Problem with an 80gig hard drive WD

I'm not sure what happened, but this much I can tell you...

My son was using my computer to download games from the internet (he says my
computer downloads faster).

He turned off the computer, and the next morning when I booted my computer,
I got a "disk full" message. It then prompted me to "clean-up", so I chose
to do the clean-up. The computer locked up. I did a hard shutdown and
tried to reboot the system. No joy I'm not even certain that the disk
is actually full, as it said. But I suppose it is possible, since some of
the games my son downloads onto my system are sometimes huge files.

All I get is a black screen with a blinking curser in the upper left of the
screen. When I boot up with the boot-up disk, and try to see the directory
on the hard disk, it says bad command.

I am at my wit's end. When I put the disk into an external enclosure and
look at the properties, it says the disk is full. But won't let me look at
anything on the disk.

I have many years of information on this disk and would hate to lose it all.
I don't know much about these kinds of problems and am trying to figure out
a workaround to get in there and get the information and put it on another
disk, but don't know how to go about this. I don't want to cause further
damage to the disk.

Does anyone out there have any ideas or any experience with this kind of
problem? I was an idiot for not doing back-ups on a more frequent basis. I
am fortunate that I had backed up my family photos back in February, but I'd
like to get email addresses and old emails and other stuff too, If it's at
all possible.

BTW, the disk has windows98se edition on it.

Any advise or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Brigitte J.


---

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.690 / Virus Database: 451 - Release Date: 5/22/2004

Virus? Sounds like one.Have you tried running a scan disk at dos prompt?
You might try booting into safemode. When you turn on computer hold down the
f8 key. This will bring up a menu to allow you to go to save mode. Once
there start deleting any unwanted files.If this don't work try reloading
windows.
Might have some bad files. Try putting the 98 cd in and reboot. Reload
windows into same directory. Just load it on top of it self, that way you
will lose nothing.

"Brigitte J." wrote in message
news
I'm not sure what happened, but this much I can tell you...

My son was using my computer to download games from the internet (he says
my
computer downloads faster).

He turned off the computer, and the next morning when I booted my
computer,
I got a "disk full" message. It then prompted me to "clean-up", so I
chose
to do the clean-up. The computer locked up. I did a hard shutdown and
tried to reboot the system. No joy I'm not even certain that the disk
is actually full, as it said. But I suppose it is possible, since some of
the games my son downloads onto my system are sometimes huge files.

All I get is a black screen with a blinking curser in the upper left of
the
screen. When I boot up with the boot-up disk, and try to see the
directory
on the hard disk, it says bad command.

I am at my wit's end. When I put the disk into an external enclosure and
look at the properties, it says the disk is full. But won't let me look
at
anything on the disk.

I have many years of information on this disk and would hate to lose it
all.
I don't know much about these kinds of problems and am trying to figure
out
a workaround to get in there and get the information and put it on another
disk, but don't know how to go about this. I don't want to cause further
damage to the disk.

Does anyone out there have any ideas or any experience with this kind of
problem? I was an idiot for not doing back-ups on a more frequent basis.
I
am fortunate that I had backed up my family photos back in February, but
I'd
like to get email addresses and old emails and other stuff too, If it's at
all possible.

BTW, the disk has windows98se edition on it.

Any advise or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Brigitte J.


---

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.690 / Virus Database: 451 - Release Date: 5/22/2004

You say when you put the disk in an external enclosure you can't read
it. Does this mean you connected the disk to another working PC? Was
that PC running Win98? Win98 can format a disk in a fashion that Win95,
WinNT, 2K, XP can't read; perhaps your disk is so formatted. Also, be
aware that various jumpers usually have to be reset when a second drive
is added to a PC.

Brigitte J. wrote:

I'm not sure what happened, but this much I can tell you...

My son was using my computer to download games from the internet (he says my
computer downloads faster).

He turned off the computer, and the next morning when I booted my computer,
I got a "disk full" message. It then prompted me to "clean-up", so I chose
to do the clean-up. The computer locked up. I did a hard shutdown and
tried to reboot the system. No joy I'm not even certain that the disk
is actually full, as it said. But I suppose it is possible, since some of
the games my son downloads onto my system are sometimes huge files.

All I get is a black screen with a blinking curser in the upper left of the
screen. When I boot up with the boot-up disk, and try to see the directory
on the hard disk, it says bad command.

