PC not recognising Hard Drive

[annie0000]

My PC seems to have developed a fault in that it is telling me that the hard drive is not found.

It started this last week but seemed to right iteself and worked for a while then it became intermittant, now it isn't working at all and I cant get it to boot up at all.

Anyone any ideas of what I can do or is it kaput? :(

[annie0000]

I never thought of that, although now you say that, it was after I fiddled about inside the pc last week that it came back on - loose or faulty cable maybe?? I'll have another fiddle :)

[annie0000]

okay, just opened it up and gave all the cables a good push in - one did seem to click in a bit more, but PC still giving the same error - maybe need a new cable?

[annie0000]

nope mick, no antistatic thingy, but i did switch everything off and earth myself first :o)

right, so I just need to figure out which cable is the hard drive one and then get a new one? Or steal one from one of my boys PCs and hope they don't notice ;)

[sunny-dave]

Have you got more than one hard drive in your PC then, Annie ?

Otherwise how is it booting up if it can't 'see' the hard drive ?

[annie0000]

Nope Mick - but then I would have to listed to the crying while they try to figure out the problem.....

[sunny-dave]

Doh - sorry - misread the question - ignore me ....

< bangs head on desk >

[annie0000]

nope dave - I have one had drive and it's not booting up at all, although it was intermittently before, so a dodgy cable would make sense. I am not on that PC at the moment if that is what is casuing confusion :)

[annie0000]

Are all PC hard drive cables the same or so I need to try to work out which one to get for my PC?

[annie0000]

lol Mick - sorely tempted - I'll maybe wait until they are sleeping :o) they are only 10 and 11 though, so haven't given me too much grief yet.

[annie0000]

Thanks Mick - just looking for some info now on the dell website so hopefully can pop and get a new cable tomorrow.

[annie0000]

Thanks for the help - yes I'll let you know how I get on.

[annie0000]

Mick, no joy yet - PC world didn't have a cable suitable and it was too late to try a small PC shop. The cable in my son's PC is not long enough and the other PC uses a different cable!! back in case it was I tried connecting on a different power cable too in case ir was that but no joy :o( - I managed briefly to get PC on to Safe mode and attempted to roll it back in case it was some sort of virus or download but it kept telling me that there are missing files somewhere. i also tried to repair that using the original disks but it didn't like that either :o(