... I hade experiences only with WDs making clicking noise: I know they are problematic when they do so.
Now I have brand new Seagate SATA drive and it's making really high pitched noise, not when it reads, only when it's idle. Is this normal?

It can be, yes. The platters themselves rotate a such high speeds, and is proably what's making the noise (not to mention it's probably vibrating the case a bit). Even though the read heads are parked when not reading the platters are still rotating, but at a slower RPM than in read mode. One thing I've found is that you should use all 4 screws to mount the drive, and try to mount it lower on the inside of the case (has to do with it's center of gravity). This will help reduce the vibration from the drive transferring to the case (the case will amplify the vibrations of the drive.. since the case is more stable at the bottom the vibration from the drive will be lessened).

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIV@NVX

This 80GB drive is still under warranty! They refused to replace it at the store since they offer 1 year warranty, and not three years (they changed it couple of months after I bought the drive.
Anyway, do you have experience in RMAing? What should exactly I do now? Do I just send them my old drive and get new one (by mail) or?

If the place you bought it from is refusing to help you out then the only course of action is to contact WD themselves, specifically their RMA department. They will first determine if the drive needs to be returned, and if so, then they will give you an RMA number, as well as a mailing address and specific instructions on mailing it to them (like packaging material to use, getting insurance on it, and so fourth). Then it's a matter of waiting.

Normally, at least with me, all I need to do is either contact my supplier for a replacement, or I contact the original manufacturer. Essentially I do all the work for the customer. If those guys are refusing to do so.. then I wouldn't purchase from them again. To me, that's poor customer service. Having said that though, I personally only tell the customers to do it themselves if they've seriously annoyed the crap outta me, like blaming me for the problem, loudly too, or are cheap sobs. I really don't need this type of customer cuz it's not worth my time to help these types out. It takes a lot to get me into that type of mood.. so normally I'll replace it.

Anyways, check WDs site for their RMA contact info, and givem a shout.

-Tip