Need a new hard drive for dv6-1230us

[MimmiO]

My issue is regarding the HP Pavilion Entertainment PC dv6-1230us. Recently, it was dropped and since then it has been giving me the following message whenever it boots up.

Boot Device Not Found

Please install an operating system on your hard disk.

Hard Drisk (3F0)

F2 System Diagnostics

For more information, please visit: www.hp.com/go/techcenter/startup"

I know it is important to run the hard disk test but when I run the system diagnostics for the Hard Disk Test, it says:
"Hard Disk Test Failed
Hard disk not exist"

I have also been on the suggested website and it didn't really help me, and even after "resetting my BIOS back to default" it recommends running the Hard Disk test, which just does not work because the "hard disk does not exist". There was a YouTube video that I came across as well that suggested pulling out the hard drive and diconnecting it and reconnecting it to fix the error in the case that the wires came loose but that did not work either.

SO, I don't know if there's anything more I can do, I'm assuming the hard drive is super dead.

It comes with a Seagate ATA hard drive. I was wondering if I could replace it with a SATA hard drive or does it have to be an ATA? (Does it even have the hardware capability to support a SATA drive?)

Also, is it even worth replacing the hard drive? Should I get a new laptop instead? This laptop is used mainly for just browsing online and checking emails.

Any help is appreciated, thank you.

[Huffer · Accepted solution]

Yes the hard drive is so dead it does not even register as a hard drive. The dv6-1000 series definitely uses SATA drives, not ATA so I am not sure what you are seeing. You can replace it with any 2.5 inch wide 9.5 mm thick SATA drive.

Look at this video between :53 and :59 and see that it is a SATA drive. If yours looks different then you have misidentified your model. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQx7PlIXFuE

Hard drives are a small fraction the cost of a laptop and if yours is doing what you need it to do I would say replace the hard drive instead of buying a new one. 

This is an excellent drive at a great price:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236563

Do you have recovery disks? Were you running Windows 7? Post back if you need any more help with restoring software.

If this is "the Answer" please click "Accept as Solution" to help others find it. 

[MimmiO]

Thank you so much for replying! And yes, you are right, I do have a SATA hard drive. When I looked at the actual hard drive it said Serial ATA and for some reason it didn't register in my head that the "S" in SATA stood for serial, hah. I apologize for that.

But I definitely appreciate you finding a hard drive for me! I have ordered the one you have suggested. The notebook was running Windows 7 as its OS, but there aren't any recovery discs as a friend had installed Windows 7 on it for me- it was originally a Windows Vista.

I am unsure of the steps needed to restore software, but there weren't any files/data of real importance on my old hard drive. I am sorry I'm not very savvy with computers in this sense but I don't know if a new hard drive affects the OS, if it does I need help installing an OS onto it. 

[Huffer]

Yes, new hard drives are absolutely blank. You need to put software on it. I could link you to a download of Windows 7 OEM from an official Microsoft server but you would need a Win 7 Key Code. Since your computer was originally licensed for Vista and likely has a Vista Key Code you will need a copy of the kind of Vista originally installed or you need a license for a different operating system (i.e. Windows 7 or Windows 8). Can you still contact the friend who put Windows 7 on it? Legally, you should have a license (Key Code) for it and if you do it can be reinstalled. 

[MimmiO]

Yes, I can ask my friend for the Key Code. So, once I have the Key Code, I won't need to reinstall Vista? I can just install Windows 7?

I would also appreciate if you told me how to install an OS onto a Hard Drive. Or linked me to a forum/site that explains the process.

[Huffer]

The first thing you will need is "media" or some thing (typically a DVD or a thumb drive) that holds the files that make up the operating system. Seriously, if you have never done this before it is something a junior computer technician ought to help you with. There is a lot to do, primarily driver configuration and updates and then installation of programs on top of the operating system.

If you really want to try let me know when you have a Key Code and I can tell you where to get a copy of Windows 7 you can use.

[MimmiO]

Thank you again for all of your help. My friend ended up helping me with the installation. 

After receiving the Hard Drive that you recommended to me, I fit it into its compartment. Then I created a bootable USB flash drive from a Windows 7 .iso image on a different computer and plugged that in and it started up on its own. I now have a working laptop again!

[IGMalgwi]

I have a similar problem with HP pavilion m6, in my case it comes with windows 7. The screen went blank I taught is bad then when I connect a secondary monitor it showed me operating system missing. A technician helped me to fix the screen we disconnect and reconnect the hardrive and it booth well. We now install windows 8.1 and after complete installation it refuse to booth still showing operating system not found and I connect another hard drive still showing the same error message. What can I do.

[jmputt]

kind sir, i am in a similiar situation in that i need to upgrade my hard drive for more storage capacity.  i know just enough about computers to be dangerous, and need your insight.

i have a HP Pavilion dv6-1230us running Windows 10.  based on your replacement drive to the original poster, i found that there is a 750GB drive similar to the one you recommended.  other than the OS and other software to be installed on the replacement drive, is there anything else that i would need to replace on the laptop in conjunction with the new hard drive (ie, RAM)?  do you foresee any reason why the 750GB drive would be incompatible with the laptop?

with many thanks.