Computer Science Canada

Problems with Hard Drive Installation
Author:  josh [ Fri Jan 07, 2005 5:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Problems with Hard Drive Installation
I just attempted to install a new Western digital, 250 GB EIDE hardrive into my HP Pavillion 525C. I put the new drive in, set the jumper blockson both drive to cable select (which was the default on my original drive) connected the IDE cables and power supplies and when I booted up the computer, all I got was a black screen, no screen with the HP logo like normal just a black screen.

I then tried a master/slave ump block configuration but I got the same result. I then tried disconnecting the new drive, and just setting the jumper block to cable select on the new drive but I still get the black screen.

I called both HP and Western Digital tech support but they where both useless. (what else is new)

when I boot up the computer all the fans spin up, the lights on the CD and DVD drives blink, and the light beneth the powerbutton the I believe indicates hard drive activity turns on. Although I have not seen the light on the floppy drive blinking. I also swapped the IDE cable that was in my PC with the one that came with the hard drive.

Does anyone have any suggestions for what I can do? I really don't wanna have to take my computer somewhere to get it repared. Hit Wall
Author:  MihaiG [ Fri Jan 07, 2005 6:08 pm ]
Post subject: 
if the computer model is old it might not work... the computer might not understand 250Gb and and why would you need 250Gb?...just replace it might be the r hardrive itself Confused
Author:  josh [ Fri Jan 07, 2005 6:31 pm ]
Post subject: 
which HD? the new 1?

I got 250 because it was a boxing day sale and was down to the price of what a 160BG would be regularly, so I figured since I was gunna spend that much on a 160 may as well get the 250, I also wanna start video edditing and stuff like that and I am down to very little space left on the original HD.

I also want to make about a 50 GB partition to put Linux on it. Also it will be good for the next few years if I want to build a new PC, I don't think I will buy a name brand again, they put to much shit in their PC's.

EDIT: and i just bought the computer last year.
Author:  Neo [ Fri Jan 07, 2005 6:42 pm ]
Post subject: 
I also had problems getting my computer to recognize my new hard drive. My computer is old and the hard drive is pretty big, 120GB, for such an old computer, so I had to set 2 jumpers on the harddrive. Try the alternative jumper settings that are usually near the end of the instructions booklet.
Author:  Paul [ Fri Jan 07, 2005 9:26 pm ]
Post subject: 
Well, I think jumper settings vary with hard drives, you have to make sure you got it right. Plus, when you hook up the IDE cables, you have to match pin 1 on the cable to pin 1 on the IDE controller. On the cable you can tell with the red stripe.
Author:  josh [ Sat Jan 08, 2005 1:24 am ]
Post subject: 
I did try the alternate jumper settings for the new HD.

The problem isn't that it is not recognizing it, the computer does not display even the BIOS loading screen. Even though I don't recall touching my GFX card during the install I think it may be possilble that it got knoked or something, but it is still tight in its slot.

The hard drives are the newer generation so they have the little indent ontop of the cable and the drive so it only goes in one way. I did not even see a label for pin 1.
Author:  Paul [ Sat Jan 08, 2005 9:49 am ]
Post subject: 
Check carefully if you dislodged anything. Did you apply force to any component when you put in the drive? Did you make sure u were properly grounded? (I use a ESD wrist strap, or touching the chassis while the computer is plugged in) Once my computer wouldn't start up at all, when I installed a new video card. It sounds exactly as ur situation. I opened it up, took out the processor, cleaned out some dust, then put it back on, it started up. Only there was a RAM error... so I went back and reconnected the RAM... and its now working fine.
Author:  josh [ Sat Jan 08, 2005 10:30 am ]
Post subject: 
I did actually have a fair bit of trouble getting that metal frame that holds the drives back into the case because of the awkward design of the HP cases, now that you mention it I may have it a RAM chip or the processor fan, however there is a heat sink and a fan ontop of the processor and I don't think it wouuld have done anything more than tap the top of the fan
Author:  josh [ Sat Jan 08, 2005 11:46 am ]
Post subject: 
THANK YOU SO MUCH PAUL!!!! I just figured I would try popping out one of the RAM chips that I may have hit and put it back in. Then just for the hell of it I hit the power button and it booted up!!!! I still have to install the new HD but now I am back up and running.

THANK YOU!!

