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#1
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Hard Drive Failure - Happy Ending
In general I seem to be able to avoid the problems that people post
about here...but I'm not immune to PC trouble. Last night my computer did not boot. I discovered that the BIOS was not detecting either of my (ancient IDE) hard drives. The BIOS was fine: It was detecting my other hardware and the clock showed the right time. I could feel gentle vibrations from both hard drives and the cooling fans were working, so my power supply was okay. I swapped my IDE cable for a new one...no help. Motherboard damaged? Perhaps, but not likely, unless my UPS failed. That left the hard drives themselves. I removed my boot drive and started the computer with only my storage drive and - voila - it was detected. That meant the electronics in my boot drive had died, and since it was first on the ribbon cable, neither drive was detected. The rest was easy: Buy a new drive and restore the old drive from a disk image made only 12 hours previously. So what is the point of this post, besides boasting? The point is that even a non-geek like me can solve most any computer problem with methodical troubleshooting and a current backup. --- Leonard Grey Errare humanum est |
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#2
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Hard Drive Failure - Happy Ending
Leonard Grey wrote:
In general I seem to be able to avoid the problems that people post about here...but I'm not immune to PC trouble. Last night my computer did not boot. I discovered that the BIOS was not detecting either of my (ancient IDE) hard drives. The BIOS was fine: It was detecting my other hardware and the clock showed the right time. I could feel gentle vibrations from both hard drives and the cooling fans were working, so my power supply was okay. I swapped my IDE cable for a new one...no help. Motherboard damaged? Perhaps, but not likely, unless my UPS failed. That left the hard drives themselves. I removed my boot drive and started the computer with only my storage drive and - voila - it was detected. That meant the electronics in my boot drive had died, and since it was first on the ribbon cable, neither drive was detected. The rest was easy: Buy a new drive and restore the old drive from a disk image made only 12 hours previously. So what is the point of this post, besides boasting? The point is that even a non-geek like me can solve most any computer problem with methodical troubleshooting and a current backup. Yes, backups are a must. And a validated image can certainly save one's bacon! |
#3
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Hard Drive Failure - Happy Ending
You fail to recognize the fact that not everybody has methodical
troubleshooting ability. One must have SOME knowledge of computer architecture to perform trial and error, or as you say, 'methodical troubleshooting'. "Leonard Grey" wrote in message ... In general I seem to be able to avoid the problems that people post about here...but I'm not immune to PC trouble. Last night my computer did not boot. I discovered that the BIOS was not detecting either of my (ancient IDE) hard drives. The BIOS was fine: It was detecting my other hardware and the clock showed the right time. I could feel gentle vibrations from both hard drives and the cooling fans were working, so my power supply was okay. I swapped my IDE cable for a new one...no help. Motherboard damaged? Perhaps, but not likely, unless my UPS failed. That left the hard drives themselves. I removed my boot drive and started the computer with only my storage drive and - voila - it was detected. That meant the electronics in my boot drive had died, and since it was first on the ribbon cable, neither drive was detected. The rest was easy: Buy a new drive and restore the old drive from a disk image made only 12 hours previously. So what is the point of this post, besides boasting? The point is that even a non-geek like me can solve most any computer problem with methodical troubleshooting and a current backup. --- Leonard Grey Errare humanum est |
#4
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Hard Drive Failure - Happy Ending
On Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:42:42 -0500, "Daave" wrote:
Leonard Grey wrote: In general I seem to be able to avoid the problems that people post about here...but I'm not immune to PC trouble. Last night my computer did not boot. I discovered that the BIOS was not detecting either of my (ancient IDE) hard drives. The BIOS was fine: It was detecting my other hardware and the clock showed the right time. I could feel gentle vibrations from both hard drives and the cooling fans were working, so my power supply was okay. I swapped my IDE cable for a new one...no help. Motherboard damaged? Perhaps, but not likely, unless my UPS failed. That left the hard drives themselves. I removed my boot drive and started the computer with only my storage drive and - voila - it was detected. That meant the electronics in my boot drive had died, and since it was first on the ribbon cable, neither drive was detected. The rest was easy: Buy a new drive and restore the old drive from a disk image made only 12 hours previously. So what is the point of this post, besides boasting? The point is that even a non-geek like me can solve most any computer problem with methodical troubleshooting and a current backup. Yes, backups are a must. And a validated image can certainly save one's bacon! So what's the best way of validating an image if you don't have a spare drive laying around? I keep my C: images on a D: drive, so certainly don't want to use that! |
