Hard Disk Initialization Error

A hard disk initialization error is generally bad news and points to a hardware problem most of the time. Modern drives produce this very typical fault, and over the years, I have seen initialization failures manifesting in strange messages such as I/O Error, CRC Error, and "Device not ready" errors.

Hard drive electronics have become complex and as a result the initialization tests are longer and complex as well. Many hard drives even check voltage at sub-system levels before powering the main circuits. Once the microcontroller starts, it queries all the main subsystems including electromechanical components to check they are operating correctly. When any one of these parameters is outside specification, the drive will produce an initialization error.

Error 2100

I remember when my boss bought a bunch of cheap laptops that started producing Error 2100 HD Initialization Error. Their technical support would suggest updating the drive firmware, which never worked. Then they suggested reseating the drive connectors, which also did not work.

In the end, I took one of the drives apart, and after some experimentation, found out that the spindle motor was taking too long to reach the required rpm, and therefore failing the start up test!

The error was sporadic because the motor was just within specification, however after a few days, it became worse and the drive could not initialize at all. Hence, if you get this error, then backup all your data and replace the drive.

Status Codes

During initialization, each test generates a status code for every subsystem check. Once they have all reported in as present, operating within normal parameters, power to the servos and motor is applied, and the spindle turns.

If the motor is working correctly and the servos are able to maintain a constant platter speed, then the locking clamps release the heads.

The very first place the heads will move to will be the outer edge of the platter to read the System Area (SA). This area contains the initialization parameters for the servo timing, firmware overlay, and a whole host of other parameters critical to the operation of the drive electronics.

If it cannot read the SA, then it cannot initialize and will produce an error message to that effect and shutdown.

This fault is one of the most difficult to resolve for the layperson and if you have valuable data that you would like to recover then the best place for it is a professional data recovery firm. Many reputable firms on Google are able to recover data from these types of hard drive faults.

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