jrfuda
Active Member
Last night my Viewpad's HDD failed - AGAIN, I just replaced it 6 weeks ago. It must be too hot in there for it. (last episode here: http://www.cocoontech.com/index.php?showtopic=773 )
I decided to recover what I could from it using my USB 2.0 external HDD case. I had problems using this with my HS Server (the only USB 2 capable machine I have) do to a BIOS problem that had since been rectified buy an update I made several weeks ago - however I still needed to enable to feature (called "USB 2.0 COMPATIBLE in the BIOS chipset sub menu) for it to work. I did not want to do the imaging on one of my other PC's that are all slow USB 1.1, because it would take forever.
Now, my HS Server doesn't have a keyboard, I always RDP to it, but to get to the BIOS I need to install a keyboard. I have an old unreliable keyboard I use just for this. I powered the PC down, plugged in the keyboard and hit the DEL key when prompted, apparently the keyboard was acting flaky again and didn't send the DEL, so windows started booting. I was in a rush so I stopped windows from booting (shame on me). I plugged in a good keyboard, entered the BIOS, made the change and rebooted. Now the PC can't boot from the HDD. I tried a few recovery tricks, but they did not work. I even tried to perform a repair installation using my XP Pro install disk and got the message, when it displays the possible partitions to install to " (setup cannot access this drive) ", which means something bad happened to it. Acronis True image couldn't access it either. I must have reset the computer at the exact instant the HDD was doing something critical and killed it. So now my house has gone form 3 working PCs to 1.
I think I'm going to lay off Home Automation for a while, I don't have the time to fix 2 PCs - essentially having to reinstall everything on my HS Server (I have a true image DVD backup that is about 4 weeks old, that would get me most of the way there, but I still need a HDD). There's just too much going on for the next couple of months, projects, exams, Christmas, etc. I guess this means the Christmas lights will be on old-timey timers this year.
Unless something happens that enables me to get my system up lickity-split, of course.
If I'm currently working on a project with you, I'll still be able to finish my part, I just wont be able to test the output. Also, all the links to downloads from my sight are broken.
I decided to recover what I could from it using my USB 2.0 external HDD case. I had problems using this with my HS Server (the only USB 2 capable machine I have) do to a BIOS problem that had since been rectified buy an update I made several weeks ago - however I still needed to enable to feature (called "USB 2.0 COMPATIBLE in the BIOS chipset sub menu) for it to work. I did not want to do the imaging on one of my other PC's that are all slow USB 1.1, because it would take forever.
Now, my HS Server doesn't have a keyboard, I always RDP to it, but to get to the BIOS I need to install a keyboard. I have an old unreliable keyboard I use just for this. I powered the PC down, plugged in the keyboard and hit the DEL key when prompted, apparently the keyboard was acting flaky again and didn't send the DEL, so windows started booting. I was in a rush so I stopped windows from booting (shame on me). I plugged in a good keyboard, entered the BIOS, made the change and rebooted. Now the PC can't boot from the HDD. I tried a few recovery tricks, but they did not work. I even tried to perform a repair installation using my XP Pro install disk and got the message, when it displays the possible partitions to install to " (setup cannot access this drive) ", which means something bad happened to it. Acronis True image couldn't access it either. I must have reset the computer at the exact instant the HDD was doing something critical and killed it. So now my house has gone form 3 working PCs to 1.
I think I'm going to lay off Home Automation for a while, I don't have the time to fix 2 PCs - essentially having to reinstall everything on my HS Server (I have a true image DVD backup that is about 4 weeks old, that would get me most of the way there, but I still need a HDD). There's just too much going on for the next couple of months, projects, exams, Christmas, etc. I guess this means the Christmas lights will be on old-timey timers this year.
Unless something happens that enables me to get my system up lickity-split, of course.
If I'm currently working on a project with you, I'll still be able to finish my part, I just wont be able to test the output. Also, all the links to downloads from my sight are broken.