I am at my wit's end. When I put the disk into an external enclosure and
look at the properties, it says the disk is full. But won't let me look at
anything on the disk.

I have many years of information on this disk and would hate to lose it all.
I don't know much about these kinds of problems and am trying to figure out
a workaround to get in there and get the information and put it on another
disk, but don't know how to go about this. I don't want to cause further
damage to the disk.

Does anyone out there have any ideas or any experience with this kind of
problem? I was an idiot for not doing back-ups on a more frequent basis. I
am fortunate that I had backed up my family photos back in February, but I'd
like to get email addresses and old emails and other stuff too, If it's at
all possible.

BTW, the disk has windows98se edition on it.

Any advise or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Brigitte J.


---

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.690 / Virus Database: 451 - Release Date: 5/22/2004

"Tj" wrote in message
news
Virus? Sounds like one.

Maybe. How do I run a virus scan from dos?

Have you tried running a scan disk at dos prompt?

Nope, when in dos, it says the drive is not there. When I attempt to look
at the directory, it says it's a bad command. Am I doing something wrong
there?

You might try booting into safemode. When you turn on computer hold down
the
f8 key. This will bring up a menu to allow you to go to save mode.Once
there start deleting any unwanted files.

I've tried getting into safe mode. I just get the blinking curser in the
upper left of the screen.

If this don't work try reloading
windows.
Might have some bad files. Try putting the 98 cd in and reboot. Reload
windows into same directory.

Just load it on top of it self, that way you
will lose nothing.

Yep, this is what I was hoping to do, but when I boot up with the windows cd
in the computer, the only option I get is to format the hard drive. If I do
this, I'll lose all my data, won't I?

If I'm doing something wrong, please let me know. I'm assuming that when in
dos and at the C prompt I type in "dir", and the response is "bad command",
that it's not able to see it. Is this correct? As I said, I'm no expert,
just trying to figure this stuff out as I go.

Thanks again,
Brigitte


"Brigitte J." wrote in message
news
I'm not sure what happened, but this much I can tell you...

My son was using my computer to download games from the internet (he
says
my
computer downloads faster).

He turned off the computer, and the next morning when I booted my
computer,
I got a "disk full" message. It then prompted me to "clean-up", so I
chose
to do the clean-up. The computer locked up. I did a hard shutdown and
tried to reboot the system. No joy I'm not even certain that the
disk
is actually full, as it said. But I suppose it is possible, since some
of
the games my son downloads onto my system are sometimes huge files.

All I get is a black screen with a blinking curser in the upper left of
the
screen. When I boot up with the boot-up disk, and try to see the
directory
on the hard disk, it says bad command.

I am at my wit's end. When I put the disk into an external enclosure
and
look at the properties, it says the disk is full. But won't let me look
at
anything on the disk.

I have many years of information on this disk and would hate to lose it
all.
I don't know much about these kinds of problems and am trying to figure
out
a workaround to get in there and get the information and put it on
another
disk, but don't know how to go about this. I don't want to cause
further
damage to the disk.

Does anyone out there have any ideas or any experience with this kind of
problem? I was an idiot for not doing back-ups on a more frequent
basis.
I
am fortunate that I had backed up my family photos back in February, but
I'd
like to get email addresses and old emails and other stuff too, If it's
at
all possible.

BTW, the disk has windows98se edition on it.

Any advise or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Brigitte J.


---

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.690 / Virus Database: 451 - Release Date: 5/22/2004






---

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.690 / Virus Database: 451 - Release Date: 5/22/2004

"Bennett Price" wrote in message
...
You say when you put the disk in an external enclosure you can't read
it.

I can't read see files, but in the disk's properties, i see the pie shaped
image that shows the pie completely blue, which represents used space.

Does this mean you connected the disk to another working PC?

No, I hooked it up to the same computer. I put another hard drive in and
installed win98se onto it.

Was
that PC running Win98?

Yes

Win98 can format a disk in a fashion that Win95,
WinNT, 2K, XP can't read; perhaps your disk is so formatted. Also, be
aware that various jumpers usually have to be reset when a second drive
is added to a PC.

Yes, I set the jumpers per the manufacturers instructions.

Thanks,
Brigitte



Brigitte J. wrote:

I'm not sure what happened, but this much I can tell you...

My son was using my computer to download games from the internet (he
says my
computer downloads faster).

