How did my hdd get knackered?

[ReNeGaDe*]

I have an old P2 233MHz system (with MMX technology!!) that was being used until less than a year ago and then it wasn't used for a few months, but then my mum wanted to work on a computer, my dad and I decided to set up the old one so she wouldn't disturb us ^_^ and then when I install win2k over winxp (which it had trouble handling) and it gives me a hardware error. So I try with Winxp again and it gives me a hardware error. So then a complete format, install win95 and 98. Same problem. Finally I try linux. Same thing. I try knoppix. Even that won't work, so the hard drive probably is knackered. It's an old WD Caviar 6GB drive, but my question is, what could have happened to it to be working once, and then not after a few months of disuse? I'm sure the drive didn't sustain any physical damage - It was sitting in a corner in my gran's prayer room, not much violence goin on in there ^_^

 

[Ice Czar]

so the hard drive probably is knackered.

based on the manufacturers diagnostic that you ran giving you an error

right?

even then there could be a bad cable or power supply

if its actually fubar, it was likely a head crash
but Id assume, that its a Corruption Problem
and needs to be sorted out
Id guess the RAM as a far more likely cause, till ruled otherwise

you have been able to run DOS aps?

 

[defakto]

Or the drive just want bad from sitting for a year.