#5
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Hard Drive Failure - Happy Ending
"DavidM" wrote in message
On Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:42:42 -0500, "Daave" wrote: Leonard Grey wrote: In general I seem to be able to avoid the problems that people post about here...but I'm not immune to PC trouble. Last night my computer did not boot. I discovered that the BIOS was not detecting either of my (ancient IDE) hard drives. The BIOS was fine: It was detecting my other hardware and the clock showed the right time. I could feel gentle vibrations from both hard drives and the cooling fans were working, so my power supply was okay. I swapped my IDE cable for a new one...no help. Motherboard damaged? Perhaps, but not likely, unless my UPS failed. That left the hard drives themselves. I removed my boot drive and started the computer with only my storage drive and - voila - it was detected. That meant the electronics in my boot drive had died, and since it was first on the ribbon cable, neither drive was detected. The rest was easy: Buy a new drive and restore the old drive from a disk image made only 12 hours previously. So what is the point of this post, besides boasting? The point is that even a non-geek like me can solve most any computer problem with methodical troubleshooting and a current backup. Yes, backups are a must. And a validated image can certainly save one's bacon! So what's the best way of validating an image if you don't have a spare drive laying around? I keep my C: images on a D: drive, so certainly don't want to use that! When a user creates/schedules a backup/image/clone job in their application, the user has the option to either verify or validate that the information written to the Destination matches the information read from the Source once the actual backup/image/clone process has completed. -- Brian A. Sesko Conflicts start where information lacks. http://basconotw.mvps.org/ Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://members.shaw.ca/dts-l/goodpost.htm How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375 |
#6
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Hard Drive Failure - Happy Ending
On Tue, 1 Dec 2009 05:37:57 -0600, "Brian A."
gonefish'n@afarawaylake wrote: "DavidM" wrote in message On Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:42:42 -0500, "Daave" wrote: Leonard Grey wrote: In general I seem to be able to avoid the problems that people post about here...but I'm not immune to PC trouble. Last night my computer did not boot. I discovered that the BIOS was not detecting either of my (ancient IDE) hard drives. The BIOS was fine: It was detecting my other hardware and the clock showed the right time. I could feel gentle vibrations from both hard drives and the cooling fans were working, so my power supply was okay. I swapped my IDE cable for a new one...no help. Motherboard damaged? Perhaps, but not likely, unless my UPS failed. That left the hard drives themselves. I removed my boot drive and started the computer with only my storage drive and - voila - it was detected. That meant the electronics in my boot drive had died, and since it was first on the ribbon cable, neither drive was detected. The rest was easy: Buy a new drive and restore the old drive from a disk image made only 12 hours previously. So what is the point of this post, besides boasting? The point is that even a non-geek like me can solve most any computer problem with methodical troubleshooting and a current backup. Yes, backups are a must. And a validated image can certainly save one's bacon! So what's the best way of validating an image if you don't have a spare drive laying around? I keep my C: images on a D: drive, so certainly don't want to use that! When a user creates/schedules a backup/image/clone job in their application, the user has the option to either verify or validate that the information written to the Destination matches the information read from the Source once the actual backup/image/clone process has completed. All very fine, but that doesn't validate that the cloned image can be restored and will boot - that's what I mean by validation, ie the whole process. An image that can't be restored, or doesn't work, is worse than usless, cos you don't know you have a problem until it's too late. So I don't see a way of testing (fully) that it works without having a completely spare drive, but I'd be happy to be wrong about that? |
#7
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Hard Drive Failure - Happy Ending
DavidM wrote:
