Compaq Presario doesn't recognize HDD--Help!!

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Got myself an ebay special Compaq Presario 12XL300 Laptop minus hard drive.
I've tried to install 3 known good hard drives and none are recognized in
the bios and I get the message "Operating system not found" on boot. Any
suggestions besides staying away from ebay?
GMAN

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

"DavidG35" <DavidG35@NOSPAMcox.net> wrote in message
news😱%Zfc.46361$U83.30174@fed1read03...
> Got myself an ebay special Compaq Presario 12XL300 Laptop minus hard
drive.
> I've tried to install 3 known good hard drives and none are recognized in
> the bios and I get the message "Operating system not found" on boot. Any
> suggestions besides staying away from ebay?
> GMAN


Some laptop can be very picky as to hardware. You're best bet is to either
contact Compaq and try and find out what make/model drive was in it
originally. Or do a search for hard drives on-line that are compatible with
that model.

Rick

 

[Bob]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Are the drives your using formated to a DOS prompt? Are the drives larger
than 10gb. The 12xl300 came with a 6gb drive anything more and the bios will
not see it.

Bob


"Rick Blythin" <mosguy@gosympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:585gc.33259$2Z6.1307205@news20.bellglobal.com...
>
> "DavidG35" <DavidG35@NOSPAMcox.net> wrote in message
> news😱%Zfc.46361$U83.30174@fed1read03...
> > Got myself an ebay special Compaq Presario 12XL300 Laptop minus hard
> drive.
> > I've tried to install 3 known good hard drives and none are recognized
in
> > the bios and I get the message "Operating system not found" on boot. Any
> > suggestions besides staying away from ebay?
> > GMAN
>
>
> Some laptop can be very picky as to hardware. You're best bet is to either
> contact Compaq and try and find out what make/model drive was in it
> originally. Or do a search for hard drives on-line that are compatible
with
> that model.
>
> Rick
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

The drives I've tried were a 1 gig, 3 gig, and 6 gig. With the bios set at
auto none of them were recognized at boot. They all had windows on them
already.
Thanks,
GMAN

"Bob" <bobdawn1@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:yWkgc.2849$2v.1769@nwrdny02.gnilink.net...
> Are the drives your using formated to a DOS prompt? Are the drives larger
> than 10gb. The 12xl300 came with a 6gb drive anything more and the bios
will
> not see it.
>
> Bob
>
>
> "Rick Blythin" <mosguy@gosympatico.ca> wrote in message
> news:585gc.33259$2Z6.1307205@news20.bellglobal.com...
> >
> > "DavidG35" <DavidG35@NOSPAMcox.net> wrote in message
> > news😱%Zfc.46361$U83.30174@fed1read03...
> > > Got myself an ebay special Compaq Presario 12XL300 Laptop minus hard
> > drive.
> > > I've tried to install 3 known good hard drives and none are recognized
> in
> > > the bios and I get the message "Operating system not found" on boot.
Any
> > > suggestions besides staying away from ebay?
> > > GMAN
> >
> >
> > Some laptop can be very picky as to hardware. You're best bet is to
either
> > contact Compaq and try and find out what make/model drive was in it
> > originally. Or do a search for hard drives on-line that are compatible
> with
> > that model.
> >
> > Rick
> >
> >
>
>

 

[Bob]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

I would try two things...first in the bios there is a place to suspend to
disk option set to none (or simular). Second reformat the drive. Even though
the drives has an OS on it it will not have the correct drivers for your
Presario. Compaqs especially the Presarios are very fussy and don't like to
be messed with much.

