When my computer comes on it displayes the Gateway screen, then proceeds to another screen that says, "the hard drive was not found, referer to your user's guide." I gat the computer used I don't have a guide. I do have a operating system disk and a drivers disk. I was trying to delete the files on my hard drive, but I still think that I deleted my hard drive. I put in diskpart [/delete] [\device\harddisk0\partition1] [8063MB]. I thought it didn't take affect. But I guess it did. I need help. I know I can do this, but I don't know how. I've tried both of my disks, and I'm a dead end. Another thing I can't get back into my DOS menu. Dose anyone know a way to restore my drive? To create a new one? I tried looking on the web site, but I don't even see my model on it. It's around a 2001 model. Please, Please, Please, there has to be a way out of my mess.
2006-10-14 15:50:35 · 7 answers · asked by Nikki B 2 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Desktops
Typically when the message "hard drive not found" is displayed, it means the drive has failed. You might need to get a different drive to replace the defective one.
2006-10-14 16:01:04 · answer #1 · answered by Shaula 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
First just try to power off your pc with the OS disc in place. Power the computer back on and see if it starts to boot from the disc. If it does not then you will need to go in to your bios as others have listed. If it does it should see that you have an operating system already installed. You can choose the same partition and try to recover using the disc. If all else fails then start this out again and then delete the partion and format it and install a fresh copy of the OS. You will lose any of your files saved on the hard drive. If you recover with the use of the disc you may be able to save all or some of your files on that partition. If you need any more help or more detailed email me at morganjeeper@sbcglobal.net and put what or any more info possible and I will try to walk you through it.
2006-10-14 23:29:02 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you had access to the hard drive before, then there is a physical connection. In other words you DO have a hard drive and it IS connected properly. I think you already know this.
What you need to do is take your operating system disk and boot from it. You will need to start your system and as it reboots look for something like "System Setup" or "BIOS Controls". Unfortunately this passes very quickly and you may need to do this several times before you press the right button. On my Dell it is F8.
This brings up the BIOS, and look for something similar to "Change Boot Drive". Make your CD drive the first boot drive. Press something like "Save changes and Exit"
Your system will reboot, booting from the Operating System Disk (or a System Restore Disk, or something similarly named).
From there you will reload windows, which will take at least an hour, while you wait through all those friggin useless prompts. You may want to use the "Format Drive" option, and start your drive with a relatively clean slate.
Anyway.... you should have your computer back in no time.
2006-10-14 23:04:45 · answer #3 · answered by marsminute 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You may have done what you said. Put the Win XP operating system disc in the cd and reinstall Win XP. Unfortunatly, you will lose all the data and extra programs that might have been on there when you bought the computer. From now on, when you want to delete files from the hard drive, make certain that you have the complete name of the file(s) and do it through Windows Explorer. Leave operating system files ALONE!
2006-10-14 23:18:43 · answer #4 · answered by mittalman53 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Call Dr. Wizard at 1-800-Computer for help.
2006-10-14 22:57:59 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
does it say hard drive not found or boot device not found, and you can get into the BIOS whether the hard drive works or not so you must be doing something wrong
2006-10-14 23:01:47 · answer #6 · answered by metallhd62 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes i know something about computers
2006-10-15 03:32:07 · answer #7 · answered by Ask, and it shall be answered~ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