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Solved HDD BIOS detects not - Live Windows works with - what is wrong?

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MIRKOSOFT

MIRKOSOFT

PCHF Member
Aug 30, 2016
204
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#1
Hi!

I got old laptop with XP on 60GB IDE HDD and wanted backup to create virtual machine.
I want to use this laptop for MS-DOS and very old Windows versions.
So, I removed harddisk, created backup and virtual machine (there have problem with network, but it is for VBox forum).
Then I connected harddisk back.
First time I was not watching POST and got message: No boot device found, press any key...
So, I reboot and watching POST I saw problem - HDD was not detected by BIOS, so I go to BIOS and correct all possible, repeat it many times but never success.
So, I tried to boot from USB and then DVD live Windows - it boots and I was surprised what I saw in This Computer window - all disk partitions! And even disk management allows me to work with. So, I tried not yet install any OS.
Where do I mistake?

Thank you for help.
Miro
 
#2
Hi,

if that's the case, either HDD is stuffed or the connection to mainboard :eek: try another IDE HDD or connector. If you can get BIOS to see it rebuild the BCD.

how old is this thing, can it auto detect hard drive or do have to put in
Cylinder-head-sector
manually
 
Last edited:
#5
So, how can dead harddisk work in Live Windows on CD?
When I boot from Windows Live DVD and display This Computer all its partition there are untouched - even is possible to work with - copy/move/delete, I tried not yet touch partitions...
HDD has only one problem - BIOS see it not.
I forced it to IDE port as possible as best and helped not, tried few settings in BIOS, helped not too.
For details of HDD: IDE HDD in notebook - 2,5" - 60GB, notebook is old 10 years or more

So, where do I mistake?
Miro
 
#6
MIRKOSOFT said:
So, how can dead harddisk work in Live Windows on CD?
Click to expand...
Linux is another program that is often used to recover data from a HDD that will not boot, this because the computer boots from the disk in the optical drive or USB pen drive and not from the HDD itself, it depends on what the actual problem is with the HDD as to whether or not the data can be accessed and just because you can see and recover the data it does not mean that the drive is good.

MIRKOSOFT said:
I forced it to IDE port as possible as best and helped not, tried few settings in BIOS, helped not too.
Click to expand...
What boot options and devices are available in the BIOS.
 
#7
Ok, I understand, your country is UK - as I see flag.
I'm from Slovakia - middle Europe...

I can take screenshot of BIOS, or if it will not work can take photo.
Miro
 
#9
Here are screenshots of BIOS and BBS POPUP
Miro
1.main.JPG 2.advanced.JPG 3.display.JPG 4.security.JPG 5.power.JPG 6.boot priority.JPG 7.boot selection.JPG
 
#10
Sorry to be a pain but we could do with a better picture of the BIOS picture for the Advanced option, we cant see all of the info to the left, we can guess what the options are but that`s not how we work.
 
#12
Doesn`t look promising I`m afraid Miro :(

What if anything at all happens if you press either the > or Enter key when Primary IDE Master is highlighted.

Have you tried pressing F9 to restore the MBs default factory settings,
 
#13
You helped me bit - I forgot to write that editing PRI/SEC Slave and SEC Master works, but after choosing PRI Master computer freezes.
I tried defaults and can edit PRI Master - but still not detected - but some progress here is!

Miro
 
#15
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but that effectively confirms that the HDD is bad in some way, if it were a BIOS issue the Matshita DVD drive would not be detected either.

You could try copying your data from the drive and then formatting it.
 
#16
Data are backuped, even true diskimage is backuped - no problem.
I do it this evening and report.

Thank you for helping me and if will work, you helped me with anything what I didn't knew.
Miro
 
#18
So, I deleted all partitions and performed switch to Offline, then Online.
Turned off notebook and turned on - BIOS see it not!

But I booted to Live Windows 10 and tested HDD, look into attachment.
As result was: Passed

Really don't understand why BIOS see not this disk 'cause read/write is correct.
I mean I try to create boot diskette (have one USB floppy) and try to install at least DOS.
What do you mean?
Miro
 

Attachments

  • ST960812A_5PJ1H6X8_2017-11-06 Test.txt
    4.6 KB · Views: 6
#19
All that I can suggest at the moment is that you try an alternative 2.5" IDE hard drive in the notebook or try placing the present HDD in a 2.5" IDE USB hard drive connected to another computer and see if it shows up in Disk Manager, at this time there is no way of knowing if the problem is with the HDD or the contacts on the notebooks MB.
 
#20
This I did when I backuped whole disk to image.
When was connected by USB adapter, was correctly recognized, copied and later tested - you saw log.
So, how to check pins? I'm not working with notebooks, even - can you help me to find battery for BIOS in notebook? It discharged. It is model Asus A6R. I was searching over the web and always foud simple user's manuals without any hardware description.

Miro
 
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