Hate to Ask for Comp Help

[ToLEEdo]

I always hate when people post just for comp help but I have no other choices at this point.

I installed a new hard drive in my girlfriends laptop its a toshiba satelitte 1135-S135 and I put a Western Digital 60GB hdd into it. It installed fine but now it doesn't show up in the BIOS. I did a BIOS update(what a bitch) and still got nothing. I have no idea and I haven't had much time or $ to take it to a computer store.

Any ideas on what to do?

[Ritalin]

Why feel bad about posting for some tech assistance?

I've learned from personal experience that there are more than a few really smart tech heads on this board, and they'll answer any quesion.

Then they'll start talking to each other about some tangental issue that arose out of your problem and argue about it a little, but what do you care? By that time you have your answer and you're out.

Ronfez.net - People Helping People

[KC2OSO]

Mmmm updating the BIOS can be a bitch.
I don't recall if laptop hard drives have jumpers for master/slave. Actually, I went and looked at an old one and there are four pins on the old 30 gig Toshiba I have. There is no jumper on on my old one.
Just to be sure, are you sure the ribbon cable is seated fully? Did the other end of the HD cable come loose or did the cable get buggered up in some way.
Is the bios set to auto-detect the hd?
If you reconnect the old one, does the bios see it?
Does it spin up when you apply power?

[ToLEEdo]

Fully seated.
Don't think there is any spin.
Haven't tried the old one but I don't believe the BIOS was recognizing it.
Don't know how to put it on Auto-Detect.

Thanks

[KC2OSO]

Auto-Detect is usually a setting in the BIOS in the Hardware section just a Yes/No Toggle. Most BIOS' after 1990 are set to auto-detect though. The part about not spinning up would have me worried. If the drive has no power, the system obviously won't see it. If true, then it points to a problem elsewhere. The drive should at least vibrate a bit to tell you whether it's running or not.
Anything on the jumpers?

[zentraed]

do you have a way of testing the new drive on another computer? is it possible the orientation of the cable is wrong? there should be a little pin preventing you from putting it on incorrectly, but if it's missing, the connector could be upside down.

[ToLEEdo]

It's spinning. Can't find an auto-detect in the BIOS it's only 3 yrs old so I assume it is auto-detect. Does it need to be formatted or something. I have no idea at this point. What else can I do?

[MadMatt]

Was the drive initialized before you popped it in?

[ToLEEdo]

How would I be able to tell? I didn't do anything to it when I bought it from Newegg.com Simply opened package put it in.

[boobieman]

Hello,
I bought a 2nd hard drive for my computer. It did not show up in the Bios either. When on a tech web site, posted and was told the drive is dead. I sent back for replacement. Got the new one and it worked fine. So maybe the drive is just dead. Return it and get another one.

Also here is a link to some tech help, people on the board seam to know what they are talking about. Just do some searching in the right sectrion and you might find your answer.

http://www.helpwithpcs.com/tech-support-forum/index.php
Hope this helps.

SEEYYAYAYAYAYA!!!!! Vegas here I come...

[KC2OSO]

Hello,
I bought a 2nd hard drive for my computer. It did not show up in the Bios either. When on a tech web site, posted and was told the drive is dead. I sent back for replacement. Got the new one and it worked fine. So maybe the drive is just dead. Return it and get another one.

Also here is a link to some tech help, people on the board seam to know what they are talking about. Just do some searching in the right sectrion and you might find your answer.

http://www.helpwithpcs.com/tech-support-forum/index.php
Hope this helps.

SEEYYAYAYAYAYA!!!!! Vegas here I come...
Yeah, good point. It just might be no good - doubtful though. But, you have to be pretty methodical about these things.

First off, get to know your BIOS. How to get in and out quickly.
The fact that you have a BIOS is a good thing. The MB is not dead.
Is it seeing other devices such as CD ROM, RAM, mouse, keyboard, etc.
If so,
Next, look back.
Why did the original drive fail if it did indeed fail?
Power surge? Lightning? Virus? Then, there may be other, more serious, problems.
Or, was this purely an upgrade of disk size?
Ok,
So everything worked before?
Then the original HD should work ok or is it fucked?

I like zentraed's question too.
Is it in upside down?

The board on the drive should tell the BIOS all it needs to know about make/model/size/cylinders/heads/sectors.

Look for the simple problems first.

[ToLEEdo]

Alright, I'm exchanging the hard drive to see if that helps. The original hard drive shows up in the BIOS, but then once I get out it tells me there is a critical error. This started one day out of no where. I have no idea why. No lighting or virus or sudden power surge to be known of. It is in the right way same way as the other drive and that one shows up. I'll see how it goes with the next one.

Thanks you guys are more help than anyone else.

[cougarjake13]

for the last few weeks i keep getting this pop up, it happens a least once every 2-3 minutes

i cant find anything in my programs list but is there any way i can stop this from popping up ???


some files can harm your computer. if the file information
below looks suspicious, or you do not fully trust the source
do not open or save this file


file name ...spyware2007freeinstall.exe
file type application
from: download.cdn.winsoftware.com

[fohat]

You've got the beginings of a spyware fun fest there cougarjake. get yourself a program like windows defender from microsoft and scan your PC. And dont install anything weird that pops up :)

[StupidGirlllll]

You've got the beginings of a spyware fun fest there cougarjake. get yourself a program like windows defender from microsoft and scan your PC. And dont install anything weird that pops up :)


is the windows defender free or pay service? Also what about ad-aware thats a good 1 right?

[midwestjeff]

Spy sweeper. I don't have it now but it solved a lot of problems on my old computer. Probably cost 40 bucks, but well worth it. Not a comp geek though, just saying.

[Ritalin]

Alright, here's a strange one: I've been getting spam that's addressed partially with a name of someone I've recently received a message from. Example: yesterday I get a legitimate email from someone I'll call John Astoria. Today I get spam addressed to me at the proper address FROM a sender named Francine ASTORIA!

It's happened enough times that it couldn't be a coincidence. What gives?

(details: I'm on a Mac - two of them actually - and I have my own website, so my email goes through a server at Verio.)

[cougarjake13]

You've got the beginings of a spyware fun fest there cougarjake. get yourself a program like windows defender from microsoft and scan your PC. And dont install anything weird that pops up :)


yeh i spent over 2 hours and found the files in a bunch of different folders and some of them wouldnt let me delete them

[ANC]

yeh i spent over 2 hours and found the files in a bunch of different folders and some of them wouldnt let me delete them

If it will not let you delete the files, start your computer in 'Safe Mode'. The files are probably running proceses. Hopefully 'Safe Mode' should shut them down, allowing you access to them.. They can be tricky though. I once dealt with a virus that wouldn't let me clean or delete the file, but it allowed me to move it.. I ended up moving it to a 3 1/2 floppy disk, ejecting it, and threw it in the trash.. Problem solved.