Hard Drive Problems

[RebounD11]

I don't know if I'm the only one that had this problem, so if anyone can help me here it is:

My other computer broke down (power supply problems) and I needed the data on its hard drive. So I installed the drive (IDE drive) on this computer and this is what happened
- it only recognizes few of my partitions and they're maximum size is 32GB (the hard drive is set to be slave on the same IDE cable as my DVD-Writer and the jumpers are OK - checked and rechecked)
- it recognizes it as sd* instead of hd*

there's nothing wrong with the device I checked it under Windows and Ubuntu and it works fine in both, I even tried to grab the fstab entries from other distributions (SuSE and Ubuntu) which didn't work either (and I had a feeling it woudn't since those partitions are not properly seen by Sabayon).


Here's some more info maybe it helps:
- I boot from a S-ATA drive - although the computer boots fine with or without the other hard disk
- I 'm running Sabayon 3.3 x86 edition with this kernel version: 2.6.20-sabayon-r3

I consider myself recently evolved from n00b status, but there's always something new to prove to me I can't do everything myself... please help, it's sort of an emercency, and it will sure help me get rid of the stress I put my room-mate having to use the disk on his computer

[WarraWarra]

Sounds like the MBR of the HD has been messed with and or unstable. Copy all the info over to 1 big partition if you can or to another HD and then start deleting the smaller partitions and make them into a bigger combo partition or as big partition as they can be combined into. Then Using the original 1 big one with the info copy it to the new combo big partition and then remove the old big partition.
The whole idea is to redo all the partitions with correct sizes and still keep the info / files you want to keep save. Check cables ata / sata cables as well as a bad cable can be nasty and you would have no way of knowing.

Fix:
The only fix I have found is to replace the partitions like above or wipe the drive clean and make new ones as the program used to originally make it did a half bad job or it has been corrupted later on with wrong sizes and or overlapping partitions.
If not sure use UBCD just google for it as it has tons of maintanace software on it and it does a good job as some partition software is not as stable as it should be.
Windows acronis disk director works as well and might be a good bet for you demo or paid for works.

PS> getting a new PSU remember to make sure that the AMP reading on the actual 12v rails / connection cable's is enough for your parts or more. It should have 18amps per rail at least and then 2 3 4 6 rails / cables with splitting connectors on it. The watt rating is cute and a lovely sales gimmick but when it needs red bull to get up the hill AMPS is your friend.
Keep in mind that heat and bad electricity is only good to burn the PSU out.
I had to buy a opti 1200s AVR automatic voltage regulator too keep it from too much or too little power to the PSU. This happens when the light's dim for a few seconds when starting the tumble dryer or something.

Example:
Nvidia xfx 6800ultra uses 130W so if 1 rail or cable tree coming form the PSU box it should be able to handle minm 11amps for that cable. If it connects to another video card or other hardware then it needs more juice to run and not burn out. Add about 10% of what you need to that cable to be safe.

HD = 10W , dvd = 10W cpu = 65 to 150W depending on model or make but gets power from motherboard 20 / 24 pin connector.
12v x 18amps = 216W per cable or 1 video card and a HD then it is at max of what it can do for you.
Also 1 big 120mm fan is much more quite and runs at 1x 40mm fans power consumption plus it can actually move air not just make 4x 40mm fan noise like the 40mm fans.
Check video card and do the calc to get a idea of what you need.

Hope this helps.

[RebounD11]

I don't wanna mess with that hard disk - especially since it runs perfectly on any other OS... besides the thnical problem will be solved an it will return to its original use.

Secondly I know the tehnical requirements... currently the PSU of this computer can take way more than it has now and the other one crashed because I had a power surge and that computer was'nt plugged into the UPS - I'm a stundent and the dormitory I live in has a poor electricity distribution system.

The computer I am using now is the campus server for games and DC hub and for the University Intranet... It's on Sabayon and a lot others in VM's (using Parallels workstation)

I wouldn't want anything to happen to this computer since it's not my proerty I'm only responsible for it.

so if something can be done that doesn't involve repartitioning or backing up all the 160GB of data would be appreciated otherwise I'll just wait for the new PSU

[RebounD11]

Forgot to thank you for the reply... it's useful stuff so

Thanks!

[WarraWarra]

Yup maybe wait a bit.
Well Acronis disk director in windows or linux host with vmware and windows guest + acronis will fix it as well provided you set the hd to actual disk + partitions and not just a image.
That is the least dangerous option , acronis + windows just need to reboot for acronis to do it's thing.

You don't have a usb enclosure you can put the hd into and then using usb and some software to check it ?