Solve : Gateway 500XLS Yorktown noisy HD?

1.	Solve : Gateway 500XLS Yorktown noisy HD?
Answer» Hi, I use an old-2002-Gateway 500XLS pentium 4 computer, 3.06 MHz, 1 GB RAM with WD harddrives 20 & 40 GB. The SYSTEM drive is a WD WDC WD400. I also have a Maxtor 40 GB drive as a back up system drive. OS is Windows XP Pro 2002 SP3. The WD 40 GB drive is noisy (tapping) and sometimes won't load. I tried the Maxtor backup & it did the same thing. Please don't tell me that both drives went bad at the same time. The noise is worst when I am playing games (Diablo II or MORROWIND) & infrequent when I am on the internet. Frequently, when the computer won't load XP, the drives won't show up in BIOS. I downloaded newer drivers from INTEL for the IDE/ATA controller and loaded them (I think, Windows still says the drivers are from Microsoft). The computer seems to run OK for a while then the drive gets noisy. Most times I shut off the power to get windows to shut down. It is tempting to reload Windows, but the Microsoft website says that a noisy, slow drive is a reason NOT to reload windows XP??? Oh yeah, I BOUGHT the computer used as an upgrade from my older Dell P-3 Thanks for comments or helpI suggest you go to the WD website, download their diagnostic utility, burn it to cd and run it. Quote from: blithe spirits on May 30, 2011, 01:46:07 PM Please don't tell me that both drives went bad at the same time. Why not? It sounds like the truth. When old drives (and these are old!) make a noise, are slow and sometimes vanish, you know their time is short. Do as Allan suggests and run the diagnostics. Now is a good time to invest in a hard drive. Prices are very low. You can get 500 GB for under $50 online in USA. Old proverb: A good drive in the hand is better that two lying in the junk box. Thanks Allan & everyone! I ran the diagnostic. The WD 20 GB drive I saved from the Dell is bad, not the 40 GB system drive. I don't know why I was so short sighted. I use EASUS and it never showed a problem. Another proverb is that it isn't what you know, but knowing where to find it that is important. (Although, someone, somewhere must have had an original thought to record.) Sorry I was so brusque. Never POST when you are sick of your computer. Geek, I appreciate the advice. I will PROBABLY upgrade to 2 GB RAM and a new HD now that I know the computer isn't the problem. Byron in OhioPrices an RAM right now are not so good. For example, my system is 1 GB with two 512 sticks. To upgrade to 2 GB I have to buy two 1 GB sticks. Crucial just scanned by laptop and it will cost me US $35.98 so I think I will stay at 1 GB and just sit an wait. In several months the price of 1 GB sticks should drop down. Meanwhile, the shortage of RAM is hurting sales of new PCs slightly and is pushing down the price of old inventory hard drives also. IMO. And everybody knows I am often wrong.

Answer»

Hi,
I use an old-2002-Gateway 500XLS pentium 4 computer, 3.06 MHz, 1 GB RAM with WD harddrives 20 & 40 GB. The SYSTEM drive is a WD WDC WD400. I also have a Maxtor 40 GB drive as a back up system drive. OS is Windows XP Pro 2002 SP3.

The WD 40 GB drive is noisy (tapping) and sometimes won't load. I tried the Maxtor backup & it did the same thing. Please don't tell me that both drives went bad at the same time. The noise is worst when I am playing games (Diablo II or MORROWIND) & infrequent when I am on the internet. Frequently, when the computer won't load XP, the drives won't show up in BIOS.
I downloaded newer drivers from INTEL for the IDE/ATA controller and loaded them (I think, Windows still says the drivers are from Microsoft). The computer seems to run OK for a while then the drive gets noisy. Most times I shut off the power to get windows to shut down.
It is tempting to reload Windows, but the Microsoft website says that a noisy, slow drive is a reason NOT to reload windows XP???
Oh yeah, I BOUGHT the computer used as an upgrade from my older Dell P-3
Thanks for comments or helpI suggest you go to the WD website, download their diagnostic utility, burn it to cd and run it. Quote from: blithe spirits on May 30, 2011, 01:46:07 PM

Please don't tell me that both drives went bad at the same time.

Why not? It sounds like the truth. When old drives (and these are old!) make a noise, are slow and sometimes vanish, you know their time is short. Do as Allan suggests and run the diagnostics.

Now is a good time to invest in a hard drive. Prices are very low. You can get 500 GB for under $50 online in USA.
Old proverb:
A good drive in the hand is better
that two lying in the junk box.
Thanks Allan & everyone! I ran the diagnostic.
The WD 20 GB drive I saved from the Dell is bad, not the 40 GB system drive. I don't know why I was so short sighted. I use EASUS and it never showed a problem.
Another proverb is that it isn't what you know, but knowing where to find it that is important. (Although, someone, somewhere must have had an original thought to record.)
Sorry I was so brusque. Never POST when you are sick of your computer. Geek, I appreciate the advice. I will PROBABLY upgrade to 2 GB RAM and a new HD now that I know the computer isn't the problem.
Byron in OhioPrices an RAM right now are not so good.
For example, my system is 1 GB with two 512 sticks.
To upgrade to 2 GB I have to buy two 1 GB sticks.
Crucial just scanned by laptop and it will cost me US $35.98 so I think I will stay at 1 GB and just sit an wait.
In several months the price of 1 GB sticks should drop down. Meanwhile, the shortage of RAM is hurting sales of new PCs slightly and is pushing down the price of old inventory hard drives also.

IMO. And everybody knows I am often wrong.

Solve : Gateway 500XLS Yorktown noisy HD?

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