computer won't boot / strange

about a month ago, the computer started making a very bad noise. Sort of like a grinding..it would last about 30 seconds, stop, then start again...kept doing it. Then any icon on the desktop could not be opened and you couldn't click the start button either. Nothing worked. Then suddenly ALL the icons disappeared from the desktop. I rebooted the computer..it did come up, BUT you could not get into any program. The noise continued (not continuously...on and off about every 30 seconds or so). I talked with someone who said it sounded like a problem with the reader arm of the hard drive. Told me to change it out.
I changed out the hard drive, installed everything back onto the new drive. The noise disappeared and everything was working fine. All programs were working, the noise was gone, no problem...UNTIL last night.
When I got home last night, the computer wouldn't boot. THe noise is back (going on and off)....This time, it is displaying a message "Operating System Not Found". Someone suggested that one of the fans may be making the noise, but why does it not find the Operating System? Why can it not read the hard drive? What do I need to look for?
Can it be a problem with the cable connecting the hard drive? or can it be the hard drive itself? But this is a new Hard Drive...a month old. Just installed. Western Digital 40gig.
This is an EMachine, 1.7G processor, Windows XP.
Hope someone can help...I'm stumped on this one...I can generally solve my computer problems, but this one has confused me. Not really sure what to look for.
thanks for your help
have a good day
Barbara

 

Howdy there Bortega104...

When you bought the drive did it come with a floppy disk that contains a dignostic program ?

If not you can get it from here...

http://support.wdc.com/download/dlgless137.asp

What I would do is run the diagnostic program, the download will create a bootable floppy, and just reboot the pc using the floppy...

There could be a number of reasons for the problem you are having, from a bad hard drive ( even though it is new it still could be bad, I've seen them bad out of the box ), a bad ribbon cable or just a bad connection, bad controller, or a fluctuating power supply, just to name a few...

If the diagnostic program finds problems, call Westerm Digital it should still be under warranty...

 

thanks, I'll check it out and will post back with what I find out.
have a wonderful weekend.

Barbara

 

Well, I got into the computer this weekend and found that one of the drives had gone bad. I had a Master drive and slave drive hooked to the computer. It was the slave drive that was making the horrible noise. Sounded like something trying to turn, but couldn't (or at least not real good). I disconnected the slave drive and all is working fine once again. Evidently, this slave drive going bad, kept the main drive from booting.
With this slave drive making this horrible noise and it can't access the "Operating System" (on this slave drive is Windows 98 because it was the main drive in an old computer). Is there any way that I can pull off any of the data from this drive? I had some of my data stored on this drive since it used to me the main drive in my older computer at one time?
thanks
Have a good day
Barbara