He turned off the computer, and the next morning when I booted my
computer,
I got a "disk full" message. It then prompted me to "clean-up", so I
chose
to do the clean-up. The computer locked up. I did a hard shutdown and
tried to reboot the system. No joy I'm not even certain that the
disk
is actually full, as it said. But I suppose it is possible, since some
of
the games my son downloads onto my system are sometimes huge files.

All I get is a black screen with a blinking curser in the upper left of
the
screen. When I boot up with the boot-up disk, and try to see the
directory
on the hard disk, it says bad command.

I am at my wit's end. When I put the disk into an external enclosure
and
look at the properties, it says the disk is full. But won't let me look
at
anything on the disk.

I have many years of information on this disk and would hate to lose it
all.
I don't know much about these kinds of problems and am trying to figure
out
a workaround to get in there and get the information and put it on
another
disk, but don't know how to go about this. I don't want to cause
further
damage to the disk.

Does anyone out there have any ideas or any experience with this kind of
problem? I was an idiot for not doing back-ups on a more frequent
basis. I
am fortunate that I had backed up my family photos back in February, but
I'd
like to get email addresses and old emails and other stuff too, If it's
at
all possible.

BTW, the disk has windows98se edition on it.

Any advise or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Brigitte J.


---

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.690 / Virus Database: 451 - Release Date: 5/22/2004




---

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.690 / Virus Database: 451 - Release Date: 5/22/2004

Can you boot in Bios (setup)? Make sure it is seeing your hard drive. It is
possible you battery went dead on your computer and it doesn't see the hard
drive settings. Have you checked to make sure jumper is correct and cable is
in the right way? Perhaps it is lose.
Do you have an emergency boot floppy? Boot from the floppy and see if you
can see the hard drive.
Western Digital has a web site where you can down load a program to check
your hard drive (it might be dead)

"Brigitte J." wrote in message
news
I'm not sure what happened, but this much I can tell you...

My son was using my computer to download games from the internet (he says
my
computer downloads faster).

He turned off the computer, and the next morning when I booted my
computer,
I got a "disk full" message. It then prompted me to "clean-up", so I
chose
to do the clean-up. The computer locked up. I did a hard shutdown and
tried to reboot the system. No joy I'm not even certain that the disk
is actually full, as it said. But I suppose it is possible, since some of
the games my son downloads onto my system are sometimes huge files.

All I get is a black screen with a blinking curser in the upper left of
the
screen. When I boot up with the boot-up disk, and try to see the
directory
on the hard disk, it says bad command.

I am at my wit's end. When I put the disk into an external enclosure and
look at the properties, it says the disk is full. But won't let me look
at
anything on the disk.

I have many years of information on this disk and would hate to lose it
all.
I don't know much about these kinds of problems and am trying to figure
out
a workaround to get in there and get the information and put it on another
disk, but don't know how to go about this. I don't want to cause further
damage to the disk.

Does anyone out there have any ideas or any experience with this kind of
problem? I was an idiot for not doing back-ups on a more frequent basis.
I
am fortunate that I had backed up my family photos back in February, but
I'd
like to get email addresses and old emails and other stuff too, If it's at
all possible.

BTW, the disk has windows98se edition on it.

Any advise or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Brigitte J.


---

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.690 / Virus Database: 451 - Release Date: 5/22/2004

Have you attempted to run Win98's disk repair utilities from the good
disk on the bad disk? When you look at the properties of the bad disk
does it say File System = FAT or FAT32?

Brigitte J. wrote:
"Bennett Price" wrote in message
...

You say when you put the disk in an external enclosure you can't read
it.


I can't read see files, but in the disk's properties, i see the pie shaped
image that shows the pie completely blue, which represents used space.

Does this mean you connected the disk to another working PC?

No, I hooked it up to the same computer. I put another hard drive in and
installed win98se onto it.

Was

that PC running Win98?


Yes

Win98 can format a disk in a fashion that Win95,

WinNT, 2K, XP can't read; perhaps your disk is so formatted. Also, be
aware that various jumpers usually have to be reset when a second drive
is added to a PC.


Yes, I set the jumpers per the manufacturers instructions.

Thanks,
Brigitte



Brigitte J. wrote:


I'm not sure what happened, but this much I can tell you...

My son was using my computer to download games from the internet (he

says my

computer downloads faster).

