# Solved: No hard drive detected, BIOS "frozen"



## sweeticeblue (Dec 5, 2008)

Hi,

I'm new to the forum and somewhat familiar with computers (enough to get into the BIOS, wipe a hard drive & set up Windows, those types of things).

I have a Dell Inspiron 1501 laptop that was left on a fleece sweater for 3 hours last night. Needless to say, it overheated and has been giving me the error message "no operating system found" ever since.

I _was _running Vista home basic (32), so I tried booting from my recovery disk, but no operating systems were found. When I went into drive options through the recovery disk, only the d: drive is listed.

I went into BIOS and a hard drive is listed, however, I can't cursor through the BIOS. I can only move between time and date on the main screen, unless I hit the left/right arrows about 50 times, causing the cursor to eventually (erratically) move to another screen. Of course, I have very little control over where I'm going.

I work as a freelance writer and while there are no pictures, music, etc. that need saving, there is a pile of articles (hopefully) trapped on there somewhere that are all in progress. I'd rather pull a tooth out than attempt to rewrite them all.

I found a few forum problems that were similar to mine, but none with the freezing BIOS problem.

Help (and please be gentle with the techie-nese). 

Thanks, Jayne


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## Parkman (Nov 30, 2006)

You need to test all your hardware components. Bios is freezing because your RAM is probably bad now as well as your hard drive. See if you can run the dell diagnostics, press F12 during bootup and run the full diagnostics. If you cant even run that try taking out a stick of RAM if you have multiple. If you only have one then you might need a new stick before you can start testing for your hard drive. Also if you dont care about your OS and just want those files, you can just take out your hard drive and connect it to another computer


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## sweeticeblue (Dec 5, 2008)

Thanks, Parkman.

I tried running the Dell diagnostics and it tells me "no drive found" when it comes to the hard drive test. It's the only test that fails.

Someone else had managed connecting to another computer (no, I don't care about the OS - I still have my Vista CD), but I've never done that. Can it be done through USB (without removing the actual hard drive)? If not, is it something that a non-expert could pull off?

J.


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## Parkman (Nov 30, 2006)

If your laptop cant see the hard drive at all you will need to remove the drive from the laptop. You can then connect it to another computer via USB if you have the correct connector,which you most likely do not. Depending on the type of hard drive it is, SATA or PATA, requires different connectors as well. If you have SATA then most computers made within the last 5 years should be able to connect directly. If it is PATA then you will need a PATA to USB cable like this one
http://www.buy.com/prod/cables-to-g...op-drive-adapter-kit/q/loc/101/202539574.html


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## sweeticeblue (Dec 5, 2008)

1. How do I find out if it's SATA or PATA?
2. If I manage to get the right cord and connect it to my desktop, will it just appear as another drive?

Thanks again.


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## sweeticeblue (Dec 5, 2008)

...and is this worth all the trouble - is there a chance that my docs are still sitting somewhere within the laptop?


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## dustyjay (Jan 24, 2003)

the only place they will sit in your laptop, is on the hard drive unless you have one of them open at the moment. I would agree, that if your laptop passed all of the diagnostics except the hard drive test, the first thing to check is the hard drive. You will first have to identify whether it is a Sata drive or a Pata drive, this will detrmine the adapter you will need to test it on a desk top computer.


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## sweeticeblue (Dec 5, 2008)

So I gave up on the data recovery (since SATA cables and hard drive enclosures are completely sold out of every store in my city) and decided to plow ahead and reinstall Vista. At the beginning of the install, I was stuck on the missing CD/DVD driver, which I managed to find/install from my Dell Drivers & Utilities CD. Now it's asking me for a mass storage device driver before it can continue. I've checked the Dell CD and I can only find modem drivers. My gut tells me there must a driver on there somewhere... any ideas?

J.


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## jazz3000 (Apr 19, 2007)

http://support.dell.com/support/dow...D=INS_PNT_1501&hidos=WW1&hidlang=en&TabIndex=

If you can't find it here- call Dell and ask them. Jazz


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## sweeticeblue (Dec 5, 2008)

There's no end to this. Called Dell and they said there would be a $50 charge for them to help me find the driver, since my warranty expired last month. I'd gladly pay it if I felt confident that the other person on the other end of the phone actually knew what they were talking about.

