Pavillion dv6 Notebook won't boot ... couldn't detect 2 HDDs

[DCSmith]

HP Pavillion dv6 Notebook

Windows 7

No upgrades have been made to the system since purchase (Sept 2011), other than possible automatic Windows updates, and such.

Notebook was working fine.  Now won't boot.  Gives screen with 2 choices ... "Launch Startup Repair (Recommended)" and "Start Windows Normally".  If I choose the 2nd option, it tries to load Windows, but comes back to same 2 choices after about a minute.  If I choose the 1st option, a blue background is presented along with a cmd window showing the following:

REM Model:

REM Caption: Hitachi HTS547564A9E384 ATA Device

REM SCSIBUS: 0

REM SCSIPort: 0

REM Partitions: 4

REM PNPDeviceID: IDE\DISKHITACHI_HTS547564A9E384_____JEDOA50A\5&12DBC03F&0&0.0.0

Couldn't perform the screening because couldn't detect 2 HDDs on this system.

C:\system.sav\util\MBRINST.EXE /INI C:\system.sav\util\MBR.INI /U /Q

ECHO MBRInst returned %ErrorLevel% >> C:\system.sav\logs\MBRINST.LOG

From this screen, I couldn't do anything, only reboot (power off/on).  I entered BIOS (F10 during boot) and ran diagnostics for "Primary Hard Disk Self Test" and "Memory Test", both of which seemed to pass.  When running the hard disk test, it ended by showing a message box stating "Hard Disk 1 Full (305)".

I then ran the HP Advanced System Diagnostics (reached by hitting Esc during boot, then choosing F2 for System Diagnostics from the menu).  These diagnostics yielded the results below.  The odd/inconsistent thing that I am noticing is that the Short DST diagnostic is failing within some tests, but not within others.

StartUp Test

   Memory Test: Passed

   SMART Check: Passed

   Short DST: Failed

      Failure ID: GLHWKW-5QA5S1-MFH15F-60R203

      Product ID: LT070AV

      Hard Disk 1

Battery Test: Passed

Hard Disk Test

   SMART Check: Passed

   Short DST: Passed

   Long DST: Passed

System Tune-Up: Failed

   Battery Test: Passed

   SMART Check: Passed

   Memory Test: Passed

   Short DST: Failed

      Same Failure ID & Product ID & Hard disk as above in the StartUp Test

Run-In Test

   Same as System Tune-Up, but no memory test was performed.

This laptop was purchased in September 2011, so should still be under warranty.

What do you recommend, HP?

[pepe999]

Hi,

I have seen some posts on the internet and the solution for a short DST test failed was to run a checkdisk (chkdsk) from the command prompt. Get a Windows 7 installation disk, Hiren's boot cd etc.. Then boot up to the command prompt and run "chkdsk /r". 

[babes0128]

Try to reseat the HDD

After reseating the HDD, run the Start up test again. If there is still a failure ID, you have to replace the HDD. Either your HDD has failed or is failing. Back up all the files you want to keep, if you are still able to boot into Windows.