Troubleshooting PC Hardware: Hard Drives, Power Supply, and Network Cards

Posted on Nov 26, 2024 in Technology

Recognizing and Resolving Hard Drive Issues

Once IDE or SATA devices are installed, verify system recognition in the BIOS. For IDE drives, check master/slave jumpers and connections to the motherboard and power supply if not detected. If issues persist, test with a new data cable or consider a defective hard drive, possibly with a damaged motor shaft. CD/DVD drives rarely cause problems; if installed correctly, they should work, otherwise, they might be damaged. Repairing failures often costs more than replacing the unit. All hard drives produce noise; buzzing during spinning and tapping during access are normal. However, high-pitched chirps may indicate problems, necessitating immediate data backup.

Error messages indicating disk problems include:

  • DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER: The system can’t read the boot sector. Possible causes:
    • Faulty data cable (try a different one).
    • Incorrect BIOS boot sequence (check BIOS settings).
    • Virus infection (boot from a clean disk and run antivirus).
    • Damaged boot sector (boot from a disk, run FDISK /MBR, then SYS C:).
  • Errors during startup or use (e.g., Error reading the unit, E/S failure, Data error writing to the unit, Sector not found): These may indicate physical damage or data corruption. Run ScanDisk with the Thorough option. If damage is detected, ScanDisk might save corrupted data. If repair fails or the disk is physically damaged, replace it. (ScanDisk is not available on all operating systems.)
  • Missing operating system or operating system not found: Possible causes:
    • BIOS doesn’t detect the disk (check BIOS settings).
    • Incorrect MBR (use fixmbr from the Windows Recovery Console).
    • Incompatible or inactive partition (change the active partition using a boot disk with FDISK).
    • Damaged disk.

Physical disk repairs are usually handled by manufacturers or specialized technicians and often exceed the cost of a new drive. For bad sectors, software utilities like HDD Regenerator can be used. Data recovery from failed disks is done by specialized companies, but it’s costly and only viable for essential data.

Power Supply Issues and Solutions

The power supply is responsible for at least a third of PC failures. It converts AC voltage to the lower, continuous DC voltage needed by PC electronics. Problems often arise from insufficient power delivery. Common electrical issues include:

  • Peak: Sudden, short-duration high voltage fluctuations.
  • Blackout: Total power loss.
  • Transient: Sustained voltage increase, unlike peaks.
  • Voltage dips: Temporary voltage drops; prolonged dips can be considered outages.

Symptoms of power supply problems:

  • PC freezes or restarts randomly.
  • Hard drive failures, typing errors, file access errors.
  • Network data transmission errors.
  • Internal component failures.
  • Fluctuating light intensity.
  • Erratic PC behavior with high load factors.

Protective devices:

  • Voltage Suppressors: Many power strips offer surge protection, diverting excess energy to a ground circuit.
  • Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS): Act as battery backups, providing a steady power stream and protecting against fluctuations, blackouts, surges, and brownouts.

Network Card Troubleshooting

When a networked computer suddenly loses connectivity, check the following:

  • Ensure the network card is properly seated in the motherboard expansion slot.
  • Verify the network cable is securely connected to the card.
  • Test the cable with a cable tester.
  • Many wireless cards include diagnostic software to check functionality. If the card is fine, examine IRQ and I/O addresses for conflicts with other devices, reallocating resources if necessary.
  • Use the PING command to test network connectivity.