puntoMX

If you have still the same data on the WD, I would delete the data on the Samsung and partition it again in windows, following with a format, and test the speed again. To me it looks more like a bad copy or a already messed up drive layout from the WD so Ghost can't handle it well.

The outer part is just shielding or ground. The 2 wires on the inside is all you need to get it work. It is shielded to meet the standards of all countries . And like the other said, the shielding must make a short with the positive wire somewhere else.

Yeah, my thoughts exactly. Anything to make it cheaper and smaller... Now I think of it, more drives are build like that, also the ones from transcend for example... but never saw one on the inside.

Can you give us the model number? I'm also almost sure it's just a normal harddisk with a IDE or SATA connector, just look closely.

Look for a company that recovers data, this is not something you can fix on your own. Expect to pay a few hundred to thousands of USD.

Just to update your knowledge; You can buy 1.8" external USB drives too, check out the brands like Transcend and Samsung, they both have 1.8" USB models.

Both those temperatures look fine, could be improved for sure but you would need bigger fans (read more air pushed trough your system with less noise ), better airflow, bigger heat-sinks and some new thermal cream on some parts. But, I would not worry that much about the temperatures in your case.

Just normal thermal paste would do fine, AS isn't that special these days. By the way, most 7300LE cards come without a fan so if it runs hot it's due to not enough airflow, but removing the pink gum between the cooler and GPU and applying new paste would be for sure an upgrade on the card. Take it out and I'm sure you have one problem less (besides having a card laying around).

Why not use the onboard Video only? You need DVI or so?

I don't think that the speed is the problem but the voltage is, most 1066 modules need higher voltage. All depends how the module-maker programmed the SPD, but I would presume it should have info for 667 and 800 too...

, you are welcome, but what are you going to do now? Working without the battery?

Remove the battery and see if the problem is still there. Could be that Windows 7 is detecting somehow the battery "wrong" (Note that ACER is messing up big time too when it comes to this). I have not seen this under Win7 but I have seen this under XP and Vista.

Okay, one thing I got to say: Build your own and use it for 3 years or so, you will be more future proof keeping half the cash inside your walled and go for a 500-600CAD system. Just my 0.01 (half of 0.02 ). EDIT: let me read what CoffeeFiend has to say . EDIT2: What's wrong with onboard video (HD4200/785G) and AMD for example? .

If it doesn't stick I'm cool with that . Reminds me of yesterday night when I felt like building my demolition vehicle and made that from the junk I found in the street, starting with a cocacola can... Ow wait, that was with "the A-Team" theme music... ow shoot, wrong episode .Any news from bill4d, or is he still pulling of those magnets?

Nice info, but as far as I thought it was the 3.3 and 5v that would make the difference physically, but o well, now it's "old" I'm starting to get the right info . By the way, any ideas about USB 2.0 and Win98(se)?

No Ponch, you cant put a 32-bit CardBus Type II in that machine, physically it fits but electronically it won't work. Are you sure? Anything after 1997 or 1998 should be CardBUS. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PC_Card Yes, but it has more to do with 16 and 32bit I recall. Let me check out your links...EDIT: Okay, so it's Type II, but almost sure it will not support 32bit, those USB 2.0 cards are for 99% 32bit, and what I was pointing at was that 16 and 32bit "PCMCIA" look the same. To add (edit): The people here have problems firring the device up, some say it's a shortage of power. So, they say it should work, but I tried it many times and with negative results. You have no idea how many people love to update and spend a lot of cash on older PCs here . EDIT 3: By the way, how does USB 2.0 work on 98? I kind of missed that part and never really tried it I believe. On XP Gold (without SP1/2/3) it was hard enough to get it working well as I remember.

No Ponch, you cant put a 32-bit CardBus Type II in that machine, physically it fits but electronically it won't work.@ All: Note that the 40GB HDD is already an upgrade on that machine .

Nuke the sh*t in a microwave, how about that (listen guys, I'm joking here! But it does damage micro-electronics )

I missed the info about you having already a 40GB, so up to some 127GB will work I would say. You could find some bluetooth USB device that should work but I doubt it will run under 98, even under XP it's a pain to get it working as it should be (I know it can be done under XP, but it will give you more a headache than any thing else). A normal user has no use for a serial port these days, however, there are some devices that can be connected to it like PLCs, modems (56kbps and so) and some other simple I/O controllers; nothing that will speed up your computer. Do you really need the speed? Do you want to change your OS?

Well, sadly it will cost you more than buying a used notebook or even a netbook (mini-notebook). For example the Bluetooth idea: You will need a USB Bluetooth device that is 100% compatible with USB 1.1, and most are only USB 2.0 compatible. The number of RAM sloths is also in new models just 2, or even one with netbooks and mini-notebooks. A new harddrive could speed up the machine but most likely the BIOS will "see" only 32MB of let's say 40GB due to a not LBA48 ready BIOS.I would just keep it "as it is" and sell it (not much worth these days for someone else), and get something that isn't older than 5 years, at least supports DDR1 and has USB2.0 . If you want to run 98 on it, you need to check out the drivers first before buying a "new" notebook, but I guess you would like to have XP or Windows7 installed these days...

No it's not, not even connected with each other, forget what they have told you . Naa, they won't even test that, that would cost the manufacturer more than the drive is worth.

Well, you could always buy them online and lose some cash on them if they don't work by selling them on ebay again, Newegg has these for 32USD each. That computer-shop must be dead soon with those prices, ripping off the locals...

That's impossible, if Disk Management doesn't see the drive than it's not fiscally connected and/or recognized by your computer (not enough power to the drive my guess, so sometimes it could be seen but not accessed).It must be indeed like Jaclaz said something in between computer and drive; Now, do use your that cable with the 2 USB connectors to get more power to that drive, also, if your motherboard is just USB 1.1 it could have problems detecting the USB 2.0 device although it should be backwards compatible.

What has the impedance of a voicecoil to do with the strength of magnets? @ bill4d, those are indeed strong magnets to keep the loose bolts and nuts out of the carter. I don't think you can destroy all the data but you can at least make holes in the data. I would use some cardboard sheet to place on the drive and move the magnet over that.

Also in 200 (rare) and 266. @ adrian2055, don't order them online that would be high risk if you did so as it's almost 70% certain it will not work, go to a computer-shop and let them test the memory before you leave the shop. It could be that the notebook doesn't "see" the whole 1GB module or doesn't boot up.