He turned off the computer, and the next morning when I booted my

computer,

I got a "disk full" message. It then prompted me to "clean-up", so I

chose

to do the clean-up. The computer locked up. I did a hard shutdown and
tried to reboot the system. No joy I'm not even certain that the

disk

is actually full, as it said. But I suppose it is possible, since some

of

the games my son downloads onto my system are sometimes huge files.

All I get is a black screen with a blinking curser in the upper left of

the

screen. When I boot up with the boot-up disk, and try to see the

directory

on the hard disk, it says bad command.

I am at my wit's end. When I put the disk into an external enclosure

and

look at the properties, it says the disk is full. But won't let me look

at

anything on the disk.

I have many years of information on this disk and would hate to lose it

all.

I don't know much about these kinds of problems and am trying to figure

out

a workaround to get in there and get the information and put it on

another

disk, but don't know how to go about this. I don't want to cause

further

damage to the disk.

Does anyone out there have any ideas or any experience with this kind of
problem? I was an idiot for not doing back-ups on a more frequent

basis. I

am fortunate that I had backed up my family photos back in February, but

I'd

like to get email addresses and old emails and other stuff too, If it's

at

all possible.

BTW, the disk has windows98se edition on it.

Any advise or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,



Brigitte J.


---

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.690 / Virus Database: 451 - Release Date: 5/22/2004





---

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.690 / Virus Database: 451 - Release Date: 5/22/2004

Since you've exhausted all the "normal" methods at
this point
I'd recommend you go to GRC.com(Gibson Research)
and buy Spinrite if
Western Digital doesn't work for you, but the
drive is still alive.Spinrite can
resurrect almost any hard drive that exists.

"Tj" wrote in
message
...
Can you boot in Bios (setup)? Make sure it is
seeing your hard drive. It is
possible you battery went dead on your computer
and it doesn't see the hard
drive settings. Have you checked to make sure
jumper is correct and cable is
in the right way? Perhaps it is lose.
Do you have an emergency boot floppy? Boot from
the floppy and see if you
can see the hard drive.
Western Digital has a web site where you can
down load a program to check
your hard drive (it might be dead)

"Brigitte J." wrote in
message

news
I'm not sure what happened, but this much I
can tell you...

My son was using my computer to download games
from the internet (he says
my
computer downloads faster).

He turned off the computer, and the next
morning when I booted my
computer,
I got a "disk full" message. It then prompted
me to "clean-up", so I
chose
to do the clean-up. The computer locked up.
I did a hard shutdown and
tried to reboot the system. No joy I'm
not even certain that the disk
is actually full, as it said. But I suppose
it is possible, since some of
the games my son downloads onto my system are
sometimes huge files.

All I get is a black screen with a blinking
curser in the upper left of
the
screen. When I boot up with the boot-up disk,
and try to see the
directory
on the hard disk, it says bad command.

I am at my wit's end. When I put the disk
into an external enclosure and
look at the properties, it says the disk is
full. But won't let me look
at
anything on the disk.

I have many years of information on this disk
and would hate to lose it
all.
I don't know much about these kinds of
problems and am trying to figure
out
a workaround to get in there and get the
information and put it on another
disk, but don't know how to go about this. I
don't want to cause further
damage to the disk.

Does anyone out there have any ideas or any
experience with this kind of
problem? I was an idiot for not doing
back-ups on a more frequent basis.
I
am fortunate that I had backed up my family
photos back in February, but
I'd
like to get email addresses and old emails and
other stuff too, If it's at
all possible.

BTW, the disk has windows98se edition on it.

Any advise or ideas would be greatly
appreciated.

Thanks,
Brigitte J.


---

Checked by AVG anti-virus system
(http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.690 / Virus Database: 451 -
Release Date: 5/22/2004

"Bennett Price" wrote in message
...
Have you attempted to run Win98's disk repair utilities from the good
disk on the bad disk?

I no longer have win98se on the "new" hard drive. I did a clean install of
win2k on the "new" one. I doubt I can run that utility now.

When you look at the properties of the bad disk
does it say File System = FAT or FAT32?

I don't remember what it said, but I'll check on that...

Brigitte


Brigitte J. wrote:
"Bennett Price" wrote in message
...

You say when you put the disk in an external enclosure you can't read
it.


I can't read see files, but in the disk's properties, i see the pie
shaped
image that shows the pie completely blue, which represents used space.

Does this mean you connected the disk to another working PC?

No, I hooked it up to the same computer. I put another hard drive in
and
installed win98se onto it.

Was

that PC running Win98?


