Welcome to RCF - WHF

fishead · Feb 09, 2005

I haven't started on the dell yet, trying to get this compac going if possible, but I plan on trying the dell soon.

This is a compac presario 5410us and the HD is a seagate 120 gig barracuda. The original hd is 40 gig.

I tried putting the original hd back in even though its broke, but it didn't recognize it either. I tried one other harddrive with xp already on it, I tried changing the jumper a couple ways, nothing.

Tomorrow I may try resetting the bios again, maybe I had the jumper wrong, I doubt it but I play around doing that. Otherwise I'm going to have to give up. The error page tells me I may need a disc to configure for a new HD. It does have an installation cd along with windows recovery/windows xp. I put it in and it open dos or something and I didn't know what to type in.

Nightrider · Sep 25, 2004

Here are the instructions from HP on installing a new HDD to your PC. Perhaps you will see something here that will help to resolve your problem...

Jumper Settings for the Installation of Hard Disks and CD, CDRW, and DVD Drives

Here are the jumper settings for the Seagate HDD:

fishead · Feb 09, 2005

I've already used that diagram nr, I found it on the seagate site. It is hooked up the far left, master or single. I tried cable select setting too.

I left the pc run awhile and the hd is warm, so its not completely dead.

I just hooked up the dell and the guy lied, it does not work. There is nothing on the moniter screen. Maybe thats a graphics card problem.

I think he tried that seagate hd in there and thats where that came from. It has two other hd in there and neither are originals. i guess I bought parts and thats about it. I can try the gcard from the compac but I bet this thing is junk. It smells like ciggerrettes so bad I can hardly stand it. This thing has been used a lot.

One other note, when he brought the hd in it has snow on it, said he dropped it. I think maybe he stuck it in the snow so I wouldn't be able to test it and he can claim it worked when he was telling me it was new.

OK question, if put the original HD back in, even though it is physically broke (clanking noise), shouldn't the pc at least detect it?

And shouldn't the pc at least detect the other HD I put in froma different pc with windows installed?

Seems I should be able to see a hd in the boot order with one of these.

I can try the two harddrives from the dell and see if it detects one of them, but I see this message saying I may need to update the settings for new HD below the no HD detected message.

fishead · Feb 09, 2005

From what I found yesterday, if it doesn't detect a hd then the hd is probably dead.

i should call that guy and confront him and ask if any of this junk is really in working condition. I think he loaded this dell up with all his burned up stuff and he pulled what ever was good, like the graphics card etc. I only paid $50 but I don't think I can get anything out of this that is worth anything. Oh well, andrew can play with it when he gets older.

rb2d2 · Sep 25, 2004

fishead · Feb 09, 2005

The two good HDs I tried both have windows installed on them already. Shouldn't the pc still detect these when plugged in?

rb2d2 · Sep 25, 2004

fishead · Feb 09, 2005

OK I'll try the cd cable. This thing has never had the hd pulled except for me lately, it was my sons and he didn't work on the hd ever, so the plug in should be in good shape. The harddrive did break mechanically and maybe that did something to MB ot cable, maybe it got hot or something.