Bob


"DavidG35" <DavidG35@NOSPAMcox.net> wrote in message
news😱flgc.55087$U83.51505@fed1read03...
> The drives I've tried were a 1 gig, 3 gig, and 6 gig. With the bios set at
> auto none of them were recognized at boot. They all had windows on them
> already.
> Thanks,
> GMAN
>
> "Bob" <bobdawn1@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:yWkgc.2849$2v.1769@nwrdny02.gnilink.net...
> > Are the drives your using formated to a DOS prompt? Are the drives
larger
> > than 10gb. The 12xl300 came with a 6gb drive anything more and the bios
> will
> > not see it.
> >
> > Bob
> >
> >
> > "Rick Blythin" <mosguy@gosympatico.ca> wrote in message
> > news:585gc.33259$2Z6.1307205@news20.bellglobal.com...
> > >
> > > "DavidG35" <DavidG35@NOSPAMcox.net> wrote in message
> > > news😱%Zfc.46361$U83.30174@fed1read03...
> > > > Got myself an ebay special Compaq Presario 12XL300 Laptop minus hard
> > > drive.
> > > > I've tried to install 3 known good hard drives and none are
recognized
> > in
> > > > the bios and I get the message "Operating system not found" on boot.
> Any
> > > > suggestions besides staying away from ebay?
> > > > GMAN
> > >
> > >
> > > Some laptop can be very picky as to hardware. You're best bet is to
> either
> > > contact Compaq and try and find out what make/model drive was in it
> > > originally. Or do a search for hard drives on-line that are compatible
> > with
> > > that model.
> > >
> > > Rick
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

The problem is either the cable or the motherboard, I took a hdd out of an
identical laptop and had the same results. Guess I have a new small boat
anchor.

"Bob" <bobdawn1@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:74Egc.7756$eK3.7467@nwrdny01.gnilink.net...
> I would try two things...first in the bios there is a place to suspend to
> disk option set to none (or simular). Second reformat the drive. Even
though
> the drives has an OS on it it will not have the correct drivers for your
> Presario. Compaqs especially the Presarios are very fussy and don't like
to
> be messed with much.
>
> Bob
>
>
> "DavidG35" <DavidG35@NOSPAMcox.net> wrote in message
> news😱flgc.55087$U83.51505@fed1read03...
> > The drives I've tried were a 1 gig, 3 gig, and 6 gig. With the bios set
at
> > auto none of them were recognized at boot. They all had windows on them
> > already.
> > Thanks,
> > GMAN
> >
> > "Bob" <bobdawn1@verizon.net> wrote in message
> > news:yWkgc.2849$2v.1769@nwrdny02.gnilink.net...
> > > Are the drives your using formated to a DOS prompt? Are the drives
> larger
> > > than 10gb. The 12xl300 came with a 6gb drive anything more and the
bios
> > will
> > > not see it.
> > >
> > > Bob
> > >
> > >
> > > "Rick Blythin" <mosguy@gosympatico.ca> wrote in message
> > > news:585gc.33259$2Z6.1307205@news20.bellglobal.com...
> > > >
> > > > "DavidG35" <DavidG35@NOSPAMcox.net> wrote in message
> > > > news😱%Zfc.46361$U83.30174@fed1read03...
> > > > > Got myself an ebay special Compaq Presario 12XL300 Laptop minus
hard
> > > > drive.
> > > > > I've tried to install 3 known good hard drives and none are
> recognized
> > > in
> > > > > the bios and I get the message "Operating system not found" on
boot.
> > Any
> > > > > suggestions besides staying away from ebay?
> > > > > GMAN
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Some laptop can be very picky as to hardware. You're best bet is to
> > either
> > > > contact Compaq and try and find out what make/model drive was in it
> > > > originally. Or do a search for hard drives on-line that are
compatible
> > > with
> > > > that model.
> > > >
> > > > Rick
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

If you boot from a floppy then type "C:", can you see the hard drive?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Sorry... my post was a boneheaded one (how could there be a c: if the bios
doesn't recognize it?) I would try a couple of other things first: (1)
check to see of the hard drive cable was plugged in correctly, and (2) I
would also unplug and the CD-ROM drive to see if the hard drive gets
recognized without it. Sometimes on these mix-n-match computers, people
might put in a cd rom drive that's got firmware (same model, different
firmware) that'll conflict with hard drives... Not saying it should
happen, but I've seen it.

Of course, since you have another system like it, you can swap both the
hard drives and cd-rom drives. It'll make for a good afternoon project.