Toshiba Satellite Pro BIOS has lost HDD - Won't boot!

[MonocleMike]

Satellite Pro 6100 running XP Professional. It will no longer boot from HDD. If I go into BIOS I can see on page 2 that it has no primary hard disk but I cannot get the cursor into that box to change the setting. Any one know how to fix it?

 

[ski]

A HD not being recognized in BIOS normally indicates a hardware problem, i.e., defective HD, loose or defective IDE cable, disabled(in BIOS) or bad IDE controller, bad HD power lead, or a bad CMOS battery.

 

[MonocleMike]

Thanks. Is there any way I can get into the box and tell it to try again because it did work today just the once out of many, many tries?

 

[ski]

Make sure that the IDE 1 controller is enabled in BIOS.
If that's ok, then the laptop will probably have to be disassembled in order to troubleshoot the other items in my 1st post.

 

[micker377]

Is it easy to remove the hard drive? I have a friend who has to remove and replace his hard drive to get it to boot.

 

[BionicJohn]

Hi, micker377,

Removing the HHD from a Tosh Satellite Pro 6100 is straightforward.

I have two HDDs for mine - one for business and one for pleasure - and swapping them over is very easy.

Remove the retaining screw and small plastic cover.
Pull out the drive using the plastic tag/handle.

When replacing the drive, make sure it's fully seated in the socket.

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.