Symptoms of hardware failure or system file corruption may include: • Your computer won’t boot • You receive error messages such as “Hard disk drive failure”, “Hard drive disk not found”, “Boot disk not found” • A secondary drive won’t show up or allow you to see files Here’s what to do: • Backup data if possible. • If you’ve recently installed software or made system changes, perform a system rollback (if Windows will boot). [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_Restore] • Perform Check Disk (Chkdsk) from the recovery console. [http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654] • Check the BIOS to be sure it detects the drive. • Check all connections and verify no pins are loose or bent. If possible, replace the power source and cable to verify that’s not the problem. • Run diagnostics as included with your system. If none are provided, check your hard drive manufacturer’s website. [http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287] • A USB adapter kit will allow you to plug in the drive via USB, or you can install it on another system as a slave. Try to perform any of the above steps. • If it’s your C drive, reinstall Windows. If it’ still out of service, you have to make a decision: • If your data is not that important, you can reformat. At this point, you should be sure to keep a backup of all files as this drive may be dying. • If your data is valuable, you can pursue data recovery. There is software available on the internet, or if the problem is severe, you can consult an expert; they can provide an estimate in advance so you can decide whether to spend the money.
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