Okay i'm back.

After I tried checking all the stuff recommended in this thread, for some reason the drive just kept working and never did its funky power down.

But, it just happened again.

I'll outline what occurred in bullets:

-Was playing an MP3 stored on the storage drive.
-MP3 would start playing choppy, and eventually stop playing.
-Restarted computer.
-Computer would not boot, gave drive error (bootable media not detected I believe).
-Restarted computer, went into BIOS and disabled storage drive.
-Computer would not boot again, gave bootable media error, but worded differently (please insert correct media and try again)
-Went into BIOS, re-enabled storage drive.
-Computer would not boot, gave the first drive error.
-Turned off computer.
-Unplugged and immediately replugged SATA and power cables to both drives.
-Turned on computer, and it booted.

Now, what the hell? Apparently unplugging and replugging the physical cables fixed the problem? What the heck? Are these plugs like NES cartridges now? And I have to blow into them?