I have XP home installed, and yesterday the pc was fine. Now it will not load windows, & constantly tries to restart all the time. Trying to boot from the XP installation disk produced the message "windows cannot find a hard disk drive, make sure one is connected and switched on & try again. Installation is being terminated" or words to that effect. HELP, Please !!!
2007-03-07 03:18:24 · 12 answers · asked by Duffer 6 in Computers & Internet ➔ Other - Computers
Watch carefully as your computer starts up. There should be an option to go into BIOS. Once in BIOS there should be a startup option. Enable your computer to start from your Disk drive (probably D or E) and then save changes. You should now be able to boot from your installation CD and re-install windows.
2007-03-07 03:35:19 · answer #1 · answered by texaskelt 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I sounds like your hard disk is no longer properly connected to the rest of your system, or at least your computer thinks so. Most operating systems are inbuilt onto the hard disk, which is probably wy your computer cant load the operating system either. Simply take the shell off and make sure the connections are in properly. If it still doesn't work, get a proffessional.
2007-03-07 03:24:54 · answer #2 · answered by Nightwing 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you hard disk is not dead (check if it does not do a nasty grinding sound), or disconnected in which case I recommend you call the manufacturer if the machine is still under warranty, it sounds like the boot sequence is set to hard disk drive as primary.
Go in the BIOS first F8 or F12, check your machine, and set the boot sequence to cd first. Save and restart, with your install cd still in the drive.If that doesn't work, can you boot with the recovery console (F8 at start).
Also try the command FDISK\mbr to wipe the boot record. And restart.
Hope that helps.
2007-03-07 03:36:00 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is possible that your BIOS setup has been corrupted and the hard disk is not being recognized. You can check by going into the BIOS when you boot (Press Del for setup) and see if that's the case. If not, your hard disk could be disconnected/PSU not supplying power/virus scrubbed your MBR/faulty. If it's a desktop, open the case and look for anything untoward. If alll else fails, buy a new drive; they are not too expensive these days.
2007-03-07 03:33:11 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Open the case of your comp and remove the ide cables from their slots and re-seat them (they can work loose) also take the cmos bios battery which is shaped like a silver coin out and replace after 15 minutes. This will reset the bios and will try and auto detect the hard drive on startup.
2007-03-07 03:30:27 · answer #5 · answered by jackie_1969uk 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your computer can't see your HDD. Either it isn't connected properly (all the way into the connector) or you just 'lost' your HDD (in which case it needs to be replaced.)
2007-03-07 03:25:26 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
this does not sound good, it does sound as if you have had a hard drive failure. the best thing to do is see if you can take your pc to a computer shop and ask them to check the hard drive, it may mean you have to replace the hard drive.
2007-03-07 03:22:27 · answer #7 · answered by Simon Scott 1 · 3⤊ 1⤋
wona buy a 40 gig HDD ?. ive a few here going cheap
sorry but sounds tome like yours is stuffed
2007-03-07 03:33:26 · answer #8 · answered by BT 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Hard drive has bad tracks buy a new one.
2007-03-07 03:23:59 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
have you tried to load windows in safe mode, press f8 on bootup.
2007-03-07 03:24:08 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