HELP! My computer has gone crazy! (HD Siren Noise) - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

SecretMethod70 · 02-24-2004, 12:22 AM

Wow. What a difference a weekend makes.

Friday, I was using my computer as usual. Absolutely nothing wrong. I went to class and then dinner and then came back to find my internet to no longer be working. Since I had it turned off earlier this year for downloading too much I figured that was the case again and submitted a work ticket to figure out what was up and what I could do to resolve the situation.

Today, I received a call from the resnet people and they told me that my port was not turned off intentionally. So, I tested one of my roommate's comps on my internet port, and his comp worked fine. Then I tested mine on his internet port which had been working fine. Mine did not work. So, to figure out if it was a software or hardware problem, I rebooted and loaded Knoppix. Knoppix did not detect the network, so that told me that it wasn't some Windows thing but, instead, a hardware issue. Being a hardware issue, I deduced that it was either my network card or my ethernet cable.

When my Software Engineering major roommate returned for the evening, I borrowed one of his extra network cards to do some testing. I figured, if my internet works with his working network card, then it's my card. Otherwise, it's my cable. So, I shut down my then-working-perfectly-except-internet computer, unplugged everything, and opened it up. I grounded myself and carefully removed my network card and inserted his. I touched nothing but the 2 network cards.

I put my computer back upright, plugged everything back in, and turned the power back on. I was greeted with a sound much like one would expect in some sci-fi movie of a laser powering up. I put my ear to the computer to locate the sound and found that it was coming from one of my two hard drives. I immediately cut off power and listened to the "laser" sound slowly power down.

I cut off power from one hard drive and powered up again. Sound was still there. Power down. Switch which drive has power. Power up. Sound gone. I honestly don't remember which hard drive - the top or bottom - is the one I bought this summer in August, but I'm pretty sure the one making the sound is my older drive from when I first built the comp in August of 2001. I have never heard any clicking sounds or experienced any erradic behavior to suggest to me that it might be failing. And I've never heard of this "laser" sound being described as a symptom of a failing drive. Not to mention I have NO idea why it would suddenly do this, coincidentally after I swapped network cards, when only 15 minutes earlier my computer was working perfectly, with the exception of no internet access.

I powered up my computer again, with both hard drives powered since the "laser" one is the one with the OS, to continue to let it boot and, basically, with the intentions of quickly moving what little data I have on my older drive onto my larger, newer drive. It did not boot. In fact, it didn't even get all the way to the part where it checks for an OS. It never even checked the floppy or CD-ROM drives. In other words, as it seems, now the motherboard isn't booting properly. It gets about halfway through the boot process and presents me with a blank screen and a blinking line prompt.

Power down. I removed power from my "laser" drive and powered up again. This time, it gets to the part to check the CD-ROM drives. Still ends up giving me a blank screen and prompt in the end though.

Now that it's checking my CD-ROMs, I put Knoppix 3.3 in the drive and reboot. It makes it to the Knoppix boot options screen (if you're familiar with Knoppix you know what I'm talking about) and freezes there. I cannot input anything. I try again with DemoLinux 3.0. Same. I try again with the SuSE 8.2 LiveCD. Same.

Now, I'm at a loss. I've gone from no internet to, seemingly, a bad motherboard and a bad hard drive for no apparent reason whatsoever.

Please. Any ideas?

SecretMethod70 · 02-24-2004, 12:53 AM

Alright tried some more things. Forgot to mention that I was trying the Linux Live CD's without any hard drive powered. Apparently some hard drive is required. When the working one was given power, Knoppix loaded. Then, I tried it with both hard drives powered. Worked again. I've successfully transfered all my data on the "laser" hard drive over to the seemingly more functional one. The sound, obviously, is still persistent. Over time it quiets down a little bit but it has yet to stop at any given point. Next, after the transfer of data is finished, I will see if Windows will boot up again.

