Hard disk problems

[evertonmint]

My windows vista crashed and wouldn't accept a retrieval so I installed ubuntu 12.04 that I had on disk. I keep getting a message 'Disk Utility' A hard disk is failing. :mad: (Running Ubuntu off a 'CD')
I have two drives in my system drive 'C' the main drive and drive 'D' how do I format them so as I can install Ubuntu permanently? :D

Regards

Evertonmint

[Cheesemill]

If the hard drive is failing then you need to replace it. Installing Ubuntu won't magically fix your drive.

[ssam]

Those messages come from the SMART self diagnostics on the hard disk.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S.M.A.R.T.

There is a very high chance that the disk will fail completely rather soon, but there may still be time to copy some of the data off it. Can you browse the failing disks from the ubuntu live cd?

If you dont have a backup, then I would strongly suggest you go and buy yourself an external harddisk, boot from the ubuntu live cd, and copy everything you can onto the external disk.

[evertonmint]

Thanks peeps, fortunately the 'failed disk' was the old 'D' stand by that I installed.
Unfortunately, my 'C' drive wont recover. I have back ups on my external drive, I loaded ubuntu desk top to my 'C' drive and wiped the whole disk to start afresh, as it were. when it rebooted it came up 'out of reach'?

If I go to boot menu the drive that I placed ubuntu on, 302 GB ATA WDC WDA3200AAJS-2 is ch 4 1st boot, 2nd boot is ch 2 160 GB and 3rd boot is ch 1 / others.
When in 1st boot all the previous info comes up and then nothing happens.
In 2nd boot, the info comes up as the first then blank screen with 'out of range' on it then another blank screen as though it's trying to open.

Regards

Evertonmint.