Tried clearing mbr/bios, formatting, etc -- still can't access HD!

[evilmantis]

Okay, so here's the background. Computer (laptop) was not working when I got ahold of it. Had a password on admin, so I got it from previous owner, reset it to clear (as in, no password) in BIOS. Still, XP cds can't install. Tried fdisk from bootable floppy. Get "invalid drive designation" error. Format MBR -- program gives me a few errors in the process, but I think I got it. Still can't install XP. I flashed the BIOS (at least, I think I did... I have done so many things so far...), nothing. Now XP gets to the partitioning screen, and it tells me it can't access the given partition (which, of course, is my HD). Gives me an error and quits.


What's the deal???
Thanks
Goldie

 

[FlyingPenguin]

Format MBR -- program gives me a few errors in the process...

Download the drive manufacturer's diagnostic and run the full (Advanced) test. I suspect the drive is bad.

Another possibility is that someone installed Norton GoBack or a disk manager bios on the HDD in which case it's almost impossible to remove without the original software.

Hope this helps...

 

[TrueWisdom]

It just sounds like your hard drive is bad. Especially if you're getting errors formatting the MBR. Fdisk should run without a hitch--you boot, you create a partition, designate it as master, and then you format. if any of those fail, all you can assume is that the hard disk is bad.

 

[evilmantis]

Ugh. Okay. thanks for the help guys (or ladies). I just put in a bid on a replacement HD on fleabay. Hopefully that's all it is!

Thanks again
Goldie