Yes

Win98 can format a disk in a fashion that Win95,

WinNT, 2K, XP can't read; perhaps your disk is so formatted. Also, be
aware that various jumpers usually have to be reset when a second drive
is added to a PC.


Yes, I set the jumpers per the manufacturers instructions.

Thanks,
Brigitte



Brigitte J. wrote:


I'm not sure what happened, but this much I can tell you...

My son was using my computer to download games from the internet (he

says my

computer downloads faster).

He turned off the computer, and the next morning when I booted my

computer,

I got a "disk full" message. It then prompted me to "clean-up", so I

chose

to do the clean-up. The computer locked up. I did a hard shutdown and
tried to reboot the system. No joy I'm not even certain that the

disk

is actually full, as it said. But I suppose it is possible, since some

of

the games my son downloads onto my system are sometimes huge files.

All I get is a black screen with a blinking curser in the upper left of

the

screen. When I boot up with the boot-up disk, and try to see the

directory

on the hard disk, it says bad command.

I am at my wit's end. When I put the disk into an external enclosure

and

look at the properties, it says the disk is full. But won't let me
look

at

anything on the disk.

I have many years of information on this disk and would hate to lose it

all.

I don't know much about these kinds of problems and am trying to figure

out

a workaround to get in there and get the information and put it on

another

disk, but don't know how to go about this. I don't want to cause

further

damage to the disk.

Does anyone out there have any ideas or any experience with this kind
of
problem? I was an idiot for not doing back-ups on a more frequent

basis. I

am fortunate that I had backed up my family photos back in February,
but

I'd

like to get email addresses and old emails and other stuff too, If it's

at

all possible.

BTW, the disk has windows98se edition on it.

Any advise or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,



Brigitte J.


---

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.690 / Virus Database: 451 - Release Date: 5/22/2004





---

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.690 / Virus Database: 451 - Release Date: 5/22/2004




---

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.690 / Virus Database: 451 - Release Date: 5/22/2004

"Tj" wrote in message
...
Can you boot in Bios (setup)? Make sure it is seeing your hard drive.

Yes, I was able to go into the bios and it did see the hard drive there.

It is
possible you battery went dead on your computer and it doesn't see the
hard
drive settings.

I doubt that's the problem, since I've got a new hard drive installed with
win2k running and it's running fine.

Have you checked to make sure jumper is correct and cable is
in the right way? Perhaps it is lose.

Yes, checked and double checked jumpers and cables.

Do you have an emergency boot floppy? Boot from the floppy and see if you
can see the hard drive.

When I try to look at the directory on C, it says "bad command". I guess
that means it doesn't see the hard drive.

Western Digital has a web site where you can down load a program to check
your hard drive (it might be dead)

Would I download this onto a different hard drive? Not sure how I'd
download it to the 80gig drive.

Thanks,
Brigitte



"Brigitte J." wrote in message
news
I'm not sure what happened, but this much I can tell you...

My son was using my computer to download games from the internet (he
says
my
computer downloads faster).

He turned off the computer, and the next morning when I booted my
computer,
I got a "disk full" message. It then prompted me to "clean-up", so I
chose
to do the clean-up. The computer locked up. I did a hard shutdown and
tried to reboot the system. No joy I'm not even certain that the
disk
is actually full, as it said. But I suppose it is possible, since some
of
the games my son downloads onto my system are sometimes huge files.

All I get is a black screen with a blinking curser in the upper left of
the
screen. When I boot up with the boot-up disk, and try to see the
directory
on the hard disk, it says bad command.

I am at my wit's end. When I put the disk into an external enclosure
and
look at the properties, it says the disk is full. But won't let me look
at
anything on the disk.

I have many years of information on this disk and would hate to lose it
all.
I don't know much about these kinds of problems and am trying to figure
out
a workaround to get in there and get the information and put it on
another
disk, but don't know how to go about this. I don't want to cause
further
damage to the disk.

Does anyone out there have any ideas or any experience with this kind of
problem? I was an idiot for not doing back-ups on a more frequent
basis.
I
am fortunate that I had backed up my family photos back in February, but
I'd
like to get email addresses and old emails and other stuff too, If it's
at
all possible.

BTW, the disk has windows98se edition on it.

Any advise or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Brigitte J.


---

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.690 / Virus Database: 451 - Release Date: 5/22/2004






---

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.690 / Virus Database: 451 - Release Date: 5/22/2004