On Tue, 1 Dec 2009 05:37:57 -0600, "Brian A." gonefish'n@afarawaylake wrote: "DavidM" wrote in message On Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:42:42 -0500, "Daave" wrote: Leonard Grey wrote: In general I seem to be able to avoid the problems that people post about here...but I'm not immune to PC trouble. Last night my computer did not boot. I discovered that the BIOS was not detecting either of my (ancient IDE) hard drives. The BIOS was fine: It was detecting my other hardware and the clock showed the right time. I could feel gentle vibrations from both hard drives and the cooling fans were working, so my power supply was okay. I swapped my IDE cable for a new one...no help. Motherboard damaged? Perhaps, but not likely, unless my UPS failed. That left the hard drives themselves. I removed my boot drive and started the computer with only my storage drive and - voila - it was detected. That meant the electronics in my boot drive had died, and since it was first on the ribbon cable, neither drive was detected. The rest was easy: Buy a new drive and restore the old drive from a disk image made only 12 hours previously. So what is the point of this post, besides boasting? The point is that even a non-geek like me can solve most any computer problem with methodical troubleshooting and a current backup. Yes, backups are a must. And a validated image can certainly save one's bacon! So what's the best way of validating an image if you don't have a spare drive laying around? I keep my C: images on a D: drive, so certainly don't want to use that! When a user creates/schedules a backup/image/clone job in their application, the user has the option to either verify or validate that the information written to the Destination matches the information read from the Source once the actual backup/image/clone process has completed. All very fine, but that doesn't validate that the cloned image can be restored and will boot - that's what I mean by validation, ie the whole process. An image that can't be restored, or doesn't work, is worse than usless, cos you don't know you have a problem until it's too late. So I don't see a way of testing (fully) that it works without having a completely spare drive, but I'd be happy to be wrong about that? Nothing in life is 100% foolproof. The term "validation" has a specific meaning (performing what is called a consistency check). You don't need to fully test an image to validate it. If the image is validated, then there is an *extremely* small chance that it won't be able to be restored. For those who are extra concerned, cloning can be done in addition to imaging for another layer of backup. The advantage of a clone is that it can be booted from instantly (and thus "validated" as you have been using the word). |
#8
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Hard Drive Failure - Happy Ending
On Tue, 1 Dec 2009 14:46:00 -0500, "Daave" wrote:
DavidM wrote: On Tue, 1 Dec 2009 05:37:57 -0600, "Brian A." gonefish'n@afarawaylake wrote: "DavidM" wrote in message On Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:42:42 -0500, "Daave" wrote: Leonard Grey wrote: In general I seem to be able to avoid the problems that people post about here...but I'm not immune to PC trouble. Last night my computer did not boot. I discovered that the BIOS was not detecting either of my (ancient IDE) hard drives. The BIOS was fine: It was detecting my other hardware and the clock showed the right time. I could feel gentle vibrations from both hard drives and the cooling fans were working, so my power supply was okay. I swapped my IDE cable for a new one...no help. Motherboard damaged? Perhaps, but not likely, unless my UPS failed. That left the hard drives themselves. I removed my boot drive and started the computer with only my storage drive and - voila - it was detected. That meant the electronics in my boot drive had died, and since it was first on the ribbon cable, neither drive was detected. The rest was easy: Buy a new drive and restore the old drive from a disk image made only 12 hours previously. So what is the point of this post, besides boasting? The point is that even a non-geek like me can solve most any computer problem with methodical troubleshooting and a current backup. Yes, backups are a must. And a validated image can certainly save one's bacon! So what's the best way of validating an image if you don't have a spare drive laying around? I keep my C: images on a D: drive, so certainly don't want to use that! When a user creates/schedules a backup/image/clone job in their application, the user has the option to either verify or validate that the information written to the Destination matches the information read from the Source once the actual backup/image/clone process has completed. All very fine, but that doesn't validate that the cloned image can be restored and will boot - that's what I mean by validation, ie the whole process. An image that can't be restored, or doesn't work, is worse than usless, cos you don't know you have a problem until it's too late. So I don't see a way of testing (fully) that it works without having a completely spare drive, but I'd be happy to be wrong about that? Nothing in life is 100% foolproof. The term "validation" has a specific