Incidentally, Knoppix still didn't detect the internet with the working network card of my roommate. But now I don't know if that's because of the ethernet cable or something else

SecretMethod70 · 02-24-2004, 01:26 AM

OK...Windows booted up, but it did so using 640x480 and 4 bit coloring. In the settings, no other options were given to change to.

*sigh* I'm at a loss what to try next

flamingpeach · 02-24-2004, 02:30 AM

what hard drive did it boot off of?

You probably need to reload the proper windows drivers in order to get your correct settings back.

good luck.

Silvy · 02-24-2004, 02:50 AM

The large part of your problems probably started when you turned your case on its side and switched the ethernet cards.
Make sure that all components in your case are secured tightly. Especially check the ram and IDE cables, these have a tendency to loosen up in my systems.
Next, why Knoppix would not detect your network: Knoppix assumes you have a DHCP setup, and will not assign an IP adress/gateway or such to your ethernet card. If your network requires any of these set manually, you will have to tell knoppix that. On the other hand: I've never gone the trouble to do that so I can't help you there.
To make sure you 'know' what is happening, change one thing at a time.
You know your friend's card works: so insert that, allow knoppix to boot and if you network still doesn't come up, you know that your previous conclusion (about the hardware issue, because knoppix didn't load the network) was unfounded.

I think your older harddrive is dying. While booting knoppix you can remove it (but you can leave the other) to prevent the 'laser' drive from halting your bios. (note: most 'halts' are just 3 minute 'waits')

When windows does that 640x480 thing, load up your original videocard drivers, that should return your settings to a more usable state.

I hope you get your system back!

SecretMethod70 · 02-24-2004, 04:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Silvy
The large part of your problems probably started when you turned your case on its side and switched the ethernet cards.
Make sure that all components in your case are secured tightly. Especially check the ram and IDE cables, these have a tendency to loosen up in my systems.

Yeah, checked all that, everything's in place

Quote:

Originally posted by Silvy
Next, why Knoppix would not detect your network: Knoppix assumes you have a DHCP setup, and will not assign an IP adress/gateway or such to your ethernet card. If your network requires any of these set manually, you will have to tell knoppix that. On the other hand: I've never gone the trouble to do that so I can't help you there.

My bad. Forgot to mention that normally Knoppix *should* work just fine. Our network does use DHCP. Knoppix still doesn't detect the network with the working ethernet card though, which it should do. Unless it's a problem related to the sound my hard drive was making, I think it may be the cable itself. It's over 130ft long so there's a lot of area for it to go wrong.

Since I was able to get into Windows I ran a disk scan and in the process of that checking for and fixing bad sectors the sound stopped. Unfortunately it doesn't tell you if it found any bad sectors so I don't know for a fact that there is a relation. I also defragged just for good measure. When I rebooted (with a full power down) the sound still didn't come back and Windows booted into 1600x1200 with normal amount of colors. Network, however, is still not detected.

Silvy · 02-24-2004, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SecretMethod70
Today, I received a call from the resnet people and they told me that my port was not turned off intentionally. So, I tested one of my roommate's comps on my internet port, and his comp worked fine.

Instead of switching comps, is it possible to switch cables?
I don't know how your machines are spatially set up, but perhaps you could use his cable in either your or his port to see if that fixes it.

Does windows report a problem with the network device?
(Control panel -> system -> Device Manager)*

And I'd lose the drive if I was you or at least make it your spare (non-OS) disk, as it could fail at anytime in the future...
And when it does... you'll say "but I was gonna replace it next week!"

*note: I don't run windows atm so I can't check

EDIT:

Quote:

Originally posted by SecretMethod70
My bad. Forgot to mention that normally Knoppix *should* work just fine. Our network does use DHCP. Knoppix still doesn't detect the network with the working ethernet card though, which it should do. Unless it's a problem related to the sound my hard drive was making, I think it may be the cable itself.

