HeroOfPellinor
Lifer
- Dec 27, 2001
- 11,272
- 1
- 0
Originally posted by: Duddy
"Your hard drive is essentially fried."
LULZ!!! Makes me feel smarter
No, I think he actually said that the operating system was fried. Which is like 10x funnier.
No, I think he actually said that the operating system was fried. Which is like 10x funnier.
0roo0roo
No Lifer
- Sep 21, 2002
- 64,795
- 84
- 91
erm
just think if their kid were banging on it, got into bios, fiddled, got out. oopsie!
runs and hides. anything is possible.
and basically it was a perfect test to see if they would do rational trouble shooting procedure. if o/s doesn't boot, does drive show up at all in bios. let alone is it setup right.
HeroOfPellinor
Lifer
- Dec 27, 2001
- 11,272
- 1
- 0
Which was part of their point. The tech needs to ask things like that. I get crazy shit like this all the time at work and will go through lots of questions to get a good idea of anything they've recently done or changed or experienced that could give me some clues to narrow down the potential problems. But you have to know WTF you're doing or you won't know what to ask. Most of the time I know the problem before even touching the notebook.
Have you ever been a PC tech or something? You seem awfully crazy about this. The test was dumb, and you're comments are dumb.
It was a rather elementary problem.
For example, the guy said the OS was fried? If he had attempted an install or a repair via Windows CD, he would've absolutely known that the hard drive wasn't being detected because Windows wouldn't have picked it up.
That calls for an instant look at the computer to see:
-If a RAID controller is installed and the HD is hooked up to it
-If there's a setting incorrect in the BIOS with the HD (IDE/SATA/RAID) configuration.
-Cables/jumpers are properly connected/set
And get this:
Go to google.com. Type in "Operating System Not Found"
First link?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321626
CAUSE
This issue may occur if one or more of the following conditions are true:
? The basic input/output system (BIOS) does not detect the hard disk.
? The hard disk is damaged.
? Sector 0 of the physical hard disk drive has an incorrect or malformed master boot record (MBR).
Note Some third-party programs or disk corruption can damage an MBR.
? An incompatible partition is marked as Active.
? A partition that contains the MBR is no longer active.
Method 1: Verify the BIOS settings
Verify the computer's BIOS settings to make sure that BIOS lists and recognizes the hard disk. See the computer documentation or contact the hardware manufacturer for information about how to verify the BIOS settings.
After you verify that the computer's BIOS detects the hard disk, restart the computer, and then test to determine whether the issue is resolved. If the issue is not resolved, or if the computer's BIOS cannot detect the hard disk, you may have issues with your hardware. Contact the hardware manufacturer to inquire about how to resolve this issue. You may have to replace the hard disk.
For information about how to contact hardware manufacturers, click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
It's a laptop! There is no RAID card. He simply changed the boot settings. You could probably easily see that a hard drive was there from the boot process. You would then have to say, either something is wrong with the BIOS boot up or you need to check the OS. You can do both in one step, go into the BIOS to set to boot off the CD (checked) and then boot off the CD (checked). Then you can go from there. If I do not see a hard drive from the boot process, well it's time to check the BIOS and then har drives connection. I just think no work was done by Firedog and the Best Buy guy was just trying to push more services because he's stupid for taking the hard drive out without using their OWN diagnostic tools. Geek Squad has some nice tools. I know a guy who works there, and he's better than the dumbass they found.
*edit*
I turned off my hard drive, turned off the controllers, and changed the boot options(all at different settings). All 3 came up with similar messages, but not the same. It depends on the hardware as to what message you'll get.
He didn't turn the controller off! You would see no hard drive during the boot process!
The RAID comment was added as a general comment about not detecting a hard drive during a Windows installation. Yes it's a laptop and it will not have RAID. I was listing a last resort point where they should've absolutely checked to see if there was something wrong with the BIOS. Not listing off on what should be done in a specific order.
And it doesn't change the fact that it should've been picked up by any and all techs, especially at a computer repair shop.
But you were aserting no hard drive was found. You don't need ot go into the BIOS to see if a hard drive is present. Can you not read the boot up messages? If not, then yeah you need to hit the BIOS up. I am saying from what I saw, it looked like a boot setting change.
*edit*
Do you have a Dell? If so, check to see if the boot up sequence is near the IDE/SATA settings. Even Microsoft doesn't say check the boot sequence, so maybe he listened to google and microsoft too much But any way, they wouldn't show what they did, and they wouldn't show the boot process so I think they changed the boot sequence. That's my feeling. But yes, had REAL WORK been done, it would have been found.
*edit*
Do you have a Dell? If so, check to see if the boot up sequence is near the IDE/SATA settings. Even Microsoft doesn't say check the boot sequence, so maybe he listened to google and microsoft too much
But any way, they wouldn't show what they did, and they wouldn't show the boot process so I think they changed the boot sequence. That's my feeling. But yes, had REAL WORK been done, it would have been found.Read what I initially typed. I said at the bare minimum, if they went to install Windows or repair the Windows installation via Recovery Console or Setup->R, they would've been told by Windows that no hard drive was found. I never said anything about what the POST screen would display.