meaning (performing what is called a consistency check). You don't need to fully test an image to validate it. If the image is validated, then there is an *extremely* small chance that it won't be able to be restored. For those who are extra concerned, cloning can be done in addition to imaging for another layer of backup. The advantage of a clone is that it can be booted from instantly (and thus "validated" as you have been using the word). Well in 40 years of working in the IT business I've seen many instances where "verified" backups and images have been useless because the end to end process of restoring a system has not been thoroughly tested and has failed to work at the critical time, and this includes PCs up large complex systems. I think we'll just agree to differ and let people make up their own mind about the level of risk that they are happy with for their particular system. |
#9
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Hard Drive Failure - Happy Ending
DavidM wrote:
On Tue, 1 Dec 2009 14:46:00 -0500, "Daave" wrote: DavidM wrote: On Tue, 1 Dec 2009 05:37:57 -0600, "Brian A." gonefish'n@afarawaylake wrote: "DavidM" wrote in message On Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:42:42 -0500, "Daave" wrote: Leonard Grey wrote: In general I seem to be able to avoid the problems that people post about here...but I'm not immune to PC trouble. Last night my computer did not boot. I discovered that the BIOS was not detecting either of my (ancient IDE) hard drives. The BIOS was fine: It was detecting my other hardware and the clock showed the right time. I could feel gentle vibrations from both hard drives and the cooling fans were working, so my power supply was okay. I swapped my IDE cable for a new one...no help. Motherboard damaged? Perhaps, but not likely, unless my UPS failed. That left the hard drives themselves. I removed my boot drive and started the computer with only my storage drive and - voila - it was detected. That meant the electronics in my boot drive had died, and since it was first on the ribbon cable, neither drive was detected. The rest was easy: Buy a new drive and restore the old drive from a disk image made only 12 hours previously. So what is the point of this post, besides boasting? The point is that even a non-geek like me can solve most any computer problem with methodical troubleshooting and a current backup. Yes, backups are a must. And a validated image can certainly save one's bacon! So what's the best way of validating an image if you don't have a spare drive laying around? I keep my C: images on a D: drive, so certainly don't want to use that! When a user creates/schedules a backup/image/clone job in their application, the user has the option to either verify or validate that the information written to the Destination matches the information read from the Source once the actual backup/image/clone process has completed. All very fine, but that doesn't validate that the cloned image can be restored and will boot - that's what I mean by validation, ie the whole process. An image that can't be restored, or doesn't work, is worse than usless, cos you don't know you have a problem until it's too late. So I don't see a way of testing (fully) that it works without having a completely spare drive, but I'd be happy to be wrong about that? Nothing in life is 100% foolproof. The term "validation" has a specific meaning (performing what is called a consistency check). You don't need to fully test an image to validate it. If the image is validated, then there is an *extremely* small chance that it won't be able to be restored. For those who are extra concerned, cloning can be done in addition to imaging for another layer of backup. The advantage of a clone is that it can be booted from instantly (and thus "validated" as you have been using the word). Well in 40 years of working in the IT business I've seen many instances where "verified" backups and images have been useless because the end to end process of restoring a system has not been thoroughly tested and has failed to work at the critical time, and this includes PCs up large complex systems. I don't doubt this. A very small percentage of a very large number of instances (40 years' worth in your case) still yields a significant number of negative events. And this is the reason I added: For those who are extra concerned, cloning can be done in addition to imaging for another layer of backup. The advantage of a clone is that it can be booted from instantly (and thus "validated" as you have been using the word). So, I agree with you that "having a completely spare drive" that is a perfect clone which can be booted from and therefore instantly tested is the easiest way too minimize risk even further. But again, nothing is 100% foolproof and it's possible (though, *highly* unlikely) for this method also to eventually fail. I think we'll just agree to differ and let people make up their own mind about the level of risk that they are happy with for their particular system. There's more common ground here than you think. I believe there was a misunderstanding of terminology. |
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