I agree, I think you're looking at two different problems here. The second one was probably caused by tilting the machine. (even though HD's should easily be able to handle that)

SecretMethod70 · 02-24-2004, 05:44 AM

OK, well, I figured out the internet problem. Looks like it is, in fact, the ethernet cable. I am posting this from my computer's temporary position located nearer to a ethernet port so I can use a different cable. Disappointing in some ways cause cutting and putting together my giant cable from the big spool my dad got from work was a pain in the butt, and now I'm back at square one figuring out how to get myself internet access from basically 2 rooms away without wasting too much money on something that I won't need probably after this year is over.

I don't get it though...even if the cable is 130+ft long and even if it did get pretty crimped when attempting to deal with it, it worked for nearly 6 months and was never touched, just staying in place running along the ceiling for the most part. Yet, now, for no apparent reason, without having been touched or anything, suddenly, after I go to dinner one day, it stops working

*sigh*

I guess all that remains of issue is why my hard drive suddenly made that crazy noise and why it has since stopped and not started again and is working seemingly perfectly again

Vanquish · 02-24-2004, 08:49 AM

Just try and Recrimp the ends of the cable, it might be that one of the wires got pulled out / a bad connection was made. About the HDD, I had a similar incident with my new 80gb SATA Drive, I had it for around a month, and it just crapped out one day after taking some stuff out of the box ( I was gentle too

) And much like yours, it just worked again for no apparent reason....Kinda odd I thought. Anyway Give the crimping a try, might save you some cash.

SecretMethod70 · 02-24-2004, 09:09 AM

yeah, I figure that's what I'll do first. Crimping is such a pain though!

SecretMethod70 · 06-12-2005, 04:01 AM

OK, so this thread was made about 15 months ago. The internet problem turned out to be from my cable and the sound from the hard drive just...stopped. Let's jump ahead to the present

....

As you can deduce, my computer worked perfectly fine for about 15 months since this fiasco. The hard drive no longer made the siren sound and everything else worked. Since this thread was created and everything started working again, I have moved my computer at least 5 times with no problems. Yesterday, I moved back home from my apartment at school. When I got home and set up my computer, I powered it up and there it was again. Power up the comp and the hard drive begins making a siren sound. Again, I have never heard my hard drive click and it has worked for 15 months since the last time it randomly decided to start making a siren noise.

The hard drive making the siren noise is also the hard drive with the OS installed on it. When I power up the comp, the hard drive begins the siren noise and the comp begins to boot up. It begins to load Windows and the comp restarts a short period of time after it makes it to the screen with the Windows logo and blue bar going back and forth. My Ubuntu live CD boots up fine and, despite not being able to boot up Windows from the hard drive, when using a LiveCD I can read from the hard drive just fine. I'm really not sure what's up or why it just decided to start making this noise again.

Anyone?

