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Resolved Question

Computer won't recognize any HD at all

by Aug 28, 2013 12:38PM PDT

EMachines W3644 - Nothing supported anymore from eMachines.
WinFast FoxConn MCP61SM2MA-RS2H
2x 2GB DDR2 RAM
HD: WD5000AADS 500GB HD
CD drive
No floppy drive
Windows XP

During the whole CPU debacle here>
http://forums.cnet.com/7723-7591_102-599444/looking-for-a-cpu-compatible-with/?tag=contentBody;threadListing I decided to wipe my C: which is the HD described above. Once I got the computer put back together. I put in the OS recovery CD that came with the machine. I had it boot from the CD. I've had to wipe the C: quiet a few times (I keep data on flash drives and don't run much software) and usually the recovery program will run from the CD upon booting and it'll reinstall everything.

Except this time...

On the boot screen it'll say:
Boot from CD:
eMachines System Recovery (this is normal for a rewrite from the CD)

Then it says: No hard disk found. Press any key to continue.
That has never happened before. So I'm thinking the new process or BIOS or something isn't recognizing this HD.

Troubleshooting so far:
Connected the HD into another SATA port.
Used a different SATA cable and tried the HD on both ports.
Used a HD that has Windows XP from a different computer.
Put the HD in a dock and ran in through the USB port - Told me to disconnect the USB device.
Tried to get it to boot from the HD and an HD from another computer
...None of these worked.

CMOS is Phoenix-Award WorkstationBIOS CMOS Setup Utility
In the CMOS setup utility:
Only the DVDRW drive is showing up on IDE 0 Master. IDE 0 Slave, SATA Channel 0 Master, and SATA Channel 1 Master say "None"
MPS Version Control for is OS 1.4
IDE Function Setup (including SATA Setup) are all enabled
PnP resources are controlled automatically.

For all I've read about flashing a BIOS it doesn't sound like something for the inexperienced (i.e. me). Also, all the instructions I've read about it refer to floppy disks and explain things from the point that the computer can actually boot up. I don't have a floppy drive and it's not booting.

Discussion is locked

agavegrove has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer
18 Posts
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Best Answer

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During all this did you ever?
by Forum moderator Aug 30, 2013 2:58AM PDT

Remember there are some missing details so I want to be perfectly clear that the motherboard is in its' original case and has never been removed. A common gaffe when folk move a motherboard is when they install more mounting posts than required and short out the back side of the board.

And a silly thing. Does the drive spin up?

Also, I take it that going back to the original parts fails too.
Bob

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(beating head on table)
by agavegrove Aug 30, 2013 3:41AM PDT

The original part is the old CPU with the damaged contacts on the bottom of it. Going back to it's impossible.

I did try all of the above with my wife's old computer (identical to mine). Since her CPU is damaged I simply took this CPU and put it in hers, put in her XP HD, and.... Same problem. Whatever is happening must be due to the CPU's inability to deal with SATA. Which is strange because this CPU is superior to the factory CPU that had no problem recognizing 2 SATA drives.

The drive is not spinning up on either machine, with any cable, on either of the 2 SATA ports. Yet the drive is fully accessible as an external HD on a EZ-Dock and laptop.

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No spinning?
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Aug 30, 2013 3:46AM PDT

Here I just need to connect the power cable and the drive spins. We can forget the SATA data cable for that test.

I wonder if the PSU has failed?

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(guess I beat my head too hard)
by agavegrove Aug 30, 2013 4:23AM PDT

The power cable..... Imagine how well a HD works when you plug in the power cable.... I can't believe this. I either need to put my glasses on or go back to drinking.

This also resolves the OE 6 thread I started.

Thanks for your help. Sorry I wasted so much of your time over such a stupid error on my part.

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Good to read.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Aug 30, 2013 4:49AM PDT

Glad it was that and not some other thing. This is cheap to fix compared to the rest!

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(NT) Pssst...we won't tell anyone.
by VAPCMD Aug 30, 2013 11:17AM PDT
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Answer
XP w/o SP1 doesn't support SATA
by Aug 28, 2013 12:51PM PDT

If you're running the base level XP, you'll need to go into the BIOS and disable AHCI or SATA mode. This turns on IDE emulation which XP will support. Once you get up to maintenance level, you can turn AHCI back on and have it work. XP is coming closer and closer to becoming ancient and obsolete - I hope you're aware of that.

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(NT) I had SP-3, if that makes a difference.
by agavegrove Aug 29, 2013 7:36AM PDT
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Answer
SATA was hit and miss back then.
by Forum moderator Aug 28, 2013 12:57PM PDT

Stick with IDE or look for any SATA IDE EMULATION AHCI or such settings.

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I didn't see anything about SATA IDE Emulation.
by agavegrove Aug 29, 2013 7:35AM PDT

....and yeah, I'm realizing that about XP. My wife's laptop has Windows 7. It makes my Windows XP look like a comparison between XP and Windows 3.1! Happy

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update
by agavegrove Aug 30, 2013 2:03AM PDT

Here's what all I did:
Went back in to CMOS and disabled the SATA controller. Determined that SATA Primary and Secondary in the RAID were also disabled. RAID was enabled. - No change
Went and Enabled SATA and noticed SATA Primary and Secondary were disabled. I think they were disabled before. I enabled SATA Controller, Primary, and Secondary - No change.
Disabled RAID thinking, "Why not see." - No change
Took a second hard drive from the other computer and repeated all the processes above - No change.
Did not see anything pertaining to AHCI.

I'm not too concerned for data loss since I keep all data off of the C: and no software I use requires XP.
My wife, on the other hand, uses Outlook Express as her mail software and she has all her personal and business contacts. Since OE isn't compatible with Windows 7, she can't use it on her laptop. She wants me to get this Windows XP up and running so she can get to her mail.

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Answer
Link, comment.
by Forum moderator Aug 30, 2013 2:10AM PDT
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Sorry I forgot this nugget.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Aug 30, 2013 2:13AM PDT

Way back when there were some boards that had that SATA and was NON-FUNCTIONAL. These were put into many HP and other PCs and it was never a concern because the machine was sold ready to boot and use.

There's another variant of this board from those days where the SATA was only for second drives in RAID that only worked after you booted from an IDE HDD and the drivers loaded.

-> Remember you are talking ancient history here.
Bob

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IDE/SATA
by agavegrove Aug 30, 2013 2:23AM PDT

I've never had an IDE drive in either computer. They've always been SATA. That's what the confusion is. Why isn't SATA working? Both these machines were bought off the shelf read to boot and run with SATA drives. the only thing IDE is the DVDRW drive.

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OK, the drive is 500GB
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Aug 30, 2013 2:37AM PDT

That's HUGE, as in multiple galaxies size for that year machine. Think back to those days and you would see a 40, 80 and maybe an 120GB drive. I can't see if you tried a drive of the size from those days.

And about IDE. It has issues too but what if the SATA port was fried? It could be gone.
Bob

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drives
by agavegrove Aug 30, 2013 2:50AM PDT

It was bought in 2008. I run 2 500GB WD SATA drives (well I did before the CPU problem occured).
So you're saying the SATA port could be fried? All from just removing the old CPU and adding a new one?

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Think about it.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Aug 30, 2013 2:55AM PDT
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That was my next step
by agavegrove Aug 30, 2013 3:07AM PDT

My next step is to try everything in my wife's old computer. Of all things, I need to resurrect her antiquated OE setup.

The motherboard hasn't been moved. All I did was take out the old CPU/fan/sink and replace it. I also added RAM.

On to the next test phase....

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