computer HDD making me scared for loose plat

[mister yuck]

:evil: ignore my XP box listing in my info this is my parents hp pavilion 98 1st edition comp. So the noise was every once in a while at first, but now if you do anything that takes more than ram stuff it makes a whining scraping sound that irratates you and also to mention a intel running @ 500. ever since THE NOISE its been running even slower. I dont care about the computer that much, its the files I have on it and the fact I,m sitting with my fancy fart computer while they would have nothing. :evil:

[Miz]

If the HP has a CD writer, burn the files you want to keep to CD. It sounds like the hard drive is ready to fail at any time and once that happens, retrieving the files will be either impossible or prohibitively expensive (in the thousands of dollars range).

If it doesn't have a CD writer but does have a network card, network it with your computer and transfer the files over.

Or you can try removing the harddrive from the HP, re-jumper it to "Slave," put it in your computer and transfer the files from it to your hard drive. Given what sounds like the rather fragile state of the HP drive, though, that'd be my last choice.

Then get a new harddrive for the HP. They're pretty cheap, about a $1 (U.S.) a gig.

[mister yuck]

Thanks, the computer does have a CD writer.

[nowshining]

http://www.ecodatarecovery.com/sounds.html

[mister yuck]

Dang, ours sounds like the scraping one, the weird thing is its not as high-pitched. :eek:

[mister yuck]

A question for Miz, how do I do mutiple burning for large files and also with a new hard drive will it still take the VERY PICKY recovery cd?

[Miz]

What software does the HP have for writing to CDs? Easy CD Creator, Nero or something else?

I take it the two are not networked. If not, are they both connected to the internet? If they both have internet access, how do they connect...DSL, cable, dialup?

[mister yuck]

What software does the HP have for writing to CDs? Easy CD Creator, Nero or something else?

I take it the two are not networked. If not, are they both connected to the internet? If they both have internet access, how do they connect...DSL, cable, dialup? yes there both internet connected, and it has easy CD creator. parents is hypernet dial up, mine LAN cable.

[nowshining]

may I chime in again I found deepburner to be perfect, just get the portable edition and u won't have to install anything at all.. :) and both are free unless u want the pro version which costs, its easy if u have a CDRW or DVD RW, just select multisession then drag and drop into the deepburner window ur files u want to burn, go to burn and ur done...easy man easy when its done it can be easy read by other CDROM readers, etc... Also when u want to add/delete more, just select multisession again and APPEND session and import...:)

http://www.deepburner.com/?r=download

[Miz]

The easiest way to burn large files is just use as many CDs as it takes. CD-R disks hold 700 megs or so, depending on what you buy. They're cheap enough...less than floppies, as I recall. Don't bother buying disks that are labeled "Music." Any CD-R can hold music files.

Then just start burning files. When one disk is full, start on another.

For critical data, I have to recommend CD-R disks instead of CD-RW. CD-R (write once, can add data but when they're full no more can be added) disks seem to be more dependable as far as being read by any CD drive. CD-RW (can reformat and use again) disks can be problematic.

Just read through Easy CD Creator's help files for all you need to know about using the program and then start burning. If you have a huge file that is larger than the CD can hold, look in Creator's help files to see if it can span disks. It's been a while since I've used that program so I really can't be more help than that on the specifics.

I asked about internet connections because if they were both using broadband you could use any file sharing program to send files from the HP to your computer. Since the HP is on dialup, that could take days, though.

[mister yuck]

Would you know if a knew hard drive would effect the PICKY recovery disc?

[tucker42]

Some HP's and Compaq's will not be able to be restored with that CD. Don't count on it, but you may get lucky!