IDE HD Keeps Randomly Dissapearing

[amtbr]

I have a backup 80gb Seagate Baracuda IDE installed on my Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L MB and it has disappeared three times in the past day. Reboots or cold-starts wont solve the problem, I have 'fixed' the problem by opening up my case and reattaching the IDE cable to the HD and the MB. I can't figure out what the cause is, the HD has simply disappears after the computer has been on for a couple minutes to hours. The BIOS doesnt recognize it, then I reattach the cables and walla its back. CHKDSK reports no errors. Any ideas, is this HD in imminent crash?

 

[Quiksilver]

try a different ide cable?

 

[amtbr]

Yep

 

[wnied]

sounds to me like your controller is going. Time for a new motherboard, or use the secondary controller with your drive.

Hope this helps,
~wnied~

 

[mxnerd]

Still using 80GB drive? Could be dying.

You can download Seatools for Windows from Seagate website an run Basic Test Like S.M.A.R.T. (you have to turn it on in BIOS) Short/Long self drive test, Short/Long generic test. These are not destructive. If you want to run advanced tes, back up first.

 

[amtbr]

Thanks for the responses. Unfortunately the GA-P35-DS3L only has 1 IDE connector, so I can't test the faulty MB theory. I'll give the tests a shot, I figure the drive is going in the trash soon any ways. I don't trust it any more for storage and its old. Considering you can get a terrabyte these days for a little over a 100$ hardly makes sense to risk it...