When that happens with any system, there is either a problem with the drive not being physically connected or setup properly (cables/jumpers), there is a setting that is incorrect in the BIOS relating to the hard drive (Boot settings or IDE/SATA/RAID Controller), or you don't have the RAID controller/SCSI controller drivers loaded when Windows goes to install.
Yes the hard drive would have been detected! It would maybe boot the CD(depend on if the CD was set to boot). Had he attempted to boot from the CD, he would either be successful or he would need to go in the BIOS to change it. If it did boot up, it would find the hard drive and the windows installation. Only if they had turned off the controller, would he not be able to use the Recoevery Console from the CD.
*edit*
I'll give you RAID but SCSI isn't as common any more and it's possible. I had issues at a previous job with some new laptops on SATA support. Had to make a special image for them.
*edit*
I'll give you RAID but SCSI isn't as common any more and it's possible. I had issues at a previous job with some new laptops on SATA support. Had to make a special image for them.
With an SATA boot drive with XP, they would've had to load the drivers for an OS install or repair, otherwise they would not be able to access the disk.
You still aren't getting what I'm saying completely.
I'm completely ignoring what's showing up at post. We're going from worst case scenario back. I'm saying even if they don't catch that the POST screen isn't showing, even if they don't google the error msg, even if they don't adhere to basic, standard diagnostic techniques or tools, when they try to install they'll get an error. If they get this error, they should automatically check the BIOS and physical connections.
If they do not get an error during an install, then we work backwards and realize the hard drive is being detected. Because the Windows installation can see the hard drive. That means it should be detected by any and all diagnostic software.
You can even eliminate the whole section about Windows and using simple diagnostic tools, it will serve the same function as the Windows trial. If diagnostic software can't pick up the drive, you should automatically make sure it's properly connected. Considering they said the hard drive itself was fried, they must not have been able to do a hard drive scan at GeekSquad. This is what also leads me to believe that they didn't just mess with the boot order. If they had, you would've been able to run a diagnostics.
So assuming they messed with just the boot order, going backwards from there, we run diagnostics on the disc. The diagnostics will show that the hard drive is in perfect, working condition.
So if we can access the files on the disk, and the hard drive physically works and passes all diagnostics, then we can go one of two routes. You try to install the OS (after charging the customer) or you check BIOS settings. Since you can't attempt to install Windows without getting customer approval, you check the BIOS settings and your problem is fixed.
So even if the controller was completely turned off, they should've absolutely been able to recognize that.
Firedog said the Operating System is fried. He even said the hard drive was working.
Geek Squad took it out. You don't do that at first. Check the POST message for a hard drive or look at the BIOS. He couldn't even get the hard drive work on his computer. He was hearing some "clicking". He shouldn't even be allowed to touch a computer.
*Edit*
If you read what the Geek Squad says, he's already thinking "hard drive or motherboard". So he wasn't open to any other ideas. Seriously doubt the Geek Squad guy should be allowed to touch someone's computer.
But any way, you know your stuff and I know my stuff. It's a simple problem and should have been picked up. You and that other guy are just reading too much into it. You don't have to prance through the BIOS for all the info, it's listed at the POST screen. You can skip to the BIOS if you want, it's listed there too. I just think the Geek Squad jumped the gun and started pulling the drive out. I just don't think the Firedog people did any work though. He says the drive is fine, but why not call the customer back for cd to install if the OS is fried? Possibly just bad customer service on top of a bad tech.
Geek Squad took it out. You don't do that at first. Check the POST message for a hard drive or look at the BIOS. He couldn't even get the hard drive work on his computer. He was hearing some "clicking". He shouldn't even be allowed to touch a computer.
*Edit*
If you read what the Geek Squad says, he's already thinking "hard drive or motherboard". So he wasn't open to any other ideas. Seriously doubt the Geek Squad guy should be allowed to touch someone's computer.
But any way, you know your stuff and I know my stuff. It's a simple problem and should have been picked up. You and that other guy are just reading too much into it. You don't have to prance through the BIOS for all the info, it's listed at the POST screen. You can skip to the BIOS if you want, it's listed there too. I just think the Geek Squad jumped the gun and started pulling the drive out. I just don't think the Firedog people did any work though. He says the drive is fine, but why not call the customer back for cd to install if the OS is fried? Possibly just bad customer service on top of a bad tech.
WhoBeDaPlaya
Diamond Member
- Sep 15, 2000
- 7,415
- 404
- 126
That could happen if what you were doing is trying to hook up the drive using a USB -> 2.5" IDE header/converter since there are drives drawing more than the standard USB spec of 500mA on the 5V rail. Still, t3h fail for not knowing that
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