WD HD only clicks.

[huneycutt]

WD800 80Gig Protege Enhanced IDE HD used one month with XP Home installed. Guy had two and I bought it, installed it and all it will do is click-click----click-click over and over. Boots as far as BIOS specs screen with Epox MB but BIOS never sees the HD so just sits there and clicks and if you put your finger tips on it you can feel the HD spinning so it isn't hung up.

I tried using an ME start up disc to boot to DOS to reformat but same thing, gets as far as the BIOS specs screen and just hangs there while the HD clicks & clicks. BIOS specs screen usually shows primary master & slave, secondary master & slave but shows nothing for drives so the BIOS does not see the HD. I tried all five jumper settings and no jumper but same thing. Switched out the IDE cable, same thing. HD is primary Master, CDRW slave. Took the CDRW loose and had just the HD on the primary IDE cable as Master but same thing, click-click.

Nothing wrong with my rig because I put my old HD I back in and booted right on up the desktop as it should. No problem about getting a refund but just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience. Thanx and have a fine day. OldBird

[stool]

DL and try out the WD diagnostic software and run it on the drive. If that doesn't recognize it, the boy is dead and time for a refund. Sometimes they just come dead.

[JigPu]

Does the BIOS still hang if you set your Primay Master (or wherever your drive is) to Disabled instead of Auto? Since it hangs at that moment, I suspect that it cannot determine anything about the drive. Setting that IDE channel to Disabled should let it boot past there with the drive still physically installed (since it won't bother detecting if anything is hooked up).

If it dosen't hang if set to Disabled, try using a Manual or User setting. If you board supports it, you should be able to manually set up the drive's paramaters in the BIOS instead of having it detect them. According to my drive's manual you'll need to disable LBA, and set the paramaters as follows: 1023 cylinders, 16 heads, 63 sectors. If it has "types" instead of CHS measurments, use Type 9. If you do this, you'll also need to intall DataLifeguard from the floppy you (may...) have recieved. If not, you can download it from WD's website.

Hope it helps,
JigPu

[diehrd]

Clicking is the GASP of death..You can try resetting at each post several times in a row to try to warm the drive up this can allow expansion of the components allowing it to boot,,But a audiable "click" 'Click" "click" is the sound of death.....

[fadirocks]

yea the "click click click" the sound of death and the "click scratch spin scratch click" is the sound of dying. My friend did have a problem with one of the 2 200GB HDs he bought from maxtor all he go to do send it back and Maxtor sent him new one with BurnTest Utlitles

[DEZMOND]

I had 3 western digital drives die in 5 weeks time,all from circuit city for those great after rebate deals,now i see why.

[huneycutt]

It's on an Epox 8RGA+ MB so nothing real fancy there. I have two other HD's and can connect either and they work fine and I totally agree, the click-click is the click of the fast approaching dirt nap, if it ain't already nappin'.

I bought an el-cheapo Maxtor 30Gig on rebate at Staples, hooked that puppy up and hasn't missed a lick in over a year now. On the other hand, had a high-end 60Gig WD and after nine months it started locking up a lot so ran DOS scandisk and found 64 bad sectors. Fortunately had one-year warranty so BestBuy replaced it free.

Naw, . . . I buy a new HD I expect to hook it up, boot to DOS, format it and it goes to work, and if the Monkey don't dance I return it.

HD's are wierd. I have a Dinosaur 5Gig SeaGate I got in an OLD P2 system and must be a 1500 RPM and that thing clicks & whirrs, noisier than a diesel truck and slower'n a cold turtle, but it still works!

I called the guy and he said bring it back for a refund so we're good to go. Thanks for your time and input, have a nice week end and sure hope Spring hurries up and gets here 'cause I'm sick and tired of this cold thing. OldBird