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Hard disk abnormally named
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Original Message
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Name: chatterjeeps
Date: August 20, 2004 at 06:07:59 Pacific
Subject: Hard disk abnormally named
OS: Windows 98
CPU/Ram: 64 MB
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Comment: I have a peculiar problem and a peculiar solution to it too. I have a Samsung HDD 20GB. Sometimes when I start my computer, during the POST screen, my HDD is listed as "Wamsung" or some other rhyming name with "Samsung" and in place of showing the capacity, some special characters are displayed. The computer passes the POST but cannot find the OS. To solve this I have to reseat the IDE cable and it starts working fine. Is there any permanent solution to this problem? I would also like to know what exactly is this problem?
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Response Number 1
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Name: johnr
Date: August 20, 2004 at 06:11:11 Pacific
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Reply: (edit)I'd download & run the samsung hard drive utility - http://www.samsung.com/Products/HardDiskDrive/utilities/hutil.htm Funny characters appearing are sometimes a sign of a potentially failing drive. "I know that I'm mad - I've always been mad..."
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Response Number 2
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Name: jam
Date: August 20, 2004 at 06:19:26 Pacific
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Reply: (edit)Sounds like you have a Boot sector virus? They're most often spread by infected floppy disks. Did you use a floppy for anything recently? Try this to fix it... Boot off a Win98 startup disk, then at the A: prompt, type the following & hit ENTER...then remove the floppy & reboot: fdisk /mbr
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Response Number 3
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Name: chatterjeeps
Date: August 20, 2004 at 06:27:04 Pacific
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Reply: (edit)I have used fdisk /mbr several times and also ran virus checks. I rarely use floppy disks. So that ain't the problem. Also, the Samsung hard disk checker says the drive is fine. Could I get soe more inputs please?
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Response Number 4
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Name: johnr
Date: August 20, 2004 at 06:29:46 Pacific
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Reply: (edit)Next suggestion, try a new IDE cable and spray a bit of switch cleaner onto the pins of the IDE socket. "I know that I'm mad - I've always been mad..."
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Response Number 5
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Name: jam
Date: August 20, 2004 at 06:47:53 Pacific
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Reply: (edit)If you're getting odd characters, I'd still bet on a boot sector virus. Floppies are most often the cause, but they're not the only way to get infected. And fdisk /mbr doesn't always fix it http://www.f-secure.com/download-purchase/tools.shtml http://antivirus.about.com/library/blboot.htm
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Response Number 6
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Name: chatterjeeps
Date: August 20, 2004 at 06:56:13 Pacific
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Reply: (edit)Thank you all very much. I will do the suggested and get back with the results. But I would like to know in advance what if neither changing drive cables or using antivirus works.
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Response Number 7
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Name: StuartS
Date: August 20, 2004 at 07:24:28 Pacific
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Reply: (edit)I doubt it it is a boot sector virus. The information displayed by the POST is extracted from the drive firmware, not the boot sector. The boot sector doesn't even get looked at till the POST is completed. I would be seriously looking at a faulty cable or connector causing the odd bit to be dropped. The odd bit that when displaying information doesn't make a lot of difference except that it is garbled. When it comes to loading and acting an data, then the problems start. Stuart
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Response Number 8
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Name: jam
Date: August 20, 2004 at 08:11:53 Pacific
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Reply: (edit)Boot off the boot floppy...run FDISK...select option 4, Display partition information What does it say for volume label? any odd characters there?
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Response Number 9
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Name: Sabertooth
Date: August 20, 2004 at 08:36:49 Pacific
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Reply: (edit)"To solve this I have to reseat the IDE cable and it starts working fine". Well you already kinda narrowed the problem down yourself, swap ide cables with your optical drive and run a diagnostic test on the drive. Hopefully after doing that the problem is fixed or there is a possibility it could be a bad controller on the drive itself. ____________________________
The greatest risk is not taking one
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Response Number 11
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Name: indigian
Date: August 20, 2004 at 15:23:28 Pacific
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Reply: (edit)Bets are now bieng taken.......... nf7-s v2.0
1gb pc3200
jou jye 550w psu
xp2500-m @ 200x11
Thermalright SP 97
fx5600@360&600
WDCaviar 60gb
Seagate Barracuda 80gb
Thermaltake Lanfire;~}
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Response Number 12
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Name: chatterjeeps
Date: August 23, 2004 at 04:06:23 Pacific
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Reply: (edit)Nope... changing IDE cable did not help... neither did the boot sector antivirus... any other suggestions?
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