02-24-2004, 12:22 AM	#1 (permalink)
SecretMethod70 Human Administrator Location: Chicago	HELP! My computer has gone crazy! (HD Siren Noise) Wow. What a difference a weekend makes. Friday, I was using my computer as usual. Absolutely nothing wrong. I went to class and then dinner and then came back to find my internet to no longer be working. Since I had it turned off earlier this year for downloading too much I figured that was the case again and submitted a work ticket to figure out what was up and what I could do to resolve the situation. Today, I received a call from the resnet people and they told me that my port was not turned off intentionally. So, I tested one of my roommate's comps on my internet port, and his comp worked fine. Then I tested mine on his internet port which had been working fine. Mine did not work. So, to figure out if it was a software or hardware problem, I rebooted and loaded Knoppix. Knoppix did not detect the network, so that told me that it wasn't some Windows thing but, instead, a hardware issue. Being a hardware issue, I deduced that it was either my network card or my ethernet cable. When my Software Engineering major roommate returned for the evening, I borrowed one of his extra network cards to do some testing. I figured, if my internet works with his working network card, then it's my card. Otherwise, it's my cable. So, I shut down my then-working-perfectly-except-internet computer, unplugged everything, and opened it up. I grounded myself and carefully removed my network card and inserted his. I touched nothing but the 2 network cards. I put my computer back upright, plugged everything back in, and turned the power back on. I was greeted with a sound much like one would expect in some sci-fi movie of a laser powering up. I put my ear to the computer to locate the sound and found that it was coming from one of my two hard drives. I immediately cut off power and listened to the "laser" sound slowly power down. I cut off power from one hard drive and powered up again. Sound was still there. Power down. Switch which drive has power. Power up. Sound gone. I honestly don't remember which hard drive - the top or bottom - is the one I bought this summer in August, but I'm pretty sure the one making the sound is my older drive from when I first built the comp in August of 2001. I have never heard any clicking sounds or experienced any erradic behavior to suggest to me that it might be failing. And I've never heard of this "laser" sound being described as a symptom of a failing drive. Not to mention I have NO idea why it would suddenly do this, coincidentally after I swapped network cards, when only 15 minutes earlier my computer was working perfectly, with the exception of no internet access. I powered up my computer again, with both hard drives powered since the "laser" one is the one with the OS, to continue to let it boot and, basically, with the intentions of quickly moving what little data I have on my older drive onto my larger, newer drive. It did not boot. In fact, it didn't even get all the way to the part where it checks for an OS. It never even checked the floppy or CD-ROM drives. In other words, as it seems, now the motherboard isn't booting properly. It gets about halfway through the boot process and presents me with a blank screen and a blinking line prompt. Power down. I removed power from my "laser" drive and powered up again. This time, it gets to the part to check the CD-ROM drives. Still ends up giving me a blank screen and prompt in the end though. Now that it's checking my CD-ROMs, I put Knoppix 3.3 in the drive and reboot. It makes it to the Knoppix boot options screen (if you're familiar with Knoppix you know what I'm talking about) and freezes there. I cannot input anything. I try again with DemoLinux 3.0. Same. I try again with the SuSE 8.2 LiveCD. Same. Now, I'm at a loss. I've gone from no internet to, seemingly, a bad motherboard and a bad hard drive for no apparent reason whatsoever. Please. Any ideas? __________________ Le temps détruit tout "Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling

02-24-2004, 12:53 AM	#2 (permalink)
SecretMethod70 Human Administrator Location: Chicago	Alright tried some more things. Forgot to mention that I was trying the Linux Live CD's without any hard drive powered. Apparently some hard drive is required. When the working one was given power, Knoppix loaded. Then, I tried it with both hard drives powered. Worked again. I've successfully transfered all my data on the "laser" hard drive over to the seemingly more functional one. The sound, obviously, is still persistent. Over time it quiets down a little bit but it has yet to stop at any given point. Next, after the transfer of data is finished, I will see if Windows will boot up again. Incidentally, Knoppix still didn't detect the internet with the working network card of my roommate. But now I don't know if that's because of the ethernet cable or something else __________________ Le temps détruit tout "Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling

02-24-2004, 01:26 AM	#3 (permalink)
SecretMethod70 Human Administrator Location: Chicago	OK...Windows booted up, but it did so using 640x480 and 4 bit coloring. In the settings, no other options were given to change to. sigh I'm at a loss what to try next __________________ Le temps détruit tout "Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling

02-24-2004, 02:30 AM	#4 (permalink)
flamingpeach hip mama Location: redmond, washington	what hard drive did it boot off of? You probably need to reload the proper windows drivers in order to get your correct settings back. good luck. __________________ I've eaten my veggies all my life so bring it on, I am educated and strong for the revolution.

