Computer does not recognize my Harddrive on the first startup

[JaySwint]

My somputer will not find my hard drive when i start it up in the mornings, after it having been shut down for the night. When I restart it, after it not finding the drive, it usually finds it, if not it happens somewhere along the 3 or 4th time of resesting. How Can I fix this problem

 

[firewolfrl]

need the details of your system???
how many beeps when you boot???
do you have a Geforce video card???

it could be a motherboard video card issue

 

[JaySwint]

I have a K7S5A Motherboard with a AMD XP 1700 CPU. GeForce MX400 64 MB card and a 20Gig maxtor hard drive. I believe it beeps twice when i boot the computer, and then once when it finally finds the Hard drive. i have a slave drive in, but it is properly setup, and the problems still occurs if I remove it. I am running Windows XP Home with all of the updates installed. Thanks for the help anyone

 

[firewolfrl]

what size powersupply do you have?
this link might help

http://www.tweak3d.net/faq/faq.html

I still think it is a video card issue

 

[KingMalik]

Is your motherboard an MSI? Because I have a K7n2g with an xp2100 and 512 ddr ram running at 333mhz and it will not find my westerndigital 60gig hard drive. The funny thing is that it will find the slave 10 gig western digital hard drive. The only problem with that is my OS is on the 60 gig western digital. If your motherboard is not an MSI opps...(LOL)

 

[edfair]

The best fix I have come up with is an index finger to the reset button 15 seconds after power is applied. But that was on DOS. Generally has to do with the drive not being up by the time the computer looks at it. And a reboot gives it time to get ready. Ed Fair
unixstuff@juno.com
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[firewolfrl]

see if your Bios has a delay feature for the HD

 

[KingMalik]

I looked and didnt see any delay features for the hard drive. I know its not the hard drive because I put my old MB back in my system and the hard drive is working.

Malik

 

[firewolfrl]

I have the same problem as you but I have an ABIT KT7A-RAID Motherboard and a Geforce 2.
I have an incompatability issue at the component level at a cold boot. I had to do a hardward jumper to fix the problem.
a bad capacitor will cause the problem too.

 

[explode]

turn off the system and disconnect it from power source. then press the power button for 15 - 20 seconds continuously. this releases if any static electric charges are accumulated in the computer. if it doesnt work even then there might ne a small connection problem too. try removing and refixing the hard drive. also do not switch of the computer if it is any power management modes. since you say the jumper settings are fine, just make sure the connection is proper. in most cases this should resolve the issue. if it doesnt the next you can do is upgrade the video card and storage device drivers. see if this helps

 

[KingMalik]

FireWolf, I have tried the alternate jumper setting and with no luck. I have tried the power button thing, checked to make sure cables are hooked up correctly, but with no luck. The last thing I have to do is download a program from western digital website and they said that should fix the problem but I will have to repartition part of my hard dirve. I will keep you updated on what is happening..

Malik

 

[KingMalik]

Well, I called up western digital and since the hard drive was still under warrenty they replaced it and that fixed the problem...now my computer keeps restarting on its own...time to dig back in to the thing...