Yeah, I tried all the usual stuff Mike - I just wondered if anyone could come up with some recovery system I wasn't aware of.  

Turned out the drive was 'puckarooed' (in NZ parlance) - dead, unserviceable, stuffed etc.

I installed it on a system as the sole drive with a fresh ribbon cable, and it spun up ok, but the minute it started, it clunked and clattered like an old cement mixer, so I'd guess it's definitely history now.

Thanks again to all who responded.

Ian Porter
Computer Guys Inc.
Arrowtown
New Zealand
[log in to unmask]

The NOSPIN Group
http://freepctech.com

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: [log in to unmask] 
  Subject: Re: [PCBUILD] Second-to-last rites for a hard drive?


  Your are right,in that you can't do anything to a drive that is not recognized in BIOS.

  If the voltage to the drive is correct and the drive runs (power supply problem)than the porblem is in the controller circuit.

  Also, I can't see how successive formats can ruin a drive-- altho, a failed linix setup can cause a lot of headaches and perhaps this is true with a NTFS file system.

  Can the drive be recognized with the WD floppy set up disk that bypasses the system BIOS?
  And by the way, if the drive is less than a year old it's probably still under warranty.

  And lastly, have you tried it in another system?

              The NOSPIN Group is now offering Free PC Tech
                     support at our newest website:
                          http://freepctech.com