hard drive crashed :-(

[weizilla]

so during work i was downloading a file on firefox and talking on aim. then i closed the download and the vnc froze. i figured it was just some problem with the internet so i ignored it. when i got back, i got a lot of messages about "delayed write failure" or something.
thinking nothing of it because i've seen it before and because the SMART program said everything was ok, i turned the computer off by holding the power button. however, i didn't realize that it didn't turn off until when i got back 5 hours later.
so i then turned the computer off and when i turn it on, it makes this clicking sound during post and the bios doesn't even detect the hard drive. i open my case and i touch the drive and it's REALLY hot. not burning hot but defently not good.

will my hard drive be ok or will all my pictures and mp3s be lost forever???
it's a quantom fireball 20gb

 

[Codegen]

You're Fireball lived up to it's name.

 

[Cerb]

DVDs are cheap.
Please people, learn: backup, backup, backup!
If it has moving parts, it will fail.

 

[weizilla]

i didn't have a dvd drive

 

[orangat]

Sounds like an older drive.

 

[wpshooter]

If your computer is still using a 20Gb hard drive, it sound like it is time for you to purchase or build a new computer.

Make sure the next system has a quality SEAGATE hard drive in it. Preferably a SATA.

I don't understand about the SMART program telling you that everything was all right. What is this SMART program ?? If it is one of those hard drive monitoring/management programs, my advice would be to NOT use it. You do know that you turn off your computer with the power button only as a last resort, don't you ??

 

[weizilla]

Originally posted by: wpshooter
If your computer is still using a 20Gb hard drive, it sound like it is time for you to purchase or build a new computer.

Make sure the next system has a quality SEAGATE hard drive in it. Preferably a SATA.

I don't understand about the SMART program telling you that everything was all right. What is this SMART program ?? If it is one of those hard drive monitoring/management programs, my advice would be to NOT use it. You do know that you turn off your computer with the power button only as a last resort, don't you ??

this was just a shared drive with a few mp3ps, pictures, and stuff on it. i had an 80gb hard drive with windows, more mp3s, movies and other things in the computer.

i just put together a new computer. it has a maxtor maxline III 250 gb sata hard drive in it.

why shouldn't I use the SMART program?
nothing was responding, except for moving the mouse around. not even control-alt-delete. that's why i had to turn it off with the power switch.

 

[Cerb]

SMARt is a monitoring system on the drive itself (and the controller). Sometimes, it can offer a warning before things die. However, things with moving parts can just...well, die. It happens. Next time, be prepared.