It's a Hitachi Travelstar 5K160 (HTS541680J9SA00). The Hitachi website says the driver's not available for download because it's already included on the hard disk itself. Thanks, Hitachi. I Googled it and found a pile of people looking for the same driver, but not the driver itself.

I tried running the Hitachi Fitness Test but it says "no floppy drives" and shuts down. I've tried every partition manager I could get my hands on and they all start to install and shut down. EASEUS partition manager seemed like it was about to go ahead, but they only way I can access these programs is by booting through my Vista recovery disk - and after doing so, I never have enough space to run the programs. I'm only showing about 30MB of free space and the program is slightly larger. EASEUS progresses, tells me there's not enough space to install and, you guessed it, shuts down.

I can't format it, I can't partition it, I can't run any diagnostics. I had 12 articles due on Thursday and I'm now on hour #22 (with a short nap in between) of trying to solve this. 

I'm about to lose my mind, just knowing that if I had the hard disk driver, I might be able to go ahead with the Vista installation.

Any more ideas at this point? Does anyone know of a partition manager that I can run from DOS that's Vista compatible (other than EASEUS)?

Sigh.

Jayne

Thanks, Jazz - Yes, I checked Dell Support online and found several other drivers, but not this one.


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## jazz3000 (Apr 19, 2007)

http://en.community.dell.com/forums/t/19162562.aspx From what I read here someone at Dell is yapping nonsense. Even out of warranty Dell should provide the disks or information you need. Jazz

ps: I'm thinking even after all of it you've probably killed the hard drive.


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## vicks (Jan 31, 2005)

Many drivers are available free at www.driverguide.com. You must register to download from the site.
vicks


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## sweeticeblue (Dec 5, 2008)

Jazz, tried calling Dell again and the rep told me I have everything I need on my Dell Drivers & Utilities CD, EXCEPT a hard disk driver, stating this is not something Dell provides. He offered to sell me a new hard drive but it would take close to 2 weeks to arrive, which I don't have.

I notice in the BIOS, it now says "fixed disk = 0". Am I right that this means the BIOS is no longer recognizing a hard drive?


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## Rich-M (May 3, 2006)

sweeticeblue said:


> Jazz, tried calling Dell again and the rep told me I have everything I need on my Dell Drivers & Utilities CD, EXCEPT a hard disk driver, stating this is not something Dell provides. He offered to sell me a new hard drive but it would take close to 2 weeks to arrive, which I don't have.
> 
> I notice in the BIOS, it now says "fixed disk = 0". Am I right that this means the BIOS is no longer recognizing a hard drive?


Well hard drive 0 is how the hard drive would be listed.
I have been listening to this search for a hard drive driver and there is no such thing. On a pc this new there isn't a sata driver issue either as recognition of the drive is in the chipset. I fear this is more than a hard drive but more than likely the motherboard. But as for reading the drive this is all you need and regardless of whether it is sata or ide and it really has to be sata if it is new with Vista on it, this adapter will read either.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812156102


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## sweeticeblue (Dec 5, 2008)

Rich-M, I think you're right. The driver is just nowhere to be found (and yes, it's a sata).

I just got back from buying a new hard drive. It took me 20 minutes to open it, only to find out it doesn't fit my laptop, even though the rep assured me that it would work. It's a different connection (a row of prongs instead of my two divided sections). Now the stores are closed and I have to wait until tomorrow to return it... leaving me another day or so until I can (hopefully) get any work done. 

As for a motherboard issue, all of the Dell diagnostic tests are coming back fine, including the motherboard tests (with the exception of the hard drive test, of course). Can I rely on these tests and assume the motherboard survived this meltdown, or is that just wishful thinking?! 

...and would the Vista install be requesting a mass storage driver if there was another problem (ie. other than the hard drive)?


