HDD not booting OS / loads forever when plugged USB as external

Hello,


HDD not booting XP

1) Loading screen shows up but ends up in a error blue screen.
2) In safe mode got the error multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1) windows system32 ntoskrnl.exe
3) Safe mode is not even entering ever since, F8 key only makes BIOS beep and get stuck.
4) Acer TravelMate C200 will not boot from an USB drive if HDD is on its socket and even the BIOS setup get severely delayed by the presence of HDD. Will not boot from CD/DVD drive even without the HDD, but this is previous to this problem. Yes, I have setup the boot menu correctly.
5) When booting from an USB drive with an empty HDD socket, plugging in the HDD via USB does not make it visible and keeps making needle noises forever.


Loads forever via USB on another laptop

1) One of the partitions is accessible (H:), but not the system one and that data is not the point to my help request but to be able to repair the system.
2) Windows7's explorer gets partially frozen loading the other partitions (I: and J:). Sometimes I can open their properties but I have no feedback when trying Checkdisk or Format from there. When unplugged, the "you must format" pop up shows immediately. Devices management also behaves like this.
3) diskpart is able to list that disk after taking some more seconds than usual to process it. But clean or format gives no feedback and I don't even know if it is operating.
4) From plugging in to unplugging the needle noise is constant, so I assume the working overload is preventing the two laptops from operating the tools properly.


What else can I try?
Is there any procedure to kill the needle automatic working in order to free it for the Windows tools to operate?

I really need this old laptop to work, because it is the only tablet I have and I need to work with the pen for drawing. No money to buy almost nothing, it would actually be an income help to have this tool operating for online classes in these rough confinement times and income downfall.

Any help is extremely needed and welcome.

Hello posantos, welcome to Seven Forums.

Which computer was the XP drive installed on? The Operating System wont boot, if you have moved the external disk drive to a new computer.

Thanks for your interest!

The first part of the post refers to Acer TravelMate C200.
I don't think I have ever placed that HDD into another laptop. I did once remove it to try it on a broken laptop but I am almost sure I didn't succeed because the connectors did not match, so I have placed it back on the original laptop. I cannot tell you if I ever tried the laptop again after that, it was maybe a year ago and I was not needing it for some 2 years or so.

If you refer to using the HDD as external, I did it only now, only to try to do a Checkdisk to repair it, and only after not being able to access it in any matter on the original Acer laptop as described originally.
I don't think this is the problem, since I did the same for the HDD on this laptop I am using to write this, although I could only repair it once it was again on this laptop, but tell me if I am wrong.

My main goal here is to be able to use the HDD in the original laptop even if I loose all data and the system partition. I don't have any other HDD to use on it but I can do a fresh Windows installation. The laptop was set up originally with Windows XP Tablet PC Edition and someone changed it to common XP, making it impossible to use the pen/wacom, so I planned to change it back to the original OS anyway.

So, how can I force the HDD to stop so I can wipe it?

Windows does funny things when it detects another active OS drive nearby. It could be what is causing your disk needle to automatically work excessively.

If you are not needing that XP Operating System, then un-mark the active partition. This can be done from DISKPART at a CMD prompt Window.

With the active partition un-marked, Windows will stop searching for it, and that could well solve your problem.

Diskpart lists 0 (~4gb), 1 (logical ~4gb) , 2 (44gb) and 3 (44gb) partitions, which cover 96 of the declared 100gb.
According to it, only 2 was changed to inactive, it declared the others were already inactive.
So I guess the one partition I can enter in My Computer is 0 or 1 because of the size.
Where are the other 4gb?

It did not change the previous behaviour: when plugged in via USB, My Computer shows the same volumes H, I and J, and keeps loading, freezing the window and delaying anything I try do do there and under diskmgmt. It even shuts down my internet hotspot which is plugged via USB.

Under diskmgmt, trying to format shows an error "verify system events registry (...)".

Before I could try to un-mark, I had to troubleshoot because the HDD wasn't showing anywhere. I guess what caused it was yesterday's CLEAN ALL that I have tried on diskpart, which I aborted due to extended lack of feedback.

posantos said:

Diskpart lists 0 (~4gb), 1 (logical ~4gb) , 2 (44gb) and 3 (44gb) partitions, which cover 96 of the declared 100gb.
According to it, only 2 was changed to inactive, it declared the others were already inactive.
So I guess the one partition I can enter in My Computer is 0 or 1 because of the size.
Where are the other 4gb?

If you do DISKPART LIST Partition, then you only see Size allocated to each partition.
If you do DISKPART LIST Disk, then you see both Size allocated (total), plus unallocated Free disk space.

Ok, thanks.

But I am still stuck with an HDD that:
- only has a reachable/usable 4gb partition
- gives no feedback from the other partitions, loading forever
- freezes any tool in any computer I plug it into.

Any paths for a solution?

Sounds like the disk has already had it, if you are still getting loading forever and freezes issues. You have tried CHKDSK, but have you tried Disk Tools from the Disk Manufacturer? The usual route is to use the appropriate Disk Tool from the Disk Manufacturer, which should be found on their Website. The alternative is to use Third Party software like Hard Disk Sentinel.

Hi again.

I have managed to fix the HDD.
I plugged it into a laptop with Windows 8 and was able to do a Checkdisk through Explorer, it didn't freeze the computer much.
Then I tried it on the original TravelMate C200 but it didn't boot. So I booted the laptop through an emulator on USB and repeated the Checkdisk. I also went to diskpart to activate the system partition (I had it inactive following your advice to kill any freezing) and now it boots perfectly.

Now my problem is how to make the Wacom Pen usable.
I can see the drivers installed and the system is XP 5.1, so I guess it should work without a fresh install. But it doesn't, nor I find any apps or options on the system.
I tried deactivating and reactivating the drivers and to tell Windows to find updates to each but no success.
I vastly browsed the web for drivers but couldn't find any for this feature.

Can you help?