+50 bits
Author:  Andy [ Sat Jan 08, 2005 2:16 pm ]
Post subject: 
errr wtf... as far as i noe, it doesnt matter how hard the drive is, the comp will still boot up, it mite not recongize it, but that doesnt have anything to do with it... also, make sure the red ribbon on the cable is closer to the power connector on the hdd, or else the comp will not boot
Author:  josh [ Sat Jan 08, 2005 2:18 pm ]
Post subject: 
I think it was the ram, whatever, I installed it without a hitch and now have a nice extra 250 GB hard drive. And I am not that dumb, I know that the red stripe has to be for pin 1, like I said, it is a new HD and IDE cable so it has the safetys so it only goes in one way,
Author:  Paul [ Sun Jan 09, 2005 12:09 am ]
Post subject: 
Eh, thnx for the bits. As I said I had the same problem installing a video card. I just told you what I did, and it seems to work. What is it with those ram slots anyway Sad.
Author:  josh [ Sun Jan 09, 2005 12:11 am ]
Post subject: 
I dunno, just glad it is working now.
Author:  Blade [ Sun Jan 09, 2005 3:05 am ]
Post subject: 
Andy wrote:
errr wtf... as far as i noe, it doesnt matter how hard the drive is, the comp will still boot up, it mite not recongize it, but that doesnt have anything to do with it... also, make sure the red ribbon on the cable is closer to the power connector on the hdd, or else the comp will not boot


not all cables have the red stripe. i have a round clear 100/133 ide cable and there are no markings for pin 1
Author:  Andy [ Sun Jan 09, 2005 5:36 pm ]
Post subject: 
yea.. those round cables are nice... so how do u tell then?
Author:  Blade [ Sun Jan 16, 2005 12:21 pm ]
Post subject: 
you can tell because with newer boards and harddrives will only allow the cable to plug in one way because on the ends of the cables there is that ... uhh i dunno how to describe it, its like a bump/slit thing, and on the board/hardrive there is a break in the plastic that allows it to fit in...
heres an image of an end of a round cable ... it'll make it easier for you to see it
Posted Image, might have been reduced in size. Click Image to view fullscreen.
Author:  Andy [ Sun Jan 16, 2005 3:35 pm ]
Post subject: 
lol im not THAT ignorant..
Author:  josh [ Sun Jan 16, 2005 3:40 pm ]
Post subject: 
that cable looks like it might be annoying, is it really thick and hard to bend around? becue it might take up to much space inside of hte case, at least normal IDE's are flexitble
Author:  Andy [ Sun Jan 16, 2005 4:03 pm ]
Post subject: 
but the normal IDE cables block up alot of air flow
Author:  josh [ Sun Jan 16, 2005 5:31 pm ]
Post subject: 
never though about it that way, I guess as long as you have a large enough case they are o.k.
Author:  Blade [ Mon Jan 17, 2005 4:10 am ]
Post subject: 
Andy wrote:
lol im not THAT ignorant..


i wasnt implying that... i just like to make my points clear so i dont get 50 questions.. sorry if you took it that way


ya, but with flat ones you can only bend it one way, with round ones you can bend it anyway you want, it makes them easier to move around so you can get a good airflow going... and they're not really only red they come in different colours.. and no they really arent that hard to bend either... a little more hard than flat ones but not realy anything that comprimises it.. and you wouldnt really wanna fold either of them in 1/2 anyways
Author:  josh [ Mon Jan 17, 2005 8:29 pm ]
Post subject: 
maybe it ws just he pic you posted that made it misleading, but that red sheath looked pretty solid there, maybe it was just the light.
Author:  Blade [ Tue Jan 18, 2005 8:36 am ]
Post subject: 
i dunno... it does look hard.. the one i've got though, the plastic on it is really rubbery .. kinda like an elastic without the stretchy part to it... you bend it and it flops back, but its not hard to bend
Author:  Leftover [ Sun Jan 23, 2005 2:12 am ]
Post subject: 
Blade wrote:
you can tell because with newer boards and harddrives will only allow the cable to plug in one way because on the ends of the cables there is that ... uhh i dunno how to describe it, its like a bump/slit thing, and on the board/hardrive there is a break in the plastic that allows it to fit in...
heres an image of an end of a round cable ... it'll make it easier for you to see it
Posted Image, might have been reduced in size. Click Image to view fullscreen.


Called a key Smile
Author:  Blade [ Sun Jan 23, 2005 1:47 pm ]
Post subject: 
Leftover wrote:
Called a key Smile


makes sense, i never knew that
Author:  Leftover [ Sun Jan 23, 2005 2:14 pm ]
Post subject: 
I wouldn't either if my gr 11 co-op teacher didn't hassle the hell out of me to find it out.

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