programs not responding, browser won't open.

[aroplate]

hard drive is noisy, like it's running a program or something is writing to it. all my programs are not responding even IE and FFox, no internet connection is found but i'm connectedIm running windows xp pro, sp2 and the latest IE version with cox cable internet. yesterday i noticed my computer was running sluggish so i ran an updated avg scan and finished with no problems reported. The problem i'm having is today i can't open IE or Ffox, I tried to open them from my desktop, through my program files and explorer menu and all i get is an hour glass, no errors or anything, when i open my task menu I can see them running, and my control panel shows a connection of 100mbps. I contacted cox support and they said to call MS. any suggestions would be helpfull. I ran an updated ad aware also with bugs reported and removed but no change with the browser problem.
Thanks
 Aroplate

[patio]

Find out what brand HDD that is and DLoad and run the free diagnostics from the manuf. website. These are used to create a bootable floppy/CD
Run the drive fitness tests...
Also remove a side panel and make sure all fans are operating properly.

[aroplate]

ok i went to western digital (my hard drive manu.)to download diagnostics, ran the program and it said (cable test failed! please check the cables) Now what do i do? how do i check the cables? I shut down the computer and unplugged the cables to the hard drive cleaned them and plugged them back in, ran the diagnostics and got the same error again.
PS. All fans are operating
What is the fitness test??

[Broni]

Was it there error NUMBER?

[aroplate]

 Test error code: (11-test cable error)
I tried both quick and extended test with the same error.
Also tried to scan the drive for errors under c: properties and tools (error checking) and it said (the disk check could not be performed because the disk check utility needs exclusive access to some windows files on the disk. these files can be accessed only by restarting windows) so i restarted windows but it didn't perform the check.

[Broni]

11-test cable error

or

cable test failed! please check the cables

which one is it?
Western Digital site: http://support.wdc.com/techinfo/general/errorcodes.asp lists only error 100, and above.

[patio]

Replace that IDE cable with a new one and re-run the tests

[aroplate]

the (cable test failed) was the first error, when i closed it i went to view test results and it said (test error code:   11-test cable error)

[aroplate]

OK , I replaced the IDE cable to the hard drive, rebooted, started WD diagnostics and got the exact same error (test stopped with errors, cable test failed! please check cables) then i went to view test results and it has the same test error code:(11-test cable error)
The program im using is (western digital data lifeguard diagnostics- dlgdiag for windows) and im scanning drive 1  80gb hard drive Model# wdcwd800jb-00etao (IDE)

[patio]

If this was a brand new cable we need to try one more setup to see if it goes any further...hook up the drive to the 2nd IDE slot...the one with your CDROM drive on it and see if you get the same error.
You might be replacing this hard drive but don't panic yet.
BTW what version of Data Lifeguard Tools is this ? ?

[aroplate]

Sorry, this was not a brand new cable, i took it out of another working computer. I can't get a new cable till morning. I will get a new one and rerun the test. Thanks for your patients and help, i will re-post the results  tomorrow.
Aroplate

[patio]

No problem at all...

P.S. I noticed you DLoaded the ver. that runs inside Windows...the bootable version is a bit more thorough and all thats needed is to have your burning softwarecreate the CD as bootable.

[aroplate]

ok, brand new IDE cable, installed, retested w/same results, how do i create bootable disc?

[patio]

Instructions on the DLG page depending on what burning program you have...

Actually what you may want to try at this point would be to hook it up as a slave drive in a working machine with a burner and see if you can access the drive/Data...
If so copy/burn what you need from there right away.