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## jazz3000 (Apr 19, 2007)

Well we're going to hope your wishful thinking is right. Take the hard drive out and carry it with you to the store. Sometimes a day later can make things look a lot better and a lot clearer. Let us know...Jazz
ps Have you tried removing your CMOS battery? Replacing it to see if anything clears itself up?


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## Rich-M (May 3, 2006)

The old drive had a frame around it that has to be taken off and put on the new hard drive so that it fits. That is how you change a laptop hard drive.


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## sweeticeblue (Dec 5, 2008)

The thanks continue...

Thankfully, I did know that the casing had to be changed on the drive, but there's definitely something wrong. I think it's a PATA (if that's possible and not just me making something up).

In true novice style, I decided to reinstall XP on my unbearably slow desktop (where I've been posting these messages from) and there was a problem with the install. I managed to take down both computers for a while there... I never learn. 

I'll check in again tomorrow with the new drive.


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## Rich-M (May 3, 2006)

OK let us know...bring the drive back to store with your old drive but if the plug seems a lot bigger then it is pata.


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## sweeticeblue (Dec 5, 2008)

It's not looking good. I returned the PATA (yes, it was) drive I bought yesterday and found one SATA drive in my entire city. Installed it earlier, and loaded Vista without any problems.

I should first inform everybody that my battery died about 2 months ago (it will no longer charge so it has to run directly off the power supply), so as I was attempting to reconnect to my wireless Internet, the power supply somehow got disconnected. The laptop shut down immediately and when I restarted, the following error popped up:

SMART Failure Predicted on Hard Disk 4
WARNING: Immediately back up your data and replace your hard disk drive. A failure may be imminent.

It tells me to press F1 to continue and when I do, it takes about 10-15 minutes for Windows to load. I tried running the repair option from the Vista CD and it says "bad hard disk", which we know it's not. 

From what I've found on the Internet, the whole "SMART failure" is not good. Do you think it's related to the sudden shut down, or do you think it's a sign that something else is wrong within the computer?

P.S. I also tried formatting the entire hard drive and starting over, re-installing Vista, etc. - but same result).


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## Rich-M (May 3, 2006)

I don't see why that happening would kill the hard drive. I would return it as defective.


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## sweeticeblue (Dec 5, 2008)

Well, some decent news to report. The store where I bought the hard drive found two more in the back room, so they gladly gave me a straight exchange.

Vista installed no problem and everything was working great all evening, until my monitor started to flicker. It periodically takes on a life of its own and flashes until I'm just about cross-eyed... not just a regular flicker, and sometimes bars appear across the screen that remind me of a monitor diagnostic test. It doesn't stop and continues to get worse until I shut down. 

My husband thinks it might be the video card? I swear, someday soon, this poor abused laptop will be back in regular working order. Any input?


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## Rich-M (May 3, 2006)

Start by looking for a new video driver at laptop maker's site.


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## Parkman (Nov 30, 2006)

Rich is right. There is no required driver for this install. The store sold you a PATA laptop drive when you need a SATA. I would bring in the bad drive with you tomorrow to show them so they dont mess up. Since dell diag passed you are probably good to go with your new drive once you get it.

Oh man was that post late, guess I shoulda refreshed the page lol.


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## sweeticeblue (Dec 5, 2008)

Well, I think we can officially mark this post as solved. New hard drive seems to running fine (after I realized that Vista automatically formats - took me a while to figure out).

The flashing screen was the driver (thanks). Turns out the Microsoft driver installed by Vista just wasn't cutting it - once I ran my Dell drivers CD and installed everything I could find, the problem went away.

Parkman, funny thing about the PATA hard drive, since you told me to show someone at the store - when I returned it, I spoke to the "expert" who sold it to me and told him I thought it was a PATA. He said no way, that he sells them to people all the time. The box never said either way, so he opened it up in front of me and, sure enough, PATA it was. He walked around showing it to the other guys on the floor and everyone had been selling them as SATAs. I'm guessing they had a lot of returns. 

Thanks for the help! I think I'll stick around the forum - I may not be great with the technical stuff, but I might be able to help someone who's having a Word problem.


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## sweeticeblue (Dec 5, 2008)

One more thing - as for the frozen BIOS, that went away with the new hard drive as well.


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