Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Hard drive problems

M

MSmall

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Does anyone have any advice,
My whole computer seems to be breaking. When I start it, there is a clicking and buzzing sound. Instead of getting to the desktop or Login area, the screen goes black and there is a message which roughly says "/etc/ .password/ not a directory"
When I try to boot up from the Norton Disc, it freezes every time I try to fix the OSX drive. I have another drive which I installed OSX on but everytime I try to upgrade that to Panther (so I can get my info off my first OSX drive), it begins to read the panther disc but the rainbow circle just keeps spinning.
Not sure if one of the hard drives is dead but even stranger things keep happening with the computer. Has anyone ever experienced this?

Thanks for reading,
Mark
 
Sounds like your hard disk is either dead or about to die. With the noises your are describing, I cannot imagine it being anything else. Maybe someone else has some better news for you. But I am betting that the hard drive is dying. 🙁
 
so here is an even stranger problem. I have 3 hard drives in this particlular computer. The 30 gig is the master which when I boot that up shows the "not a directory" black screen fiasco. When I try to load the 20 gig with OS9 on it, it shows a folder with a question mark (this drive is the one I suspect is making the screaching noises since I unplugged it and didnt hear anything) and when I try to boot off the 80 gig which I installed OSX on yesterday, it runs really slow and has no privilages to get my info from my original OSX (the 30 gig). I know this sounds like a strange word problem but I can't seem to get any one drive to work for me. I can't even upgrade the 80 gig from OSX to panther just so I can get my info off the 30 gig.
Did both my 30 and 20 gig drives die on the same day or take each other out?
Thanks again for reading.

Mark
 
First of all, I suppose there is always the possibility that all of the drives are bad. Just want to put that out there.

Are you still able to boot into your old OS X install? What version are you upgrading from? How long have you let the beach ball spin when installing? On some older computers it can take forever before the beach ball stops spinning. What comp are you using?

Make sure when you try the drives individually that you've set the jumpers on the drive correctly. I'd try using just one drive in the comp at a time and see if you can find the problem that way.

If the OS 9 drive is the one making that sound then its dead. I've had those sounds before from a drive. It kicked the bucket.

You might want to try completely wiping the drive before you install panther. It's an option when you configure the install.

Matt
 
Assuming that there is any meaningful data on any/all of the HD that may be failing...I would recommend the highly-unscientific method of putting the offending drive in the freezer for a while...has always given me enough time to quickly transfer the data off...at your own risk...

Seems unlikely that all of your drives are damaged...wish I could help more with that problem...the advice given above seems reasonable...

Good luck
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back