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Then maybe one of the connectors just got loose inside your laptop?

I'm not sure how laptops work, I've never been looked inside them. But if they use IDE cables like normal computers, it'd be easy to just open up your laptop and make sure all the cables are connected.

But it's weird windows disc would say no harddrive is found, when clearly the harddrive is found if it's giving you a list of windows loading options without the CD.

If there was a problem with your harddrive, it would've given the error like "system error could not boot. insert system disk."

But it could also mean maybe your MBR is messed up (Master boot record).

There's a special disc available to allow you to fix your MBR but I don't remember what it is. It costs money though, so you'd probably have to pirate it as well.

... The hell?

It gave you a BSOD, right? Er, you had the option to choose between "safe mode" and "boot with known good config" etc.

So... wtf?


Er, okay, go ahead and boot up the compy and go into bios (er, at the very first startup screen, hold tab, f8, or whatever the key was to do so).. and in the bios try and look for something like ide (or maybe sata) or it might even be under an entry like "hard drives" or "hard disks"

Check that and make sure that there IS a hard drive listed...

If so, then I'm at a loss as to why a repair would give said message, but at least the HD's okay there...

If not, then there's a hardware issue... maybe the HD disconnected or something died... but I don't believe this will be the case.


Maybe pray to the compy Gods and try again? o____o( )


Edit: If it was the MBR, it'd give a different message (I should know, I've goofed one up before.. and had to get said program to fix it... the "easy" way, of course...)

And as for how the HD is physically connected... I've seen mini ide cables, and proprietary connectors... but either way, if your laptop is NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE OPENING IT, (and this CAN be a BIG a** PAIN), you can do so, and it shouldn't be too difficult checking the connection. (actually, you can look at the manufacturer's website, and probably be able to download instructions on how to disassemble it... o.o)


And I hightly doubt that a laptop would be capable of having a master/slave setup, since the bios is proprietary, and custom made for a system only having one drive... HOWEVER, if you want to try to salvage files, go download a "linux live cd" or if you don't mind pirating, a "windows live cd"... it boots said OS from the cd drive, and if you hook up an external drive, you can just copy and paste files to save 'em. ^_^

Of course, then you've got to actually fix the problem somehow, but your data will at least be safe.


Huurgh.. I hate problems like this... I see 'em way too often... x_x

Well, I'd much rather NOT describe how to pirate stuff... The mods are watching...
>_>
<_<

Of course, talking to someone outside of Gaia... I wouldn't think they could watch that. n_n

But using a live windows boot disk instead of linux would probably be a little easier for you...

Er, you're looking for something called "Win PE" stands for "windows preinstall" it was used by system builders to test compies to make sure they'd work with xp, and it works great for stuff like this.

Now, you got to have a SIZEABLE external HD (er, big enough to store all your data that you want to make sure is safe)

Hook up the external HD, put in the live cd (assuming you've obtained it), and start it up... it should boot off the disk and bring up windows (or linux, or whatever os is on the thing)...

From there, copy stuff from internal drive you want saved, and paste onto external drive... hell, you could even delete the stuff if you want to send it in to a manufacturer or something and are paranoid.

Then, you're safe in the knowledge your data is safe. n_n


And, if it's bringing that up, then your HD is connected and that error... shouldn't have been given? I'ma look it up and see if I can't find why it would have said that... but yeah. x_x

Well, it's a little late, but my family had a problem with our hard drive, rather similar to this, though it was for a desktop. My mom ended up getting a hard drive to USB cable, and then we hooked it up to a different computer, transferred the files (kinda like it was a USB jump drive) and then ended up reformatting the old hard drive.

I don't know if there is a laptop hard drive to USB cable, but maybe you could find one if you are out of other options...