02-24-2004, 02:50 AM	#5 (permalink)
Silvy paranoid Location: The Netherlands	The large part of your problems probably started when you turned your case on its side and switched the ethernet cards. Make sure that all components in your case are secured tightly. Especially check the ram and IDE cables, these have a tendency to loosen up in my systems. Next, why Knoppix would not detect your network: Knoppix assumes you have a DHCP setup, and will not assign an IP adress/gateway or such to your ethernet card. If your network requires any of these set manually, you will have to tell knoppix that. On the other hand: I've never gone the trouble to do that so I can't help you there. To make sure you 'know' what is happening, change one thing at a time. You know your friend's card works: so insert that, allow knoppix to boot and if you network still doesn't come up, you know that your previous conclusion (about the hardware issue, because knoppix didn't load the network) was unfounded. I think your older harddrive is dying. While booting knoppix you can remove it (but you can leave the other) to prevent the 'laser' drive from halting your bios. (note: most 'halts' are just 3 minute 'waits') When windows does that 640x480 thing, load up your original videocard drivers, that should return your settings to a more usable state. I hope you get your system back! __________________ "Do not kill. Do not rape. Do not steal. These are principles which every man of every faith can embrace. " - Murphy MacManus (Boondock Saints)

02-24-2004, 05:44 AM	#8 (permalink)
SecretMethod70 Human Administrator Location: Chicago	OK, well, I figured out the internet problem. Looks like it is, in fact, the ethernet cable. I am posting this from my computer's temporary position located nearer to a ethernet port so I can use a different cable. Disappointing in some ways cause cutting and putting together my giant cable from the big spool my dad got from work was a pain in the butt, and now I'm back at square one figuring out how to get myself internet access from basically 2 rooms away without wasting too much money on something that I won't need probably after this year is over. I don't get it though...even if the cable is 130+ft long and even if it did get pretty crimped when attempting to deal with it, it worked for nearly 6 months and was never touched, just staying in place running along the ceiling for the most part. Yet, now, for no apparent reason, without having been touched or anything, suddenly, after I go to dinner one day, it stops working sigh I guess all that remains of issue is why my hard drive suddenly made that crazy noise and why it has since stopped and not started again and is working seemingly perfectly again __________________ Le temps détruit tout "Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling

02-24-2004, 08:49 AM	#9 (permalink)
Vanquish Insane Location: Truro, Nova Scotia	Just try and Recrimp the ends of the cable, it might be that one of the wires got pulled out / a bad connection was made. About the HDD, I had a similar incident with my new 80gb SATA Drive, I had it for around a month, and it just crapped out one day after taking some stuff out of the box ( I was gentle too ) And much like yours, it just worked again for no apparent reason....Kinda odd I thought. Anyway Give the crimping a try, might save you some cash.

02-24-2004, 09:09 AM	#10 (permalink)
SecretMethod70 Human Administrator Location: Chicago	yeah, I figure that's what I'll do first. Crimping is such a pain though! __________________ Le temps détruit tout "Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling

06-12-2005, 04:01 AM	#11 (permalink)
SecretMethod70 Human Administrator Location: Chicago	OK, so this thread was made about 15 months ago. The internet problem turned out to be from my cable and the sound from the hard drive just...stopped. Let's jump ahead to the present .... As you can deduce, my computer worked perfectly fine for about 15 months since this fiasco. The hard drive no longer made the siren sound and everything else worked. Since this thread was created and everything started working again, I have moved my computer at least 5 times with no problems. Yesterday, I moved back home from my apartment at school. When I got home and set up my computer, I powered it up and there it was again. Power up the comp and the hard drive begins making a siren sound. Again, I have never heard my hard drive click and it has worked for 15 months since the last time it randomly decided to start making a siren noise. The hard drive making the siren noise is also the hard drive with the OS installed on it. When I power up the comp, the hard drive begins the siren noise and the comp begins to boot up. It begins to load Windows and the comp restarts a short period of time after it makes it to the screen with the Windows logo and blue bar going back and forth. My Ubuntu live CD boots up fine and, despite not being able to boot up Windows from the hard drive, when using a LiveCD I can read from the hard drive just fine. I'm really not sure what's up or why it just decided to start making this noise again. Anyone? __________________ Le temps détruit tout "Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling