Upgrading the Hard Drive in an IBM Thinkpad

[5477330]

I have an IBM Thinkpad Notebook, about 5 years old. 1.8Ghz and 512 RAM. I am attempting to change from a 40G IDE HD to an 80G IDE HD after the laptop stopped booting with the following error "cannot detect Hard drive"

I've installed the new HD and attempted to re-install Windows XP but I am still getting the same error message(no HD detected). I have gone into the BIOS set up and it does not detect the HD(there is no "+" symbol next to hard drive). Now the laptop won't boot becuase it cannot detect an operating system.

 

[G0AOZ]

First thing is to verify that either or both of your hard drives actually function correctly. Try attaching one to another system (as a secondary drive) and see if that BIOS will detect it.

Assuming the drives are ok, then the problem is with the IBM. Did the laptop suddenly stop working? Any immediate prior event which may give a clue as to why? When the drive is installed in the laptop, can you hear if it is spinning or not?

Check for possible loose power/data interface connection to motherboard. You could try resetting the BIOS and see if that then allows detection of the drive.

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[5477330]

When I switch on the computer I can hear the HD start spinning (but not for very long as once the system realizes there is no operating system installed during the boot-up, the laptop pretty much hybernates). How would I go about resetting the BIOS?

 

[wahnula]

Make sure the BIOS is set in SATA "compatibility mode" if it's a SATA drive. You re-set the BIOS by watching the screen very closely at bootup and it will offer the keys to the kingdom as in "Press DEL to enter Setup". Other options are here:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=YAST-3JWKJX

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[wolluf]

5477330 - Roger's advice - check the drives elsewhere - is first thing you need to do to establish if its the drives or the IDE controller on the notebook. As they're IDE notebook drives, you'll need either an IDE adapter or an external drive case to check them connected to a PC.